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SHADY DALE SCHOOL PICTURE BRINGS BACK MEMORIES

by John Harvey

The picture in this week's "Reflections" is of a group of students at the Shady Dale school about 1914 with their teacher, Miss Bessie Skinner.

All the students did not have their pictures taken that day. Those who did were:

Front row (left to right) - Drew Thompson, William Mosley, Johnnie Fears, Edwin Echolds, Jack Mosley, Fred Mosley, Carl Kitchens, High Mobley, Matthew Spearman, Coleman Mobley and Paul Thompson.

Second row - Mamie Kate Shephard, Myrtice Wynne, Louise Young, Florence Echols, Martha Cofer, Florence Spears, Lois Harper, Lois Niblett, Norma Kitchens and Glen Smith.

Third row - Mazie Patterson, Floyd Shy, Jennie Mae Mobley, Miss Skinner, Katie Tucker, Wallace Banks, Mary Lizzie Patterson, Rosser Blackwell, Mattie Mae Bonner and Eunice Mobley.

Fourth row - Carl Wynn, Daisy Fears, Kitty Thompson, Robert Harper, Emmie Tucker, Jack Martin, Frances Echolds and Sam Shy

Fifth row - Theron Thompson, Louie Tuggle Will Shephard, Felton Spearman, Erwin Newton, Elbert McCart, Willie Oscar Patterson, James Blackwell, Albert Tuggle, and Marion Spearman.

The picture was brought to us by Seaborn "Peter" Newton. Mr. Newton remembered that the school was destroyed by fire shortly after the picture was taken. Katie Tucker had already finished school and Mr. Newton says that she helped Miss Skinner with the school as sort of early day aide.

While speaking of bygone days in Shady Dale and Machen, Mr. Newton remembered the towns early in this century. He spoke of the side walks being so crowded that you had to walk in the street to get from one store to another. Shady Dale and Machen were prosperous because of the large amount of cotton raised in the area.

When the boll weevil struck in the 1920's followed by the depression of 1929 and the closing of he two largest stores, both towns suffered a blow from which they never recovered. Hundreds of people moved away.

Machen and Shady Dale were the crossroads for the railroads passing through the county and all the people knew the engineers and train crews. Some of the engineers on the trains were "Bully" Dunbar, "Big Bill" Williams, "Little Billl" Williams, Tibbey Gardner and Mr. Cooper. All of them had their own whistle and the people could tell who's train was in the area by listening to the whistles. One favored ride for many of the black people on Saturday was to catch the 6 p.m. train down to Aikenton and then the 9 p.m. back to Shady Dale.

Mr. Newton remembered Mrs. Hanna S. Gould's house just outside Machen. He also remembered an especially bad train wreck at Kelly's crossing on the old road from Shady Dale to Monticello in September 1927. Dr. Paul Robey and members of his family were killed in the wreck. Mr. Newton said high banks obscured the vision of train crews and drivers as well.

In remembering the distinctive whistle of the different engineers, he said many older citizens would remember the "whip-poor-will" whistle of Mr. Barksdale.

Additional Comments:
Transcribed by Suzanne Forte (suzanneforte@bellsouth.net) April 2005, from copies of articles contained in the Monticello News. There articles were prepared by Mr.
John Harvey and published in this newspaper during the 1970's and 1980's time frame. Some were under the title "Jasper Reflections", others "Bicentennial Bits".
Permission has been granted by Mr. Harvey for use of these very valuable and informative articles.

Copies of articles provided by Benny Hawthorne.