[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 5131-5132]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING MOUND BAYOU PUBLIC SCHOOLS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 26, 2016

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a 
remarkable educational institution, the Mound Bayou Public School 
District in Mound Bayou, Mississippi.
  The early settlers in Mound Bayou recognized the value of education 
in building a community. Early in 1888, I.T. Montgomery and his sister, 
Virginia Montgomery, began holding classes for children in his home. 
This school developed into the Mound Bayou Public School. Ms. 
Montgomery, the first principal, served until 1896. During the early 
years school was held in the first church, Green Grove, now First 
Baptist. Rev. J.L. Brandfort succeeded Virginia Montgomery as 
principal. As joint principals Professor R.J. Jarrett continued the 
school in Green Grove, while Professor James Wilson held classes in 
Bethel A.M.E. Church. Mrs. Gertrude Jones Bryant became the principal 
in 1904 and served until 1915. A local Board of Trustees ran the 
school, but it was responsible to a county board that was not so 
willing to appropriate money for the school, even though this school 
had an enrollment of 200 by 1910.
  In 1892, Montgomery and Green donated a tract of land for educational 
purposes, ``designed to supplement the inadequate curriculum of the 
public schools''. The Mound Bayou Normal and Industrial Institute was 
built on this tract of land, with the assistance of the American 
Missionary Association. The school was largely supported by tuition but 
continued to receive some financial assistance from the American 
Missionary Association, which was responsible for providing the first 
principal and teacher, Mrs. Annie Randolph. The second principal was 
Miss Mary E. Crump, who was succeeded by Miss Minnie S. Washington. A 
complete high school course was added under the leadership of Professor 
B.F. Ousley. Vocational instruction in music and domestic arts and 
science was offered. Professor Ousley served as principal for a period 
of 16 years. Upon his resignation, Professor F.M. Roberts became 
principal and was assisted by Professor Robert Ross.
  In 1912, while working with Booker T. Washington, Montgomery and 
Charles Bank secured a $1000 donation from Julius Rosenwald to build a 
school. Andrew Carnegie was persuaded to donate $4000 for the 
construction of a library. Booker T. Washington said that Mound Bayou 
was ``not merely a town, but at the same time and in a very real sense 
of the word, a school. It is not only a place where a Negro may get 
inspiration . . . but a place, also, where he has the opportunity to 
learn some of the fundamental duties and responsibilities of social and 
civic life.''
  In 1920 all of the public schools in the vicinity of Mound Bayou and 
the Mound Bayou

[[Page 5132]]

Normal and Industrial Institute consolidated to form the Mound Bayou 
Consolidated Public School and County Training School. A local Board of 
Trustees administered the school with responsibility to the County 
Superintendent of Education. The members of the first Board were I.T. 
Montgomery, Chairman, B.W. Bryan and John W. Francis. The second Board 
included B.A. Green, Chairman, D.J. Hill, T.S. Morris, John Tharpe, 
Sr., Rev. Jim Jones, and P.M. Smith.
  The three-story brick structure was completed and the first classes 
started in 1921. It was located in Mound Bayou on about four acres of 
land. It served an area of thirty square miles with 16 classrooms and 
an auditorium with a seating capacity of 700. The average annual 
enrollment was 850. Classes were held nine months a year. This building 
served all the students of Mound Bayou and the surrounding vicinities 
until 1960, when I.T. Montgomery Elementary School was erected. The 
three-story brick building, Mound Bayou High School, was closed in the 
fall of 1964, when a new building, John F. Kennedy Memorial High 
School, was opened.
  Principals who served the Bolivar County Training School were J.H. 
Moseley, J.H. Powell, A.R. Taylor, C.M. Green, Mrs. Olevia Holmes-
Ryles, Richard Williams, Mrs. Richard Williams, Rev. Hardin, and B.T. 
Johnson. B.T. Johnson was the last administrator designated as a 
principal for the Bolivar County Training School. Mr. Calvin J. Jones 
was selected as the first superintendent of Bolivar County School 
District Number Six, following a county reorganization, after the 1954 
Supreme Court decision overruling the practice of segregation in public 
schools. Others who have served as district superintendent are Arthur 
Holmes, Jimmy Langdon, Shelton Wilder, Linder Howze-Campbell, Linda 
Perry Robinson, and William Crockett. Principals who have served the 
elementary school since the county reorganization include Ruth Scott, 
O.W. Howard, Samuel McGee, Arthur Jackson, Arthur Holmes, Jr., Legora 
M. Norwood, Joe Jennings, Sammy Armstrong, Linda Perry Robinson, Willie 
E. Norwood, Sr., and Johnnie Vick. Montresia Cain is the current 
elementary school principal. Principals who have served the High School 
are A.L. Moore, Sr., Willie Gates, Eltea Lambert, Robert Latham, 
Shelton Wilder, Jackie Campbell, Dr. I.D. Thompson, and Dr. Wanda C. 
Stringer. Shaneequa Beal is the current high school principal. Mound 
Bayou Public School District was merged with North Bolivar School 
District in July, 2014, forming the new North Bolivar Consolidated 
School District. Mr. Johnnie Vick is the current Superintendent.
  Mound Bayou has a rich and strong educational history. It has had and 
continues to have dedicated administrators and teachers. The students 
demonstrate the ability to achieve at all levels, and graduates 
compete, globally, in a wide cadre of professional fields. The Mound 
Bayou Public School System was definitely a successful educational 
organization. It is anticipated to have a continued high level of 
achievement for the students at I.T. Montgomery Elementary School and 
John F. Kennedy Memorial High School.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing an 
extraordinary educational institution the Mound Bayou Public School 
District.

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