Miss Jennie M. Higbee ... and The Higbee School

Probably no name is as important in the history of early education in Memphis, as that of Miss Jennie M. Higbee.  Miss Higbee was born in 1939 and came to Memphis from New Jersey in the late 1800s and taught for awhile at St. Mary's School and then moved to the Female High School at Court and 3rd for 10 years. 

This position led to the Higbee School.  It was thought by her friends that she would be most useful by placing her at the head of a school they were establishing in 1875 and originally called the Presbyterian Grammar and High School, with Miss Jennie M. Higbee, principal.   In 1879 the name was changed to "Miss Higbee's High School," and in 1882 to The Higbee School."

Long-time principal of SMITH School (Market Street School) from 1882 – 1920.  When she died in 1920, the school was re-named CHRISTINE School.  This new name was the last, and the school was demolished in 1964-65.

In the early part of the nineteenth century John D. and Evelyn M. (Wilhelm) Reudelhuber, who were born, reared and married in the Rhine Provinces of Germany, immigrated to the the United States and settled in New Orleans.  They had five children - three sons and two daughters.  Then they moved to Memphis, where their children were educated in the Memphis city schools.

The family was noted as possessing many "sterling qualities of head and heart."  One of the sons was quite a military genius, and served in the light artillery at the age of seventeen in the Civil War. The eldest daughter, Christine, a product of the public schools, became a teacher at the age of fifteen, and was  promoted until she became principal of the largest school in Memphis.  Her sister, Pauline, also graduated in the Memphis city schools with honors, and became principal of the Merrill School.  Both distinguished themselves not only as efficient teachers, but as able disciplinarians.

Many of the city's most successful principals and teachers received their training under Miss Christine's careful and strick supervision.  She was a wonderful disciplinarian, fair and just, but a stickler for strict obedience.  Her word was law and no one dared challenge it.  Yet all teachers regarded her with great affection and those who knew her best admired her learning and deep wisdom.
 

Mrs. E. J. Crockett, was the long-time principal of Memphis High School.  She was the daughter of Edward and Eliza (Johnson) Belcher. He was a native of Boston, Mass., and her  mother a native of Alabama. From Boston, her father went to Virginia, and finally came to West Tennessee, locating at Bolivar, where he became distinguished as a lawyer.  After marriage they lived at Bolivar a short time and then went to Oxford, Miss, where they made their permanent home.  Their family consisted of seven children — three sons and four daughters. Two of the boys chose the profession of their father.

Mrs. Crockett was born at Bolivar, Tenn. but received her education at Oxford, Miss, graduating from the female seminary. In 1862 she and William H. Crockett were married. During the late war he fought for the Southern cause, being a staff officer of Gen. Hindman.  At the battle of Shiloh he was severely wounded, and never fully recovered. The Crockett's had hree children.  After the death of her husband Mrs. Crockett began teaching, and after assisting in the Memphis High School for a short period, became principal in 1875 and continued in that position until 1890.  In 1891 she became principal of the Senior Department of the Smith School (Market Street). 

Note:  This website believes that Crockett Technical High School is named for Mrs. Crockett, but we have been unable to find documentation of this.

A native of Virginia, he served in the Engineering Corps of the Navy for four years before coming to Memphis in 1871.  Here, he was an assistant teacher in the Memphis High School, and afterwards served as principal of the Smith School and The Leath School.  In 1880 he was chosen Superintendent of Memphis Schools  and served in that position for 12 years.

Son of Charles H. Collier and Sarah Cowles of Virginia.  In 1879 he married Julia Bingham and they had 4 children.

Alice O’Donnell, a native Memphian, was born July 7, 1865.  She began her career at the old Market School in 1886, where she had graduated the year before.   Her next position was at the Memphis High School, and then a period at Vocational High School, and finally 15 years as Assistant Principal of Tech High School.   Throughout her 45 years of teaching she had probably taught more Memphis girls and boys than any teacher in the city.

She taught history and English and was regarded as an authority on history.  She never ceased to study and took many courses at Columbia University, University of Tennessee, and other colleges, as well as traveling in practically every country in Europe.  Active in club, educational and civic projects, Miss O’Donnell held many offices in various organizations.  She was literacy chairman of the City Federation of Parent-Teacher Associations and state chairman of education for the League of Women Voters.  And she was elected 6^th Vice President of the City Federation of PTA. 

 At the time of her death, May 15, 1931, she was planning a book on Andrew Jackson, her favorite historical character.   Her death was from pneumonia, arising out of a sinus attack.  She was borne to her grave by “her boys” – the cadet officers of Tech High School ROTC.  The entire student body attended the services, each bringing a rose to be dropped on the casket at the cemetery.

Clara Conway was born in New Orleans on August 14, 1844.  She was educated at St. Agnes Academy, Memphis, but her main education was by her own study at home. She traveled extensively in the United States and in Europe and her special gift was to prepare girls for college – primarily Vassar and Wellesley.

