I - Ante-Bellum Period, 1849 - 1860

	We are indebted to Mr. J. E. Purcell of Red Springs, for the facts concerning this period. We regret that we could not 
	confer with Mr. Hamilton McMillan of Red Springs also, who contributed so ably to the success of the school.
	Some time in the fall of 1849, Rev. Hector McNeill, Messrs. Alex Graham, Daniel McEachin, Daniel Love, Archibald McMillan, 
	Neill Kelly, Neill and Jack Currie, Lauchlin McNeill, Alex Purcell and Miss Catharine Ferguson of Robeson County met at 
	Spring Branch to consult about starting a school at that place. All of these men had small children and no school near 
	them. At this meeting they decided to locate a school about halfway between Messrs. Lauchlin McNeill's and Alex Purcell's 
	residences.
	
	They built a plain log house with inside chimney made mostly with clay and sticks procured near by the school building. 
	They appointed Rev. Hector McNeill, Messrs. Archibald McMillan and Alex Purcell, trustees. The trustees employed Mr. John 
	Patrick Smith of the Philadelphus congregation to teach the school for the first three months. Soon after his time expired, 
	the trustees employed Mr. Calvin A. McEachin to teach another three months. After his school closed, Mr. Robert Lynch Fairly, 
	son of Mr. Neill Fairly, was employed. When his school was about half out, he was taken sick with typhoid fever and died in 
	about two weeks.
	
	The next teacher employed was Col. James C. Davis, who had been teaching at a school located near the residence of the late 
	Mr. Alex Graham. He had the interest of the school at heart and put new life into both the school and pupils. He had quite a 
	large number of pupils, many of them nearly grown. Col. Davis had the old-time school breaks, with declamation of the boys 
	and compositions by the girls. He taught two years or ten months. Messrs. Charles and J.E. Purcell, Tom and Frank McNeill, 
	Daniel Kelly, John Sinclair, John and Angus McNeill, Wallace McDougald, Thomas Graham, Robert Love, John A. Love, James Ferguson 
	and Misses Annie Jane and Eliza McEachin, Margaret Jane and Eliza Love, Harriett Graham, Sarah Ann Sinclair, Mary Purcell and 
	Mary Ann McMillan were some of the scholars who went to Col. Davis.
	
	Mr. Duncan E. McNair was the next teacher employed after Col. Davis. He taught five months. Mr. Gilbert McLean taught a session 
	after Mr. Duncan E. McNair. The next teacher was Mr. John McKinnon, who was a son of Mr. Robert McKinnon and nephew of Messrs. 
	Neill and John Fairly. He also taught five months. Mr. Hector J. McNeill, son of Mr. Daniel Calder McNeill, was then employed. 
	He taught ten months.
	
	Next Mr. Thomas S. Graham, son of Mr. Alex Graham taught for three months, or until they could find another teacher. He was 
	succeeded by Mr. Hamilton McMillan, who taught successful terms of fifteen months. He was followed by Mr. A.A. McBryde, who 
	taught for probably three months.
	
	The Civil War was then coming on, but the trustees hired Mr. John C. Campbell of Moore County, a nephew of Rev. A.N. Ferguson. 
	During his term, the boys had a continual frolic. He was a good, quiet man. Many of the boys who had been going to school there 
	for six or eight years were nearly grown. Though they were not very bad, they were rude and hard to control. Then too, it was 
	absolutely certain that the war would break out in a short time, and they became reckless and would not study. Quite a number 
	of these boys made gallant soldiers in the Confederate army and many of them were killed or died of wounds.
	
	Very few of those who went to school there are living now. Messrs. Arch McNeill and his brother Lawrence McNeill, J.E. Purcell, 
	D.P. McEachern, Thomas A. and Frank McNeill, A. J. Ferguson, John T. Sinclair, J.L. Landsay and W.B. McMillan are all the boys 
	that can be recalled now. All of the girls are dead excepting Misses Cattie McNeill, Anne Brown, Flora C. McArthur, Sarah Jane 
	McMillan and Ferbe Currie.
	
	The influence of the school was wide, its patronage extended beyond the limits of the community. Capt. Daniel White Johnson, 
	Mr. Duncan McNeill and Miss Jane McNeill (later Mrs. John McKay) and others coming from Richmond County.
	Although the school house was made of logs, and the only window was a portion of a log removed, nevertheless the teachers were 
	college graduates. The people of those days paid very little attention to external appearances. Judging from the excellent 
	scholarship of some of the men and women trained at Spring Branch during this period, the teachers must have been master instructors.
	
II. War Period, 1860-1866

	This period need not be discussed more then to say that like thousands of other schools in the South the light of the institution 
	was darkened by the war cloud. For these six years there was no school at Spring Branch. Lying in the path of the raids, the building 
	was burned by Sherman. But fearless of the cannon's roar, and unconquered by the flames of war, the old spirit of "Old Spring Branch" 
	still lived in the hearts of the people.

