Benevola Schools
Pickens County, AL

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Bobbye C. Winston

The last Benevola Schoolhouse in 1937	The first Benevola Schoolhouse

Early School House in Benevola

Several schools were established in the early years. One of the first was the David Eddin School located near Forest Baptist Church. There was also the Ramer School located across from Mt. Moriah Church. There was also the Cleveland School located on or near the site Wallace and Millie Powell's home. Later these schools combined and were known as the old Cleveland Academy. J. S. Moore was principal of the Cleveland
Academy in 1895.


There was also a Davis School located off the main Benevola Road where the Curry, Conner and Hamlin property is located.
John Davis and Doshie Powell were teachers at the Davis School in early 1900's.


Knox Academy was an excellent school for high school boys. It was founded by Professor Sam Knox in 1876 and believed
closed in 1890. It was located near the old Lofton house in Benevola. This school was the only school in the County that taught
Latin so students from all over the County interested in medicine came to Knox Academy. A boarding school, run by Mrs. Mobley,
was also available. School terms were only a few months a year as many of the students had to help on the farm.


In 1904 a school was built across from Bethesda Presbyterian Church. It was a two-room schoolhouse and employed two
teachers. It served grades one through eight and then students were bused to Aliceville School for further education. The
school closed 1933 after 29 years and was torn down.


The following year the students moved to a new school building located in front of the Benevola Community Center and
schooling continued in this community until 1948 when that school was closed and all students went to Aliceville to school.

Some teachers that taught in Benevola were:

Carrie Hudgins Brock, 1907

Winnie Cox Duncan

Mary Puckett, 1918-1919

Nora Hasson, 1918-1919

Ollie Hasson Poole

Teresa Neely Craft, 1919-1922

Isabelle Clanahan Pate, 1920-1921

Paulind Fife 1921-1922

Mable McHenry, 1922-1923

Mary Robison, 1923-1924

Kate Joyner Renfro, 1922-1923

Maude Elwick Pierce, 1923-1924

Kate Joyner

Ollie Hasson Poole

Anna Kate Buntin

Lizzie Love

Maude Pierce

Miss Stapp

Gladys Nettles Craft

Bessie Mae Graham Powell

Rosa Daniels Nettles

Louise Chappell

Ola Mae Cockrell

Era Cockrell

Minnie Ball McCafferty

Elizabeth Colvin

Geneva Cook Abston

Miss Keating

L-R: Gladys Nettles Craft and Bessie Mae Graham Powell; Geneva Cook Abston and Rosa Nettles

Census record of 1930 shows Bessie Mae Graham and Gladys Nettles boarding in the home of Alice E. Going.

Teachers at the Benevola School

Benevola School 1907. Carrie Brock, Teacher

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