Early in her career, she was principal of  the Alabama Street School and the Market Street School.  In 1877 she left a prominent position in the public schools to open a high grade school for girls. 

Clara Conway had hoped to found a school that would make women economically independent and she believed a solid education would do this.  She became one of the most prominent figures in education in the South and her school held a unique place in the region as a major preparatory school for young women.  The circumstances of the school's demise in 1893 are somewhat unclear but appear to have stemmed from conflict between Conway and her trustees.  She was determined to carry out the college-preparatory idea over the opposition of her financial backers who wrote about "too much ambition on the part of the principal"

After the closure of her school, she continued to teach for a few years on a much smaller scale, with herself as the sole teacher.  Her influence on students was deep and lasting.  Clara Conway died in 1904.

James Leonard Highsaw became principal of Crockett Vocational High in 1918 and continued in that position as the school officially became Tech High School.  He remained principal of Tech until his retirement in 1957.  He estimated that he had signed over 10,000 diplomas.

Born in Pecan Gap, Texas, Highsaw began teaching at 17 in a one-room school house and continued teaching while going to college at the University of Oklahoma - graduating in 1911.  Later, he attended the University of Texas.

Mr. Highsaw came to Memphis in 1912, just after his marriage to May Baker, and was head of the

Science Department, and the Debate Coach at Central High until 1918.   From his position at Central, he was promoted to principal at Crockett Vocational High in 1918.     At Central and at Tech, he was well known as a good public speaker and debate master.  His master's thesis at the University of Oklahoma was on debating and it became "the" authority for schools around the country.  Professor Highsaw was particularly adept at telling about his "dream" the night before the Tech-Central football games.  Of course, in his dreams, Tech always won.

At Crockett Vocational High School, Mr. Highsaw oversaw tremendous growth at the school, and pushed for a new and modern "technical" school for the South.  He was also instrumental in getting the name changed from "Vocational" to "Technical".  And the R.O.T.C. was organized during his first year.  After retiring in 1957 he was made a librarian of the U. S. House of Representatives.

Two of his sons graduated from Tech in 1931 and 1934.  Both of them were excellent scholars, as well as president  and valedictorian of their class.  Both became successful lawyers,  educators, and writers.

J. W. A. Pettit

J. W. A. Pettit  is known as the “Father of Memphis City Schools”,  He was the first to urge the Board of Aldermen of Memphis to establish a system of free schools for the city. This was early in 1848, and in accordance with his advice the members of the board had schools opened each of the respective wards.  Mr. Pettit opened the first school at the northeast corner of Third and Overton Streets, in the house of Mrs. Moore, whom he employed as teacher. Subsequently he opened a second school, with Mr. Walker as teacher, near the corner of Main and Overton Streets.  Through Pettit’s influence, Memphis began assigning city treasury funds to schools with a first year budget of $20,000.  Petit, the first superintendent, was not paid.  Then, in 1852 the treasury imposed a city school tax rate, followed by a county school tax rate in 1854.

The creation of these tax rates allowed children who formerly couldn't afford school tuition to receive a public education, but it would still be another 20 years before public education was extended to black citizens.

J. T. Leath

Leath High School was named for him.  He was Supt of Education in 1869.  Son of Sarah Leath who founded Memphis' first orphanage, the Porter-Leath Orphanage in 1850.

Eugene Magevney

The name of Magevney is remembered in Memphis today for one reason, the Magevney House.  This popular tourist attraction in Memphis' “Victorian Villiage“ was given to the city by his grand daughter and totally restored by the city.  Eugene Magevney was born in Ireland  in 1798 and had hoped to become a priest, but later decided he was more dispositioned towards teaching.

He arrived in Memphis in 1833 when the city was only 14 years old.  There was no public education program, but Magevney was allowed to use a small log house in Court Square.  During this period, there was little interest in teaching girls or poor children, but the city's well-heeled residents were glad to have education for their children.  One problem from the start was that some parents paid

Principal Leath High School and Memphis High School .

First principal of Central High.

J. H. Barnum

From 1863-67, there was virtually no mention of  educating blacks or of black schools in Memphis.  In 1867 the State compeled all cities to educate blacks and Memphis quickly delegated the running of black schools to J. H. Barnum, who was named as the first Superintendent of Colored Schools.

The first recorded black public school was Clay Street School.   Founded in 1873, it closed its doors in 1950.  It was the first brick school for blacks, and J. H. Barnum, a northern missionary, was named the first Principal.  This school had a biracial staff of 8 teachers.

Fannie Kiddoo (or Kidder)

The first free colored school was opened in 1863 in a barrack building in South Memphis by Miss Fannie Kiddoo(Kidder) - "...a lady of culture and high Christian character from Illinois"