Memories of the
Pleasant Plains
Community School

by Thomas Lewis, Chief of the
Meherrin Indian Tribe

I recall walking about a half mile to school each morning. The school was a single dwelling that housed first, second and third grades. It was located next to the church. The building was divided with big sliding doors. One overhead and the other two opened into the walls. We heated the school with pot-bellied wood stoves.

Our toilets were located outdoors and hand pumps supplied what water we would use. There was a big bell tower and the bell rang each day to begin class and to signal recess. I remember looking forward to the recess bell everyday.

1930's school photograph. Sallie Bizzelle, Addie Collins and
the legendary Alice Walden Jones are the teachers in the back.
Courtesy of Alice Jones Nickens.
CLICK on photograph for a larger view.

The teachers were Ms. Alice Nickens, and Ms. Ardelle Garrett. I used to take Ms. Garrett an apple everyday. She was a nice teacher and such a pretty woman.

I attended with my brother, Earl. The other students that I can remember were Verline Chavis, Evonne Anderson and her sisters Doris and Shirley, Wallace Hall, Maxie Anderson, Red Chavis, Mac and Cordy Jordan, and the Keene boys - George, Grady, and Bobby.

Towards the end of the school year, the floor fell in. They had to close the school due to lack of funds for repair and we all had to transfer to other schools.

Because the school and land originally was owned by Pleasant Plains Church, the Hertford County Board of Education sold the school to its founder and orginal owner, Pleasant Plains Baptist Church, for $1 in 1950. Thomas and his father Paul went on to work with Robert Pierce in renovated the school building in the 1980’s. The men gave the building, now a community center for the church, new floor joists and bathroom. - Marvin T.

Ardelle Garrett Boone at church
- note the fur -and the school
behind her.. Will somebody
ever indentify those boys?
Courtesy of Lynell James Eure