Arden School- 1907-1912

 

 

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

Early Little River County Arkansas Physicians

Name, Age, Birth State, Occupation, Township

1860

L.B. Dowd 40  Ct physician -Franklin Tp

John D. Rowland 31  Tn physician -Red River Tp

W.F. Simmons 40 Ga physician -Red River Tp

John D. Bellah 42 Tn physician -Red River Tp

Edwin L. Hamilton 24 Al physician -Red River Tp

P.R. Bowman 35 Ny physician -Red River Tp

Alexander Lovett 37 Tn physician -Red River Tp

William Hawkins 27 Nc physician-Little River Tp

Honesta Bizzell 24 Nc physician-Jackson Tp

J.W. Harmon 34 Tn- physician-Jackson Tp

M.W.C. Frazier 29 Ky -Jefferson Tp

1870

J.M. Parker 46 Ga doctor -Franklin Tp

Soloman Wyatt 71 Va doctor-Lick Creek Tp

John M. Simms  37 Va physician -Red River Tp

Henry J. Hunter 36 Va physician -Red River Tp

John T. Butler 28 physician  Tn-Red River Tp

William H. Hawkins 37 Nc physician -Red River Tp

James C. Wright 45 Nc physician -Jackson Tp

Orville Alexander 32 Mo physician-Jackson Tp

Joshua Gray 28 La physician -Jackson Tp

Ulisses U. Ware 34 Tn physician -Jackson Tp

1880

W.H. Hawkins 47 Nc  physician-Rocky Comfort

W.W. Roberts   1846  Ar physician -Little River Tp

Samuel H. Pruett 1836 Tn  physician- Little River Tp

W.S. Waits 1848 Ms physician Jackson Tp

J.H. Gray 1840 Al physician Jackson Tp

J.P. Lawley 1845 Al physician Jackson Tp

Joseph Poole 1844 Mo physician Little River & Burke

John Crum 1852 In physician Little River Tp

John Parker 1826 GA physician Franklin Tp

Richard Smith 1853 England physician Lick Creek Tp

J.M. Dunn 1834 VA physician Richmond Tp

E.L. Hamilton 1836 AL physician Red River Tp

information from US census