| Sources |
- [S75] Atchley Funeral Home Records, Volume II, 1955-1973, Larry D. Fox, (Smoky Mountain Historical Society), 15 Mar 1962.
James Clabe Atchley obituary
- [S106] The Mountain Press, 25 Jul 2014.
Upland Chronicles: A school called Cornbread remembered
CARROLL MCMAHAN
This picture was taken in 1924 of Douglas “Cornbread” School. Front row: Ray Bailey Clifford Flynn, Turner Sims, Andy Flynn, Frank Byrd, Dudley Hodge, Harley Flynn, Johnny Bailey, Burl Chambers, Clay Flynn, Bert Bailey, Mary Holbert, Ruth Holbert, Ruth Finchum, Ina Grace Sims, Myrtle Sims, Annie Ruth Bailey. Back row: Ralph Holbert, Cecil Holbert, Ambrose, Bruce Haynes, Arnold Flynn, Fred Bailey, Theodore Douglas, ? Pryor , ? Carmichael, Clarence Chambers, Mr. McMahan (teacher), Grace Chambers, Gladys Allen, Bertha Flynn, Mae Bailey, Lela Fowler.
The old bell recently discovered by construction workers was used at the Douglas Schoolhouse.
Recently, members of a construction crew were excavating behind French Broad Valley Baptist Church when they discovered a large, rusty object buried in the ground. After some careful digging, the workers uncovered a large bell. Longtime church members identified the bell as the one that once rang at Douglas Schoolhouse, which was located on the same spot.
The discovery of the old bell evoked many memories for those associated with the church and community, particularly those who attended the old school. For as long as anyone can remember, Douglas School was called Cornbread. The reason it was called Cornbread depends on whom you ask.
The school was built sometime after the Civil War in the “north of the river” section of Sevier County, isolated from the rest of the county by the French Broad River. Generations of families with names such as Bailey, Underwood, Sims, Flynn, Holbert, Douglas and Newman attended the one-room school.
The school closed when Kodak school was built and bus service was provided to transport the students.
One large stove sat in the center of the building. On extremely cold days, students were allowed to sit near the stove to stay warm during class. Water was carried from a spring located about a mile from the school. Later, a well was dug by the church near the school. Drinking water was drawn from the well.
Records no longer exist that give the exact date the school opened, but it was well established when members of Dumplin Creek Baptist Church, “who lettered for the purpose of organizing a church near Douglas Schoolhouse,” met at the school on Wednesday evening, May 10, 1893. At this meeting, they elected officers and set the day of organization of the new church for Thursday, May 25, 1893.
A council made up of elected members from Shady Grove, Beech Springs and Dumplin Creek churches convened at Douglas School on May 20, 1993, “for the purpose of approving the organization of the Baptist church and for examining the church as faith.” The church was approved and recognized by the council as a “church of Christ.”
At this meeting the church was given its name, French Broad Valley Baptist Church. However, the moniker Cornbread was commonly applied to the church as well. Until the school closed due to consolidation, the two white-boarding institutions stood side by side. Most of the children who went to the school also attended the church with their families.
One story as to how the school came to be called Cornbread is that a teacher always cooked a pan of cornbread for the children to eat while they were at school.
Another legend involves several variations of an account of a brother and sister who went to school and always brought a bucket of molasses and a bucket of cornbread for their lunch. One day the brother decided to pull a trick on his sister. He poured out the molasses and when lunchtime came, his sister told him she was ready for her cornbread and molasses.
The boy laughed and told her there was no molasses because he had poured it out, so they would have to eat cornbread. The outraged girl picked up a baseball bat, went outside and beat up the cornbread. So the joke was on him. Cornbread was scattered all over the school yard, and the students started saying that they went to cornbread school.
Others say the community cooks simply made good cornbread, and the children always brought it for their lunches.
Veryl C. Atchley, a retired school teacher, attended the school in the 1930s and 1940s. He remembers the names of most of the teachers who taught all eight grades while he was a student there. They include Olive Latham, Paul Tipton, Fred Bryan, Howard Bailey, Jean Parrott and Willer Felker
Olive Atchley Latham, who is now 102, taught at the school for one term during the 1930s. At the time, she was still single and boarded with Veryl C.’s parents J.C. and Rosa Atchley during the week. Her father drove her from Sevierville on Sunday afternoon, crossing the river at Kyker’s Ferry, and returned to pick her up after school on Friday.
There may have been times when some people were embarrassed by the unusual nickname, but over time, many embraced the name. In fact, when the church celebrated its centennial in 1993, Bill Thompson sent a pan of cornbread and a commemorative T-shirt to the "Today" show's Willard Scott. Scott showed the cornbread and mentioned the anniversary on the national broadcast.
Although the school closed and the structure was eventually dismantled, the church remained and continued to grow. In 1974, a brick building replaced the wooden structure that had served the community as a house of worship for over 90 years.
Plans for the old bell are uncertain, but the discovery of a remnant of the community’s history has brought pleasant recollections to several members of the church and beyond who have fond memories of the school.
Carroll McMahan is special projects facilitator for the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce and serves as Sevier County historian.
The Upland Chronicles series celebrates the heritage and past of Sevier County. If you have suggestions for future topics, would like to submit a column or have comments, please contact Carroll McMahan at 453-6411 or cmcmahan@scoc.org; or Ron Rader at 604-9161 or ron@ronraderproperties.com.
Upland Chronicles: A school called Cornbread remembered
- [S112] Census, 1940.
Name: Veryl C Atchley
Event Type: Census
Event Date: 1940
Event Place: Civil District 8, Sevier, Tennessee, United States
Gender: Male
Age: 8
Marital Status: Single
Race (Original): White
Race: White
Relationship to Head of Household (Original): Son
Relationship to Head of Household: Son
Birthplace: Tennessee
Birth Year (Estimated): 1932
Last Place of Residence: Rural, Tennessee, Tennessee
Household Role Gender Age Birthplace
Cloke Atchley Head M 47 Tennessee
Rosie Atchley Wife F 41 Tennessee
Veryl C Atchley Son M 8 Tennessee
Debby Jane Atchley Daughter F 0 Tennessee
- [S58] Marriage Certificate.
Name: Rosa Jenkins
Event Type: Marriage
Event Date: 29 Sep 1920
Event Place: Jefferson, Tennessee, United States
Gender: Female
Spouse's Name: J C Atchley
Page: 470
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