III. Reconstruction Period, 1866-1872

	With sessions of five months each, the following men taught during this period: Messrs. John A. Gillis of Cumberland county, 
	J.B. McDonald of Moore County, A.B. McDonald of Moore, T.M. Watson of Robeson county, William Johnson of Richmond County, and 
	Simeon W. Cobb of Robeson county. These sessions were conducted in a new building built where had stood the old building, burned 
	by Sherman.
	
	This is considered by the historians as perhaps the hardest and most bitter period in the history of the South. The years of the 
	war had seen personal property used up or destroyed, and real property became practically valueless. People's hopes were well-nigh 
	crushed. The glory of the battle-field and the never-dying belief in final victory kept the spirits of the people high, even in the 
	face of personal bereavement; but now a new battle
	
must be fought. The solemn problem of subsistence with the abhorrence of being ruled by former slaves faced the people. The primal needs, 
as always they must, asserted themselves and finally the school was discontinued.

IV. "Rolling Period." 1872-1910

	We have just referred to the discontinuance of the school at the close of the preceding period in 1872. In fact, the school existed 
	in a fashion for years afterwards, but the location was changed so often and at times the same building rolled about, that we have 
	called this the "rolling period." Finally, the house was removed to Richmond County, on Mr. Duncan Leach's land where Wagram now 
	stands and dubbed "Rolling Academy". Until recently the old school house could be seen, but it was found necessary to remove it, 
	to make way for more modern buildings.
	
	If it were not for the solemnity of a community without a school, many things about this period would seem to us a laughable. One 
	year a patron would send his children two miles in one direction, and the next year the same distance in another direction to the 
	same school. One of the patrons objected to sending his children to school, saying that he was afraid when they got to the place 
	they had attended school the day before the school house would be gone! So much for the period of uncertainty and dissatisfaction.

V. Present Period. 1910, Apr. 23, 1915

	On August fourth, 1909, from far and near there gathered at the site of the first building the surviving students of the old Spring 
	Branch School. In glad reunion and with firm hand-clasp, gray-haired and stoop-shouldered men and women talked of the good old days. 
	Trembling voices told of those who on the battle field had given their lives for their county, or the surviving one, who later passed 
	to their reward. Hearty laughs sounded out, when the jokes a half century old were recalled.
	
	But these people gathered on that picnic day for two-fold purpose: for reunion and to see if there survived sufficient spirit to 
	establish another school near the site of the old one. Mr. Duncan McNeill, Prof. Hamilton McMillan, Judge T.A. McNeill and Mr. D.P. 
	McEachern told of the teachers, students and work of the old Spring Branch School, all of these have taken an active part in the life 
	of the school. Then Prof. A.A. McMillan, and Supt. J.R. Poole of Robeson county schools, made impressive speeches on education. Prof. 
	Pool urged that a special tax school be established where once stood the famous school of early days. So great were the impressions 
	at this meeting and so in earnest were the citizens of the community, that a special tax was voted October 16 following. Our present 
	attractive, modern building was erected immediately, and school opened for the spring term. Such a progressive achievement is worth 
	recording. With the formation of Hoke County, the school passed from under the excellent supervision of Supt. Poole to that of a most 
	worthy successor, Supt. J.A. McGoogan/McGougan, who has always taken great interest in the school as well as others in the county. 
	The trustees have been fortunate in securing good teachers, and the steady development, together with the present high standard of 
	the school, testify forcefully that the spirit of the fifties did not die, but was only dormant. And today, deservingly, Spring Branch 
	School commands the respect of all friends and patrons.
	
	The history of any institution means so much toward its development, that it is well to call a part of the honor roll of "Old Spring 
	Branch" .  In doing this we labor under embarrassment of riches. Many who might have achieved prominence answered the call on the battle 
	field and others who deserve mention must be omitted because of our limited time and space. The following is a partial list: Ex-Judge 
	Superior Court T.A. McNeill; State Senators-J. E. Purcell, D.P. McEachern and D.E. McBryde; Mr. Archibald Johnson, one of the ablest 
	editors of the State; Mr. Archie McGoogan, father of the present superintendent of Hoke county, J.A. McGoogan; Capt. Daniel White Johnson: 
	Mr. Duncan McNeill, father of North Carolina's Poet Laureate, John Charles McNeill. Among the ladies who were former students should 
	be mentioned the mother of Mr. A.W. McLean of Lumberton, considered by many as the logical candidate for Governor of North Carolina, 
	and the mother of Dr. W.G. Shaw of Wagram, N.C. Many have gone of the old familiar faces, but "their works do follow them."
	
	What effect should this illustrious record have upon us the students and patrons of today? We should determine solemnly to exert our 
	every effort toward higher civic efficiency, working for the day when the disgrace of illiteracy will be wiped from North Carolina, 
	and Spring Branch School will be as a beacon of light to lead men to nobler lives.

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This page created February 10, 2015 by Myrtle Bridges