Randolph County AlArchives History .....Mt Gilead School
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Linda Ayres http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00031.html#0007674 August 29, 2022

Mt Gilead School
Christiana Community Randolph County Alabama
[The school was located near where Pleasant Hill A.A. Church & Cemetery is now.]

It is unknown just when Mt. Gilead school was founded, but it dated back to at least 1905. 

In 1912 a Basket supper raised $66.40 for the Mt. Gilead School building fund. 

Teachers in 1912-1913:
Mr. Alonzo Cofield
Miss. Maudie Griffin
Miss. Noba McCollough 

Mt Gilead School opened Monday Morning November 3, 1913 with 64 pupils
with the Trustees: 
John Cofield
Joe Cofield
J.D. Knight 

Teachers in 1913-1914
Frank Edwards Principal/Teacher
Miss. Vada Glass first assistant
Miss. Noba McCollough

Teachers in 1914-1915:
Mr. Ira Hendon Principal/Teacher
Mr. Frost Langston 

Teachers in 1915-1916: 
Mr. A.T. East Principal/Teacher 
Frost Langston 
Miss. Shellie Hendon
Miss Helen Strickland 

Teachers in 1916-1917:
I.G. Hendon Principal/Teacher 
Miss. Helen Strickland

Oct 28, 1917-1918 Teachers 
Mr. A.T. East Principal/Teacher
First assistant Miss. Shellie Hendon [Later married Alonzo Cofield]
Second assistant Miss Maud Birchfield 

Teachers in 1918-1919:
Miss. Lillian Traylor
Miss. Nora Braden 

Some of the family names that attended Mt. Gilead School were:

Cofield
East
Fuller
Gregg
McDonald 
Neal
Latham
McInnish
Peek
Rice
Taylor
Vinson

In 1915 the Mt. Gilead basketball team played both Wesley's Chapel & Ofelia schools.
In 1916 Mt. Gilead school basketball team beat Center West school by 12 to 3. 

The school building was also used for social events such as singings, family reunions and basket suppers. 

On Jul 19, 1917, the "Delta Dramatic Club" preformed "Lone Star" with a packed house. Admission was 25 cents
per adult, 15 cents per child. 

Due to the deline in the school population and lack of funds the school was closed in 1923. 
and consolidated with the Ofelia and Wesley's Chapel schools. 

Notice in the Lineville Headlight:
On August 16th [1926] the trustees of Dingler school will sell to the highest bidder the old school building on
that same day the trustees of Dingler, Mt. Gilead and Ofelia school will let the contact for a new school building
which will be known as "New Site" to the lowest bidder. All interested be present. Trustees Dingler, Mt. Gilead and Ofelia. 

The old Mt. Gilead building was bought by Dausse Gregg who moved the large room with the steeple off to one side 
for the use of a barn and remodeled the smaller room for his home.