History of Colony Hill District Number 2

The site on which the Colony Hill School now stands was donated by Mr. W. M. Alsobrook. It was dedicated for religious and educational purposes. The deed to this land was never recorded because Mr. Sam Smith took it back to Tennessee. Later, when Mr. Elliot bought the Alsobrook land, he again deeded this site for school purposes. Funds for the first building were donated and the building was erected by Messrs. M.M. Clack, J.B. Clack, F. I. Murray, and Henry Reynolds. In the spring of 1920, the district voted a fifty cent tax and a seven thousand dollar bond for a new building. From an unknown cause, the following January the building was totally destroyed by fire. Thanks to the help extended from the Elmdale District in furnishing desks and blackboards, opened up school just across the road in the church. In the summer of 1921, a three-room brick structure, modern and attractive in every way, was erected upon the old site-somewhat enlarged-and is rightly today the pride of the district. Mr. J.B. Clark taught the first school; at the close of this session, Professor G.A. Watford made an address, in the course of which he suggested that the school District be named " Colony Hill " in honor of the little German colony that had settled around the school house. However, the name chosen soon came to lose significance, after a fashion, because the little colony, after a brief and interesting history, became bankrupt and was broken up. Only one house, the little rock house on the Ratliffe place, is standing today to remind us of these early settlers for whom this district bears its name. The teachers of the early days were J.B. Clack, Penn Pipkin, Mrs. T.B. Page (grandmother of the present County Superintendent), John Cooper, I.H. Parker, Miss Maggie Eubank, Mr. Ellis, Charles Reed, Misses Garoutte and Lockwood, and John F. Odor. The teachers who staid by the girls and boys following the trying period when the building was burned are Carl Fambrough and Mrs. Ima Cotton Jennings, who, under the most adverse conditions taught a creditable school. Under the good direction of Mrs. Ethel Hall and Mrs. Ima Cotten Jennings, the school has this year 1921-1922 - what is generally considered its most successful school.

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