By Tabitha Evans Moore | EDITOR & PUBLISHER

MULBERRY — It once existed as the focal point of the thriving Hurdlow community and on Friday two locals, Erin Pierce Hill and Jillian Bates Rael, will find out whether or not their hard work to get The Hurdlow School listed on the National Register of Historic Places was successful.

Their application is filled with fascinating facts and documentation.

Located off Wet Prong Road near Highway 50 in Moore County, the Hurdlow School sits on a grassy four-acre lot at the epicenter of education, agriculture, rural backroads, and community in what many consider modern day Mulberry – at least according to the zip code, 37359.

Hurdlow once existed as one of 11 civil districts of Moore County that included Lynchburg, Ridgeville, Marble Hill, Reed’s Store, Tucker Creek, Waggoner’s, Prosser’s Store, Charity, County Line, Hurricane Church, and William B. Smith’s Mill. At the time, most of those boasted a general store, at least one church, and a school. Some even enjoyed a post office, blacksmith, and gristmill. Moore County’s first-known distillery existed not far from Hurdlow in West Mulberry back in 1825. By 1876, over 15 sprouted up across the rolling hills. The Jack Daniel Distillery would eventually become the most famous of those.

Constructed in 1949 by the Moore County Board of Education, the men of the Hurdlow community cleared and graded the land in preparation of its construction. The Board built the school in the vein of the Julius Rosenwald Fund style featuring two adjacent classrooms separated by a sliding partition requiring only two teachers.

Rosenwald lived as the part-owner of early department store Sears, Roebuck and Company and donated over $70 million in matching funds to promote vocational or technical education in the U.S. with the rural school building program being the largest program.

From 1949 to 1962, teachers taught reading, writing, math, and science in the school. It also hosted after school clubs like 4-H and choir. When not being used for education, it served as the social hub for the Hurdlow community – hosting movie nights, pageants, fundraisers, adult classes, and fish fries that drew not only folks from the surrounding counties but also dignitaries such as Senator Albert Gore, Tennessee Governor Frank Clement, and WSM Radio’s John McDonald.

The one-story concrete block school featured a battery of windows that let natural light in, both an attic and basement, a brick chimney, a side gable roof

A cutting-edge classroom

You might not know it now from looking at what remains today, but the Hurdlow School once existed as a shining example of a thoroughly modern building that offered a cutting-edge American classroom.

It featured two classrooms – the “Little Room” for grades 1-4, and the “Big Room” for students in grades 5-8. Each classroom boasted six rows of desks and their own chalk boards.

In addition to the partitioned classrooms, it housed a cafeteria, electricity-powered kitchen, pantry, cloak room, water fountains, and supply room as well as two indoor restrooms. Outside once sat an American flagpole and T-shaped metal swings.

Students stayed cool under ceiling fans and teachers often used electric projectors to deliver their lesson plans. In the winters, a basement boiler room kept everyone toasty.

It featured many modern conveniences that other rural schools of that time lacked. First, it’s constructed of concrete blocks rather than wood framing. It also featured indoor plumbing, a fully operational and stocked kitchen, and outdoor facilities like a playground with swings and monkey bars, baseball field, basketball court, and two additional outdoor restrooms.

It once existed as one of nearly 30 rural schools scattered across Moore County. Eventually, these small, one-room schools would consolidate into larger schools located in Lynchburg. The thinking of the time was that fewer schools meant that funding could be concentrated, and the quality of education improved.

During its heyday, attendance at The Hurdlow School was high. According to the National Park Service application, a 1950-51 yearbook showed 47 students in attendance. An entire generation of Moore County students learned there including former Circuit Court Clerk Trixie Hill Harrison, who lived not far from the school on Edde Bend Road.

One part school, one part community center

When not being used for learning, the school often hosted movie nights where locals could enjoy the latest western film for just 10 cents. Local adults often gleaned a continuing education of sorts at the school through educational films, and guest speakers such as the Duck River Electric Membership, which spoke to the community about rural electrification.

According to the application, school pageants, skits, musicals, visiting gospel quartets, and folk dancing, led by Mr. and Mrs. W.M. Tolley – the local county University of Tennessee Extension Services agent and his wife – all took place at the school. It also hosted ice cream suppers, bingo games, and cake walks.

One of the larger events to take place on The Hurdlow School grounds was the Farmer-Banker Rally on July 10, 1952 where over 300 area farmers, community leaders, bankers, and businessmen from two dozen surrounding counties gathered to discuss expanding the school.

Other important community events also included baseball games and annual fish fry, which existed as the highlight of the social calendar. Each of the surrounding communities formed teams and gathered at the school each Sunday during the summer to play. Locals gathered to watch the games and enjoy candy and cold drinks from the concession stands. Each August, local families gathered at the nearby Elk River to harvest fish, which then were served to over 350 community members

“Much like baseball, the fish fry was considered the highlight of the summer and was one the most anticipated community events of the year,” the application states.

As families left rural areas for better paying jobs in places like nearby Lynchburg, school attendance waned. Reduction in both populations combined with the consolidation of schools in the county led to low attendance and The Hurdlow School closed in 1962. It remained empty and mostly used until sold in 1978 to a private owner. Hill recently purchased the property.

On January 24, the Tennessee Historical Commission will consider The Hurdlow School along with Central High School in Alamo, Pleasant Garden Cemetery in Chattanooga, the James M. Pardue Home in Sweetwater, as well as Knoxville’s Emory Place Historic District and George F. Barber Cottage for induction into the National Register of Historic Places. That meeting will take place at the Tennessee Historical Commission located at 2941 Lebanon Road in Nashville or you can attend virtually.

The State Review Board is composed of 12 people with backgrounds in American history, architecture, archaeology, or related fields. It also includes members representing the public. The National Register program was authorized under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. •

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