There were several developmental stages in the evolution of the schools in the Hammond area. There were houses schools with were held in homes as the names indicate. There were church schools. And there were public schools which are direct precursors of our present schools.
House schools were usually taught by the lady of the house. The students learned to read and write, and to do arithmetic. Parents who could afford the monetary burden paid the teacher twenty-five cent a month for their children to attend school. Other parents who were less fortunate bartered produce from their gardens and their personal services as payment to the teacher for teaching their children,
Mrs. Chlora Andrews Bickham, Mrs. Meryl Woods, and Mrs. Simpson were some of the teachers who taught in their homes during that period. Later, as the name of students grew, churches opened their doors to accommodate the increase. In most cases, one teacher taught all levels of learning, from beginners to the advanced students. St. James AME Church was one of the churches in which a school was housed.
During the winter months, fathers provided firewood for the church schools, probably as a sense of duty rather than as a means of paying for the services of the teachers. Some black students went to a three-room school across the street from where Eastside school is presently located. Not much is known about that school but, significantly, it was located on that site.
Hammond Colored School which was located onto north/east conmen of where Hammond Middle School is presently located. The building was given to the black community after the whites moved into a new school building which was constructed for them. The old two-story building is which the black children moved was in severe disrepair but the black people was glad to get it. They immediately began to repair it. Details on how the building came into the possession of the blacks are not yet known, but considering the times, that Black Elders of the community had to bargain rather shrewdly with the white power structure for it.
Greenville Park High School was built under the leadership of Mr. J. W. Davis. He worked with the PTA to raise money to purchase the land for the new high school and gymnasium. People in the community had fundraising activities; the local black farmers donated so many crates of strawberries each year; teachers donated parts of their salaries were some of the means by which funds were obtained to purchases land for the high school and gymnasium.
Some of the principals who served in school that were the forerunners to Greenville Park High School were: Professor Tinnier, Professor DeNoah, Professor Martin, Professor Snaudgress, Mrs. Minnie L. Barksdale, Professor Holland, Mrs. Purnell, Mr. Willie Price, Sr., Mr. Willie Price, Jr., Mr. J. W. Davis, Sr., Mr. Manley Youngsblood, and Mr. Samuel Richardson.
Other Principals in the Hammond area were: the Reverend Mr. Albert C. Evans, Mr. Eddie Robinson, Mr. Roudolph P. Gibson, and Mrs. Lillie.
Reprint from the files of the late Dr. Kingsley B. Garrison
