Flat Creek School

Submitted by Kenneth R. Seal

Flat Creek School, 1st to 6th grades, District 15 or 17, was located, between Alleene and Foreman, in Sec. 8 of T 12S, R 31W, east of Highway 108 near Flat Creek at the curve on the east side of LR165 (old Hwy 108).

The first classes were held in 1904, taught by Jesse Freeman. My Mother, Martha Miller Seal, was one of the first students attending classes in this small one room building. Some of the other students were her older brothers, Henry and Florence and a cousin William Frazier Wright.

I went to school there in 1934-1936 along with my brother Franklin, sister Betty Joy, cousins Lowell Frazier and Bobby Wright, and friends Vernon and Don Lock. There were others, but I don't remember their names. Teachers were Nellie Lumpkin, Myrtle Bowman & Grace Lock.

Martha Miller Seal was borned September 17, 1899 near Flat Creek in Little River County, Arkansas. Died August 20, 1991 in Houston, Texas. Excerpts from her autobiography that pertain to Flat Creek school are as follows:

"One morning we had three men visitors. Of course Mother and Dad knew that the men's business was to organize a school and church. After several hours of talking and planning, if was decided when and where it would be started. The glad day came at last. The building was funished----one room for school and church. I can barely remember our first services I was very young. However I remember very distinctly feeling God's presence. I was so happy!" "In 1904 the fifth child was born, a big fine boy named Riley. By this time Mother and Dad realized it was time to get Henry and Florence in school. There was no school house anywhere near. Soon afterwards some men came and made plans for the school I mentioned earlier. It was a one room structure made with lumber and was near our home. The benches were made from split logs with pegs for legs. The flat side was smoothed with a foot adz so our clothes wouldn't be snagged by the splinters. I was five years old when I started to school. A cousin, Jesse Freeman was my first teacher. He taught me how to write my ABC's, count, and even read in the first reader. He was a dear, good man. We didn't have nice desks as schools have today. We carried our lunches in a little syrup bucket. We didn't know what a sandwich was, but our lunches were always good."

No doubt two of the visitors Mother referred to were her Grandfather Richard Frazier Wright, and Uncle, Robert James "Bob" Wright. The school was built on land owned by the Wrights.

Copyright 2021

Kenneth Seal/Rayedene Graves

Additional Information~ from Tom Wyley Cleghorn

"I went to school there in 1934 when I was 5 years old. Nellie Lumpkins was the teacher. The kids I remember are:
Jr and Bobby Wright James, Eb and Louise Gorman Buster and Emma Laura Ripley;  Margie Golden Bobby and Randolph Bivens Lesley and Berniece Cleghorn Louise Homes(she drowned in Little River at Anderson's Ferry) Some Knightens