Bethel / Sand Hill / Chireno Colored Schools - Chireno, TX - Signs of History on Waymarking.com

The communities of Bethel, Sand Hill, and Chireno are, or were, in Nacogdoches county, about 12 miles Southeast of Nacogdoches, TX. Near the junction of CR 338 with TX-21, there is a plot of land at this junction on which a large gray granite monument to the Bethel, San Hill, and Chireno Colored Schools, circa 1872 - 1966. This monument is a remembrance of those administrators, teachers and students over the 90-plus years that schools were segregated between White and Colored. In the upper part of the front side of the marker, the slogan "Rembering the Bridge That Crossed Us Over" is engraved. On the back side of the marker, the comment is made that "After the inception of integration, the last classes were held at Chireno Colored Elementary & High School in May 1966."

This granite marker is filled on the front side with the names of the names of the schools and the principals and the teachers known to have taught in those schools. The back side of this marker tells of the history of the three schools that over the 90 years served to educate the the Black students in this area before schools were integrated.

{The front side (facing toward TX-21) reads as follows:}

"Bethel / San Hill / Chireno Colored Schools
circa 1872 - 1966
"Remembering The Bridge That Crossed Us Over"

PRINCIPALS:
(five names engraved)

TEACHERS:
(61 names engraved)

Erected 2012 by Former Faculty and Students of These Schools."


{The back side of this marker tells history of theses schools:}

"In Tribute To
Bethel / Sand Hill / Chireno Colored Elementary & High Schools
Nacogdoches County Texas

Students attending these schools were primarily from the Sand Hill and Chireno communities and some other surrounding areas. The schools were Chireno Colored Elem. School (the earliest name seemed to have been St. Peters Pre-school, see deed Vol. R, page 495-496), Bethel Common School in Sand Hill, Sand Hill Colored School and Chireno Colored Elementary and High School in the Sand Hill community. Research indicate initial name of school in Sand Hill was Sand Hill Colored School. Bethel seemed to have followed and at closing of the school it was Chireno Colored Elementary & High School.

Land was deeded over for Chireno Colored Elementary School (St. Peters Pre-school) in Chireno December, 1872. Land was deeded for Sand Hill School August, 1884.

After the inception of integration the last classes were held at Chireno Colored Elementary & High School in May 1966. Teachers employed at that time were: W.B. Freo (Principal), B.J. Martin, Myrtle Free, Willow Davis, Betty Edwards, Helen Young, Vivian Sheppard and Erma Adams.

* * Information listed in as accurate as possible with information acquired from deeds, remaining school records, and former students."

.

Group that erected the marker: Former faculty and students from the Bethel, Sand Hill, and Chireno Colored Schools URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: [Web Link] Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary: 16549 TX-21 Chireno, TX USA 75937

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Date Logged Log   01/29/2021 WayBetterFinder visited it