African American Schools in Muhlenberg County, KY

William H. Ross, a teacher at one of the colored schools in Muhlenberg County, KY, left teaching in 1887 to open a grocery store. Between 1891 and 1893, 14 African American teachers taught in Muhlenberg County colored schools, where the  average monthly pay was $29.06 for male teachers and $28.10 for female teachers. Source: History of Education in Muhlenberg County, by C. E. Vincent, pp. 92-96.

Sallie L. Waddleton Campbell, the wife of William J. Campbell, was a schoolteacher at the Central City Colored School in 1894. The schoolhouses and grounds were valued at $1,258, the furniture at $74.50. A new school was built in 1893 that cost $25. In total, there were 13 school districts with 13 schools: two schools in session for three months, two for four months, and nine for five months. Six of the schools were log buildings and three frame buildings; there was no mention of where the remaining schools were held.

None of the schools were in good condition except the new building [source: History of Education in Muhlenberg County, pp. 92-96]. There were 14 colored schools in Muhlenberg County again in 1895, according to the Report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, 1895-1897, pp. 603-607. Six of the schools were held in log buildings, four in frame structures, and two in an unmentioned location. Average attendance was 309 students in 1895-96 and 333 students in 1896-97.

In 1909, the colored schools at Bevier and Drakesboro needed furnishings and repairs, as did most of the colored schools in Muhlenberg County. Source: "A Plea to the members of the fiscal court," The Record, 3/18/1909, p. 3.

Team athletics were introduced to Central City Colored High School in 1926. There was a girls' basketball team. In January, the team defeated the girls' team from Western High School in Owensboro, KY. The score was 13 to 12. The players were Clark, right forward, 4 points; C. Flowers, left forward, 3 points; Collier, center, 4 points; Martin, left guard, 0 points; Hampton, right guard, 2 points. The Central City team would lose in the rematch with Western High School, 3 to 4, and defeated the Earlington Colored High School team 19 to 3. The Central City team defeated the Greenville Colored High School team 12 to 3 in March of 1926. The team ended the season with a 5 and 7 record.

Sources: "Colored girls defeat Owensboro," The Central City Argus, 01/08/1926, front page; "Colored High girls defeat Earlington," The Central City Argus, 01/29/1926, p.5; "Local colored girls outclass Greenville," The Central City Argus, 03/19/1926, front page.

The Central City Colored High School boys' basketball team defeated the Western High School team 28 to 7. The game was played in Central City in January of 1926. The team had played the Hopkinsville Colored High School the previous night and lost 27 to 15. The Central City team was scheduled to next play the Earlington Colored High School team, and Douglas Hill High School in Evansville, IN. In February of 1926, the Central City boys' team defeated the Greenville Colored High School team 18 to 3. It was the first basketball game for the Greenville team. Central City played against the Bowling Green Colored High School team in March of 1926, and were defeated in double overtime 14 to 8. The team ended the season with an 8 and 16 record.

Sources: "Colored boys defeat Owensboro," The Central City Argus, 01/15/1926, p.8; "Colored High girls defeat Earlington," The Central City Argus, 01/29/1926, p.5; "Colored school defeats Greenville," The Central City Argus, 02/12/1926, p.4; "Colored school loses to B. G. five," The Central City Argus, 03/05/1926, front page.

The Central City Colored High School commencement was held in May of 1926. There were two graduates, Zoada Flowers Hampton, a player on the girls' basketball team, and O. J. Stull, a player on the boys' basketball team. Professor O. M. Calliman was the school principal. Source: "Commencement at Colored School," The Central City Argus, 05/14/1926, front page.

Professor William Holloway was the principal of the Drakesboro Community School in 1937; the school was the result of the consolidation of rural schools in Muhlenberg County. Source: "1937 K.N.E.A. Honor Roll," p.14, and "Education since the War of 1917," p. 22, both in the Kentucky Negro Educational Association Journal, January-February 1937.

The Negro teachers in Muhlenberg County in 1940 included W. E. Bennett, Jennie V. Bord, Drusilla Dulin, Blanche Elliott, Willie Hightower, Amelin Jones, Louis Littlepage, Richard McReynolds, Robert Martin, Howard Mathis, Cathonia Morris, Eligh Render, Mabel W. Render, Sophronia Robinson, Corrie L. Smith, Leslie S. Smith, Naomi Smith, Lillian Tichenor, Iva Y. Traylor, Vernetta Walker, Eloise Walker, James Waterfield, and James Watson [source: U.S. Federal Census]. 

In 1949, the colored school in Greenville employed Mrs. Blonnie Shelton as the teacher, and C. L. Timberlake was the principal of the County Teachers Training School. Source: "The New president at the West Kentucky Vocational Training School, Kentucky Negro Educational Association Journal, March 1949, vol. 20, issue 2, pp. 12 & 18.

The St. Joseph Elementary and High School were the first schools in Muhlenberg County to be listed as integrated in the Kentucky School Directory, 1962-63, p. 146.

• Colored Schools (14)
• Bevier School
• Bremen Consolidated School. Source: "Colored teachers of Co. 100% in Red Cross," The Greenville Leader, 11/30/1934, front page.
• Browder School. "Roll of 1928 Membership," Proceedings of the Kentucky Negro Educational Association, April 18-21, 1928, p.39.
• Central City School
• Depoy School. Source: See "Rural Colored Schools," The Greenville Leader, 05/11/1934, p.8.
• Drakesboro School
• Drakesboro Community School
• Graham Consolidated School
• Greenville School
• Luzerne School
• Martwick School. Source: "Teachers for consolidated schools named," The Greenville Leader, 04/12/1935, front page.
• Midland School
• Paradise School. Source: 1870 U.S. Census
• Powderly School
• Rhoades Chapel School
• South Carrollton School. Source: "Rural teachers," The Messenger [Central City], 05/17/1934, p.2.