The Antioch Chapel used by early Rock Hill Presbyterians. The building was moved to Rock Hill, deeming Antioch was simply to far for the congregation to travel. Mr. Paul M. Gettys, 2021 *** At that time ca. 1850s, the greater Antioch area, reached from what is Ogden in 2021 back northwest along the Tools Ford Creek area to include much of South Cherry Rd., and the greater Oakridge area. Members of the Workman and Roach families were early church members…
City Directories and History: “On the southeast corner of Black and Saluda was the house of John Harvey Neely. This was a two-story house. He was father of William J. and Henry Neely. Before his house stood on the site, the Rock Hill Academy was located there. The building was the old building of the Presbyterian Church, rolled to that site in 1873 and used as a schoolhouse until 1888.” [Robbins – White History Tour]
The Herald reported on Dec. 8, 1896 – “At the county sale in Yorkville, a one acre lot known as The Academy Lot on the corner of Black and Saluda Streets belonging to J. H. Neely was sold to R. Lee Kerr, cashier for $460.”
The Herald reported on Sept. 22, 1900 – “Mr. A.D. Holler has the contract to erect two houses for Mr. J.H. Neely on the vacant lot at the corner of Black and Saluda Streets. One will be two story and the other one story.”
Sometime before 1882 the Rock Hill Academy, which had been established solely for boys, started admitting girls and the institution was moved from the old pine grove. In 1873 plans were on foot to build a new Presbyterian Church to replace the old Antioch Chapel building, which had been moved from the suburbs of the town in 1858 and located on the site still occupied by the First Presbyterian Church. The chapel structure was offered for sale, and Rock Hill bought it for $900 from the Presbyterians in 1873 for use as a school. It was rolled from the church site on Main Street to the southeastern corner of Black and Saluda streets, “or rather the present corner, because streets were an unknown quantity in those days, White Street being the main highway from Charleston on through York, crossing out Clay [now Charlotte] over the railroad and winding through Cedar Crest, continuing up what is now Charlotte Avenue….. City Without Cobwebs – D.S. Brown, 1953, p. 201
The following article appeared in the Rock Hill Evening Herald on June 30, 1935.
Recollections of the Schools of Rock Hill
Included in the last annual report of Superintendent of Schools R. C. Burts, recently made public, is a sketch, “Recollections of the Schools of Rock Hill,” written by Mrs. A. M. Smith of Hagerstown, Md., who as Miss Emma Roach, taught school for many years here. Mrs. Smith is a sister of Miss Nellie Roach and Mrs. C. K. Chreitzberg of this city. The article follows:
“My earliest recollections of the schools of Rock Hill are associated with Pine Grove Academy. I have heard my father and others of his generation speak of attending school there. It was taught by Mr. Allston, I have no idea when or by whom the building was erected. ‘Some one with the love of God in his heart’ built it long ago and ‘chose a site for the barns in the sweet pine woods.’
It was built in White’s pasture, north of what is now Pendleton Street. The Fennell Infirmary was built on part of this land. I distinctly remember that ‘Pine Grove Academy’ was printed in chalk across the ceiling of the little room. I was told that it was done by the Rev. James White, of blessed memory, when a student there. Mr. Allston’s son, Mr. Robert or Mr. Gad Allston, I do not remember which, taught there. Mr. Hyder Ratterree, Mr. John Hope, and Mr. David Hutchison are ones whom I recall being students there.
The first teacher under whom I attended school there was Mrs. M. B. Reid, of Charleston, S. C. I have among my treasured possessions a New Testament given me by her in 1870 as a reward of merit. She was a most remarkable woman, intelligent, cultivated, and refined. She not only taught those under her care, but added much to the development of the religious and social life of the community.
But distinctly I recall the May Day picnic when the Queen and her court held sway in some beautiful spot in the woods nearby. Exhibition Days called fathers and mothers from household and business duties, for were not their children to take part in songs and recitations. Old Dick Latta was always there with his band. How thrilled we were and how we danced. ‘The presence of those days will always remain. A phantom of the heart and not the brain.’
Mrs. Reid afterward taught in Pinopolis in a building in a neighborhood where Mrs. Sadler Love now lives. It must have been in the seventies. She returned to Charleston and died some years ago, leaving many men and women in Rock Hill better for having been under her influence. Miss Stoney then had charge of the school at Pinopolis. Miss Mary Adams and Miss H. I. Lindsay, afterwards Mrs. A. H. White, both deceased, had the school at Pine Grove, and carried on the work in a most admirable manner. The building was unoccupied for several years after the ladies gave up the school.
In 1873 the Old Presbyterian Church was sold by the congregation to the town for a schoolhouse for $900. It was moved from the church lot to the Southeast corner of Saluda and Black streets. Mr. Sam McCormick taught there (the Rock Hill Academy). The only students now living whom I remember as attending this school are Messrs. T. L. Johnston and W. J. Roddey. Mr. McCormick was a strict disciplinarian as these ‘boys’ will doubtless remember. Mr. John Davidson and Mr. Butler Alston (Capt. B.P. Alston), as I recall, taught at different times in this building.
My life as a teacher began in a small room on Main Street, across from the post office. Miss Stoney gave up the school at Pinopolis and I went there to teach in 1880. Miss Beverly Means, now Mrs. T. M. DuBose of Columbia taught with me.
In 1884 the building was converted into a dwelling and we transferred to the Old Pine Grove building. Miss Minnie O’Neal and Mrs. John Steele, formerly Miss Anne Williams, both dead now, taught with me. Messrs. Allen Jones, W. J. Rawlinson, J. J. Hull, W. B. Wilson and others built a one room school house on Johnston street. Mrs. Sumter Lowry, who was Miss Willie Miller, was the teacher there. When she resigned I went to teach there, the building in the Pine Grove being sadly in need of repairs.
The graded school was opened in 1888. The land and funds for furniture were given by the White family, pioneer settlers in York County and always foremost in all good work. Pine Grove Academy was never again used for school purposes. From out its walls have gone many boys and girls who grew into fine men and women and whose children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren rise up to call them blessed.”
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PUBLIC EDUCATION TAKES HOLD – CENTRAL SCHOOL
PINE GROVE ACADEMY – TOO “RRE CIVIL WAR”
AFRICAN AMERICAN EDUCATION TAKE HOLD
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