Kane School memories preceding integration recalled by area students

The Hickman County Historical and Genealogical Society hosted a program Feb. 16 to remember Kane School, where black children from Hickman County were educated from 1916-1966, for the first eight years of schooling.

In 1916, all students were segregated. According to the 1880 census, there was one African American teacher, 28-year-old Myra Ashley who had 10 students.

Students were schooled in a hall on lower Blair Street in Clinton until eighth grade and there was no high school for black students in Hickman County.

High school students were bused to Riverview High School in Fulton County or attended Lincoln Ridge, which was a boarding school in Shelby County.

After graduating from Kane School, Hickman County resident Howard Dillard rode a bus driven by Tommy Henry to Riverview High School in Hickman with a kerosene heater at the front of the bus.

Martin Holbrook and Bruce Perry were on hand for Saturday’s program; who also attended Riverview High School said they would catch the bus to Hickman at 8 a.m. at Kane School and would return for home at 3 p.m.

At Riverview High School, Dillard said that all freshman boys were initiated by being thrown into a briar patch by the older students.

In Hickman County during that time period, there were also elementary schools in Columbus and Oakton for black students.

When a tornado destroyed Hickman County High School in 1917, the bricks from the fallen building were used to construct Kane School.

The first teachers at Kane School were Professor and Mrs. Sweeny. Other educators at the school included S.L. Polk (1925-1926), Georgia Bowden, Marie Parrette, and Mattie Allison (1933-34), Ernest Cooper, Joseph Moore, Harriett Webb, and Mattie Allison (1940-41), and Leslie Kane (1949-50).

Kane School was named for George Washington (G.W.) Kane, a teacher who taught in Hickman and Carlisle Counties.

Kane School opened in 1919 and in October 1919, The Hickman County Gazette reported a donation of 66 books to Kane School after a call for donations by Principal Sweeney.

Among those in attendance for Saturday’s program were Howard Dillard and Martha Holbrook, who recalled eating bologna and crackers for lunch.

Perry, who attended Kane School from 1955-62, recalled on Saturday his favorite teacher was Mrs. Susie Carnes. Perry who came from a large family who couldn’t afford to buy the 15 cent lunches at school recalled how hot the pavement would be walking home for lunch.

Holbrook said that “Mrs. Susie” was also her favorite teacher.

Dillard said that his favorite teacher was Mr. Cole who taught history, math, and according to Dillard, discipline.

Dillard said that families would gather at Cherokee Park on Kentucky Lake on May 30 of every year for a picnic, and the adults would exchange church calendars for the year. He said across the lake, he could see where the white families were gathered.

Sonny Brazzell and Dillard remembered going to the movies that cost a dime during that time and that white people sat on the first level and black people sat in the upper level.

The high schools were integrated for the 1963-64 school year in Hickman County and Dillard vividly remembers his first day walking with Harold Bolin into Hickman County High School.
Dillard said that the two were prepared to defend themselves and run away from the school, but the reaction they received from the white students was warmer than expected.

Dillard said when the pair walked up to the school, silence fell over the group of students gathered outside.

Once inside the school, they were approached by Kenny Davis and Johnny Hales who greeted them as new students and offered their assistance in helping the two adjust to their new surroundings.

Dillard said after that day, they became friends and the friendship carried through school.

Dillard said that his greatest regret from growing up during that time is that white children and black children didn’t get to know each other. “We missed out on a lot of good people,” Dillard said.