Shown in the State Superintendent’s Biennial Report for the 1898─99 school year, Clay County operated 18 public schoolhouses serving 736 white students and 15 African American students (Aycock and Melbane). The Aycock Report says that, at first, the African American students from Clay County attended a school in nearby Cherokee County and lived part-time with their relatives in Murphy. But, by 1912, the local students attended a segregated public school on Hinton Rural Life Center Road, southeast of Hayesville Center.
According to Aycock, in 19l0 there were only 16 public schools operating in the County, 13 of which were one-room buildings. But, older citizens recall many more schools existed; for example, Sally Knee Bow School and Muddy Hollow, which were not included in the Aycock report. Therefore, to include information from all sources, by 1912, the following were the names and locations of the public schools in Clay County.
1) African American School (referred to in the old days as the “Colored School”)−three miles south of Hayesville on Hinton Rural Life Center Road, north side of road, across from Clay County Landfill near top of hill.
2) Bristol Camp−Firescreek Refuge north of Hayesville center (one-room school).
3) Brush Arbor−approximately 10 miles west of Hayesville on John Wood’s family farm (his mother attended this school).
4) Buck Creek−l4 miles east of Hayesville on U.S. Highway 64.
5) Curtis (Lickskillet)−four miles south of the town of Hayesville on Myers Chapel Road.
6) Downings Creek−four miles northeast of Hayesville on Downings Creek Road, where Downings Creek Baptist Church is now located.
7) * Elf School−six miles east of Hayesville on Elf School Road near U.S.
Highway 64. The present brick building is vacant but was recently a bread and breakfast inn.
8) Fires Creek−six miles west of Hayesville on Fires Creek Road.
9) Hayesville School−in town. Formerly the private “Hayesville Male and Female College”, which was deeded to “Hayesville Graded School” (public), created by N.C. State Legislature in 1898; the name was changed to
“Hayesville High School” in 1909 (Leek).
10) Ledford School−location unsure, but the September 1881 Commissioners’ Board Minutes show that J.V.A. Moore (school teacher), on behalf of the citizens of the area, petitioned that “a road be improved from the Ledford
School near V. A. Byers’ Farm to the intersection of the Downings Creek
Road and the McClure Farm” (east of Hayesville Center).
11) Lower Tusquittee−six miles northeast of Hayesville’s town center on Bristol Road.
12), 13) Muddy Hollow and Fairview−approximately seven miles east of Hayesville in the Elf Community on U.S. Highway 64. Mrs. Marcella Kitchens recalls her grandfather talking about these schools, but could not say where. Burnt Schoolhouse Road, located in the Elf Community, leads one to assume a school was located on this road; and records show that Fairview and Muddy Hollow eventually consolidated with the Elf School.
14) Oak View (Chigger Hill)−six miles east of Hayesville Center on Peckerwood Road (now renamed Downings Creek Road), the present site of Oak View Baptist Church. (See Appendix E for Teacher J. V. A. Moore’s 1911 class roll.)
15) * Ogden−six miles from Hayesville on Old U.S. Highway 64 West, now a vacant building.
16) Pine Log−in the Pine Log Community on U.S. Highway 64 West.
17) Pisgah−approximately 8 miles west of Hayesville on Old U.S. Highway 64.
18) Sally Knee Bow−approximately 10 miles west of Hayesville on Pine Log
Road in the Ogden Community; a combination school and church that lasted only one year. Established when the school consolidated with Odgen School. Legend says the school was named for Sally, who spent much time on her knees at the church (Freel, Our Heritage…).
19) * Shooting Creek−ten miles East from Hayesville. Building is now used for cable manufacturing.
20) Sweetwater−four miles on new U.S. Highway 64 East.
.
21) Upper Tusquittee−approximately eight miles northeast of Hayesville on
Tusquittee Road.
* Indicates building is still standing.
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