Original Walnut Hill School Building

Photo provided By Mrs. Phyllis Stefani

A Look At Walnut Hill Over The Years Shows Growth, Many Changes (Written 2/24/62)

ERNEST WARD HIGH SCHOOL ESCAMBIA COUNTY, FLORIDA RT.1, ATMORE, ALABAMA.

Would you like to look at Walnut Hill, beginning back in 1861 and follow the growth and improvement for the past 101 years, particularly in transportation and education developments?

In 1861 the only means of travel was to walk a marked trail and cross branches and creeks on footlogs. This was the time saving way,to reach homes and communities. Horses and ox drawn wagons were used on winding tree trails and unimproved roads for transporting merchandise and supplies to and from markets. Hunting, trapping and cutting timber on a small scale was the principal means of livelihood.

In 1863, or during the Confederate war, a stage coach route was opened from Mobile to Pensacola through this section. The horses which drew these coaches were changed at Walnut Hill, which was a junction for passengers and freight. A caretaker was employed to care for the horses and coaches. This stage road was the first improved road through this community and is still visible in some places.

Walnut Hill, at that time, named because it was located under several black walnut trees on the Pine Barren creek hillside, was the stage junction. A very short distance away from this place, a cemetery was opened to inter Civil War Dead. Some of the graves were evident until about 1945. The walnut trees are gone and the graves are level with the ground, but Walnut Hill has continued to grow. There is no record as to who named the junction.

In 1886 a one room school was erected along with a Methodist Church, both of which were of hewn logs, about three hundred yards east of the present Ernest Ward High School. The first school term was for three months with a salary of eighty dollars for the term which was paid by the patrons of the school. The enrollment at that time was eleven students. In 1919 a modern two room school was erected at the crossroads which was opened to forty-eight students. The old school building, used as a dwelling at present, was purchased by Mr. R. Leon Jones. Mr. Jones was very active in community affairs, particularly schools, during his lifetime.

In 1914 The Southern States Lumber Company, under Mr. Jones supervision, erected a modern one room school building at Walnut Hill Station in order that the children of the company employees could attend school. There being no means of transportation.

In the spring of 1917 it was decided to consolidate the school if possible. Mr. Ernest Ward, son of Mr. and Mrs Wardie Ward an employee of Southern States Lumber Company, was very active in making this a reality. Before he could finish the task he enlisted, in the Armed Forces to serve his country in World War One. In 1918, one month before Armistice was signed, he contacted pneumonia and died shortly after. He is buried in the Pine Barren Cemetery at Davisville, Florida. Shortly after his death he was awarded the Carnegie Hero Medal for bravery and skill in rescuing one of his comrades from drowning.

Mr. Ward's family and friends continued to work, and in May 1921, a new six-room brick school building was constructed on ten acres of land donated by Southern States Lumber Company, near Walnut Hill Station. This school was dedicated and named The Ernest Ward School in remembrance of the late Hero.

The first Parent Teacher Association was organized in Jacksonville, Florida in 1923 to promote a better understanding between parents and teachers. Since nothing of this organization was known and there was a need for such a club, The School Improvement Club was organized.

In 1925, four well equipped, much needed classrooms were added to the building.

In 1926, patrons, teachers, and citizens met at the school and after a general discussion, organized a P.T.A. and arranged for a school bus. With these improvements, enrollment increased rapidly demanding more classrooms .

In 1927-28 term, four classrooms and an auditorium was added and the school became a Junior High School.

In 1934, just thirteen years after dedicating the school, The Board of Public Instruction designated and made a Senior High School from what started out in 1896, a one room hewn log school with eleven students.

During the 1942-43 school term, Walnut Hill Community lost a treasure that had been cherished for twenty-two years. The people awakened one morning to discover that their school building had been destroyed by fire during the night.

Temporary arrangements were quickly made to continue class work until 1949 when a new and modern building was erected at the Walnut Hill Crossroads. This building consisted of fourteen classrooms, Library, Home Economic Department (2 rooms), Lunchroom, Offices, Clinic and Auditorium all under the same roof. Also, a well equipped Agriculture building, consisting of classroom and a shop was erected at this time. Temporary classrooms were provided for an elementary school.

Since 1950, four more classrooms have been added to the main building, a separate band room has been provided for, a gym has been placed on the grounds, and a bus garage with three mechanics, provided for all bus service for the north end of the county. A well lighted football field with concrete bleachers (erected by patrons) has been provided for.

During 1956-57 school term, the school was staffed with one full time principal, an assistant principal, full time secretary, a band director, two full time physical education instructors, a full time librarian, eighteen classroom teachers, lunchroom manager with two assistants, two janitors, one maid, and is served by nine buses. At the end of this term there were five hundred and twenty students enrolled with fifty-four candidates for diplomas.

There has been an average of about thirty graduates each year to go into the world to make their way and we are happy to say , that most of them are in successful occupations.

lt is interesting to learn that the present Atmore-Molino highway is located on the old stage coach road for a distance of about one mile, with a distance of about one-fourth of a mile from Ernest Ward High School and the one room hewn log building is only three hundred yards away.

Walnut Hill does not claim all the credit for the schools growth during this time as there has been eight schools added to the consolidation including schools from the following communities: Bratt, Oak Grove, Davisville, Nokomis, Pineville, Enon, Dry Springs and Bay Springs. We are ever grateful to all the people of these communities for their cooperation in making The Ernest Ward School a mutual benefit to all concerned.

The Ernest Ward High School, located eight miles south of Atmore, Alabama and about thirty miles north of Pensacola, Florida, has an acreage of forty acres. On the grounds there is a post treating plant, owned by The Future Farmers of America Chapter.

The school is not idle during the summer months. There is a recreation program with about three hundred participants. An academic program and a drivers educational program is being carried on at the present. Also there is a Vocational Home Education class for adults in progress.

This copy belongs to: Mrs. J.M. Sharpless a/h.