1881 photo of the Dan Ballard family
by Joe Mayfield
All rights reserved
The town, and people of Hanceville, Alabama (North Alabama), have advanced in so many ways it’s hard to address just one. From the ox wagons in the 1870s, which brought hard working people with a dream, a dream to build strong log homes, clear New ground for planting corn and cotton. A dream to instill the core values into their children, so that they too, would one day have a better life, due to their hard work. These families knew what difficulties would lay ahead, after all the War of Northern Aggression, ended less than ten years before, and with this fresh in their minds, and knowing many of the major cities were burned to the ground, as were the centers of higher education, the undertaking would be massive.
Embracing their religious faith, and demonstrating that they were indeed up to the challenge, they overcame tremendous odds, and made the dreams a reality. These pioneers established churches, schools, stores, and opened up mines, run trap lines, hunted game, and along the way building a culture which others envied, and to this very day others try to emulate. These men and women worked the fields and applied their trades; always keeping their rifles and pistols near by, knowing self preservation was something they were responsible for, just as it is today. See 1881 photo of the Dan Ballard family, my Great Grandparents. From left: Josephine Josie, Great Grandmother, Edgar, Minnie Pearl, (Grandmother) Dan, Etta, Stella, Daisy, Dan Ballard Sr. (In Dan Sr. left hand he holds his rifle, or shotgun, propped on the ground, and in right hand his pistol.)
This log home (logs were dovetailed and square) was built from trees in the area, and was located about two miles west, south west of the Tipple Stouts Mountain Mine & Commissary, and one mile east of the stage line road. The home had a dog trot which ran through the middle, and a homemade table with a wash pan; water bucket and dipper may be seen to the left of the east room. (House faced north.) In the early 1900s Hanceville schools were growing, there was the Hanceville Academy, located where the First Baptist Church is today, (See 1908 photo of auto parked in front of Academy) facing south. During the 20s a modern school was built using brick and tile, and its still used today, as the elementary school.
Throughout this time elementary schools were operating at Center, Fontella, (Center Hill) Garden City, and many more in the area. In the 1930s the decision to build a high school was made, and in order for it to succeed, the people would have to give it their full support, which was not always easy to do, money was hard to come by. The following is a 1939 letter from School Days the school paper, and it is by J. R. Edmondson, (Principal from 1936 to 1950) dated Oct. 13th, 1939:
As was stated in a former issue of this paper, a few years ago Hanceville had no high school. Very few families were able to bear the great expense of boarding the children away from home, or of transporting them to a high school. Therefore few children received more than an elementary school education.
The people, being ambitious for their children and believing it to be possible to maintain a high school for them, established a high school here. This was certainly a great forward step. It is one thing to establish a school and quite another to support it. In a small and fairly poor community it takes quite a bit of sacrifice to maintain a good high school. Certainly the very best co-operation and unselfishness are necessary. We still have those ambitious families who started the high school movement, who pay school fees on time, and who tell me that they will help a little more, as unable as they may be, if it is necessary to have a good high type school. We do have, along with these, several who could pay easily and who have not paid. They not only fail to pay, but stand in the way of others. This situation is to be regretted.
For two years I have had several fathers who claimed that they had no money, nothing to sell that they could do without, and no job. To those I have said, We need money, we will help you sell anything you might have, but if you are in the condition that you claim, I will give you a job to pay the fees. Only a few have accepted. The only conclusion to be drawn is that they do not want to pay the fees and help to support the school by which they are served.
This, as I have said, is to be regretted. It would be so much easier to carry on a good high school if each did his share. It is the duty of the board of education to collect the fees, but the board has asked that the principle of the school collect it and keep a record of it. I, therefore, am directly delegated that duty.
For your information I shall say that the fees are spent economically. The faculty’s judgment, the local boards judgment, and the county boards judgment are all used in the expenditure. This year the new local board and the county board have decided that the fees will be collected from those who have men folk in the family at least and from others if they are able to pay. If it has to be collected by law, all back fees will be included, they say. It is hoped that the boards will not have to bring such unpleasantness into our community and to point out anyone who is trying to escape his part of the community’s load.
Lets do this in a more pleasant way and accept one of the three ways offered and be one of the ambitious families who carry our part. I am wishing for all of you a happy and prosperous school.
J. R. Edmondson
Thanks to Carl Mayfield for the Hanceville issue of School Days.
by Joe Mayfield
All rights reserved
Published U. S. Legacies August 2005
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