The first school in Randolph County was held in a cabin located on the hill at the north side of the Arba Cemetery. This cabin was built by the “Friends,” and in it was held both church and school.
The first school was taught in this cabin in the year 1815 by Eli Overman, who in 1818 was elected a member of the first Commissioner’s Board, and to him is credited the locating of the Public Square in Winchester.
Some of the pupils attending this first school were Jesse Parker, James C. Bowen, Squire Bowen, Nancy Bowen, the Wilcutts and Thomas children, and no doubt others as the term extended into the early part of 1816.
The first building erected exclusively for school purposes was located in the woods on the east side of the road about three-fifths of a mile north of Arba, and this also was a log building. One of the last teachers in this building was John Jarnigan, who married a sister of Mrs. Jesse Jordan. Mr. Jarnigan lived southwest of Winchester and in 1856 was elected treasurer of Randolph County on the Republican ticket.
The next building was a frame building located on the west side of the road north of Arba, where the William Horn home was built later. This was a two-room building, and Carrie Chenoweth says she started to school there in the year 1865, at which time Mahlon Thomas, son of the second settler in Randolph County, was the teacher. He was a strict Quaker and a good teacher. Some of the other teachers were Clark Charles, Thomas Charles, Mess Shoemaker, and Minnie Bailey, who later became the wife of Columbus C. Bowen.
George Chenoweth, now seventy-four years of age, says he attended school in the new brick building located on the west side of the road, nearer to Arba than either of the other buildings. This was in the year 1875, and the teacher was Rhoda Green.
Upon consolidation of schools, this school, along with many others, was abandoned over the protest of many.
Additional School histories found in the manuscript:
The Hill School
The Jordan School
The Spartanburg School
White Hall School
The Austin School
The Witter School
Hart’s Glory School
The “Dick” Brown School
One of the Earliest Churches and Schools
Granger Hall School
School District #10, Greensfork Township
Bowen School #7, 1864-1881
The Witter School, District #5
History of the Austin School, District #11
Records of Teachers in the Greensfork Township Schools, 1866-1875
Pinhook School Teacher and Student Roster, 1851-1915
A Brief History of Newburg and Spartanburg Schools, 1832-1954
Teaching at Spartanburg, by Daniel Bond