Genealogy Library Requesting Information about Center School

Recently Jerry Cooksey donated some pictures, newspaper clippings, and other information to the Genealogy Library in Center Point.

Included among the items donated was a picture of Center School taken in 1934. There was no other information available.

After a few hours of searching the school files, historical maps, and historical newspapers, it was discovered that Center School was located in Jackson Township at the cross roads of Harmony Road and Asherville Road, now known as Airport Road or Jackson Township School Road.

Two letters to Santa Claus were published in 1929 in The Brazil Daily Times. One was from Virginia McCullough and one from Rosetta Maxine Stearley. Both third-grade girls wrote that they were students at Center School. Virginia asked Santa for presents for her sister, Wanita, and her brother, Virgil, as well as her grandparents.

Also, found were reports of two auto accidents at the road intersection at the Center School just east of Asherville. The one that occurred on March 6, 1931, involved Charles Butterman from south of Brazil who collided with the Bowling Green mail and passenger bus driven by Willis Knapp of Brazil.

The other accident on July 9, 1931, “at the intersection of the Harmony and Asherville roads at Center school house” involved Ned Murphy of Brazil and H. Withers. Mr. Wither’s son was thrown through the rear window of the car and received a painful cut on his right hand. Mrs. Withers and a small daughter were slightly bruised.

At the Genealogy Library there is a file drawer filled with information about one-room Clay County schools that were eventually abandoned.

If you have any information about when the Center School opened, when it closed, its exact location, or other information, please contact Pat Wilkinson at the library so that your information can be added to the Center School file.

The library is open on Monday and Wednesday from 10:00 to 4:00 and on the first and third Saturdays from 10:00 to 4:00. Phone: 812-835-5005.