Schools - Page Two

In 1902 the Methodist District Conference decided to buy A.C.I. Additional trustees were chosen to arrange the purchase. They were C. L. John, W. B. Morton, G. W. Graves, A. W. Johnson, A. E. Smith, R. D. Nuckles, David Tuckwiller and R. C. Slaughter. They were to take control, arrange for the next session, appoint a financial agent, publicize the school, and raise money. The price was $7,000.00. The citizens of Alderson had raised $3,000.00 in 1901 to support the school, which indicates the local faith in A.C.I.. 1901 was quite a year for schools in Alderson. The Baptists opened the Alderson Academy that year, and a fund raising drive was in progress which took some students and support from A.C.I.

In 1903 the principalship of the A.C.I. was assumed by the Reverend E. A. Rippey but he and the Trustees disagreed. The Reverend L. S. Shires was elected to fill the vacancy but stayed only a short time, and Dr. H. A. Scomp, L.L.D., became principal. Dr. Scomp, a nearly blind Greek scholar, stayed until 1908. He had written a Greek textbook, the work of a lifetime, the manuscript of which was burned. Having become blind, he could not rewrite it. He is reported to have been one of the A.C.I.’s finest teachers.

A catalogue of A.C.I. for the thirteenth session, 1905-1906, and the fourteenth session, 1906-1907, says: "Allegheny Collegiate Institute property of the Lewisburg District, Baltimore Conference, M.E. Church, South, A High Grade School for both Sexes. Session opens September 4 and closes May 24". E. Chase Bare was Treasurer of the Board of Trustees, and G. W. Graves and R. C. Slaughter of Alderson, with thirteen others from other addresses, were members. Two of Dr. Scomp’s family, both with B.A. degrees, the Misses Viola and Corrine Scomp, were teachers. Other teachers were Frank A. Cooper, Miss Mary E. Johnson, and Miss Alethea Alderson who is a poet and retired librarian now living in Washington, D.C. (Her collected poems have been published in two volumes, The Far Call, and This Thing Called Peace.) Mrs. David Tuckwiller was Matron.

In 1906 A.C.I. was having financial difficulties, a common ailment of small church schools, and it was for sale. The Trustees had authority to consolidate the school with any other type school, or to sell it. It was purchased in 1908 by the Reverend E. H. Rowe and the Reverend J. IS. Engle. Mr. Rowe was President of Southern Female Seminary, and continued in that capacity. The Reverend L. S. Shires became principal. In 1909 A.C.I. reported its most successful year and the Methodist Conference still had keen interest in it. This success continued but Messrs. Rowe and Engle in 1912 reported to the Conference that they had lost money. A Conference committee was appointed which reported Rowe and Engle lost money because of their "non-residence in Alderson". So the Reverend Engle became principal in 1912, and in 1915 there were 86 students in A.C.I., three-fourths Methodists. This was less than the 1911-1912 year of 121 enrollment.

In 1917 Miss Mary E. Johnson, a local woman who had been teaching in A.C.I. for many years, became principal. Miss Johnson was a sister of L. E. Johnson, President of the First National Bank, and Robert L. Johnson of Greenbrier Milling Company. Miss Johnson was a woman of high purpose and line experience. At some time in the years after 1912 the school had added a military department for the boys in order to inculcate erect bodily carriage and obedience, and to provide a more serviceable suit of greater economy. A.C.I. was the only military school in Alderson’s history.

A.C.I. during its entire lifetime was able to employ some excellent teachers, and the quality of its instruction was high. It constantly kept a goal of the "best Christian education". It attracted some famous people, among them Dorothy Gish, who was later a popular actress. There was a fine school spirit and the students published a school magazine, The Sentinel. At one time there was an Alumni Association whose officers were M. A. Pyles, Charles H. Hedrick, Miss Elaine Stulting, and Mrs. Ida Ware Nichols.

The last school term of Allegheny Collegiate Institute was the 1924-1925 term, after thirty-six years of existence. The school was sold to L. W. Johnson, J. W. Johnson, James H. George, Miss Ida Johnson, and Miss Mary Johnson, August 25, 1925. The buildings still stand except the gymnasium. One building was used for a time as a small hospital by Drs. Roy and L. H. McClung, and C. F. Mahood. The same building was later remodeled into apartments. The old drill ground is a vacant lot except for the home of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Patton, and a flower garden belonging to the Misses Pauline and Ellen Langley Johnson.

Probably the one person who has been Alderson’s most widely known educator was Emma Cornelia Alderson, born May 15, 1860, daughter of George Alderson, Sr. and Mary Jane Hines Alderson. This remarkable, red-haired, distinguished woman was a devout Baptist. She had taught in the Allegheny Collegiate Institute in Alderson. She was a woman of great capabilities, and elderly people all over this nation remember "Miss Emma" with admiration and respect. She had the idea, the drive, and education to start Alderson Academy. Her associates were the Reverend J. C. Killian and Mrs. Killian, the Baptist minister and his wife, and her seriously ill brother, Bernard Alderson, who was the first principal. They proposed to purchase the property across the street from the Baptist Church for $7,000.00. This had been built for an academy by Professor Goode. Alderson Academy opened September 18, 1901.

Baptists in Alderson and neighboring counties rallied to her cause, notably the Alderson family. Fourteen stockholders, all Baptists in Alderson, subscribed, and twelve Baptists in other sections of West Virginia bought stock in the non-profit company. They are names familiar to the Alderson locality and West Virginia, Alderson, Rowe, Jones, Pack, Reynolds, Flint, Killian, Cavendish, Wood , Blume, Bigony, Thurmond and Stump. The first teachers other than Miss Emma and her brother Bernie, were Miss Minnie Thombley, Music, and Mr. Killian, Bible.

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The contents contained in this series is copyrighted and the sole property of The Greenbrier Historical Society - Lewisburg, WV
Used by permission - November 18, 2008