Photo by: Jim Mclean
Narrative: Former students of Bethel School and Bethel-Hanberry Junior High School classes
of 1949-1990, have reconnected in “Generation Nights”, hosted by Bethel-Hanberry Elementary
School. The 1991-2020 classes will have their nights in the next two months to see the school
and recall wonderful memories before it is razed. As the new school is being built, let’s go back
in history to get the whole picture of this historical property. Bethel School opened as a one-room building in the 1920s. The school was named Bethel School due to the close affiliation with Bethel Baptist Church and the adjoining land. Rev. Nathan Smith
conducted classes in the three Rs for the African American farm children in the community.
Parents of the children who attended the school chopped wood to heat the stoves in the cabin
school. The school term was approximately four months so the children could help with the farm
work.
It wasn’t until 1936 when Mrs. Annie Hanberry and Mrs. Jessie Lee Herrin became teachers at
the school that things started to change for the school. These new teachers changed the attitude of the community toward education and the school itself. Under Mrs. Hanberry’s guidance the school added an additional teacher, and a parent group lead by Rev. G.W. Robertson that helped with funding. Parents now sent their children to school regularly and wanted a longer school term. District #23 as it was called then, purchased six acres on another site of school property and four more rooms were added to the school. The school now went through 8th grade. Then in 1949 a
stone building was added as the high school. Mrs. Hanberry was now the Principal of Bethel
High and the elementary school. The 1949 class was the first class to graduate 12th grade, then in 1953, state diplomas were awarded to the graduates.
Annie Hanberry’s leadership worked to have the schools accredited by the Southern Association
of Secondary Schools and elementary schools. Mrs. Hanberry continues to be awarded posthumously, but the real affirmation of Mrs. Hanberry’s achievements in Blythewood comes from the praise, remarks and love shown by her students to this day.
The Blythewood Historical Society and Museum and the Town of Blythewood will host a Bethel School Celebration on February 26 th at the Bethel- Hanberry Gym from 1:00 to 3:00. Students, teachers and friends of Bethel School will meet again to reconnect with classmates and recall the early memories of their life under the leadership of Annie Hanberry. On Sunday, February 27th , from 2:00 to 5:00, an event at Doko Manor will be held. A program including Black History
Celebration remarks by Doris Coleman, Annie Hanberry reflections and Family, a panel of Bethel School graduates, music from Dante Lewis and Ebony Ramm and her trio, an array of slides from the Bethel-Hanberry Alumni Association Yearbook and refreshments will round out the program with family and friends.
Written By: M. Kelly