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A History of Columbia County Florida (1996) Edward F. Keuchel 191/340

The Early Twentieth Century

a faculty of seventeen and enrolled two hundred and fifty stu­
dents.15
Fortunately, the elementary and secondary schools of the
county were not undergoing such a traumatic disruption and,
indeed, some important, progressive, changes were underway. The
Peabody Graded and High, which had been moved to its West
Duval Street location in 1893, was renamed Columbia Graded and
High in 1903. A. B. Jarrell was principal when the name change
was made. School consolidation was an important issue in the
1920’s. Educators and the public came to accept the view that
small, rural schools could not offer a curriculum comparable to a
larger facility so the smaller schools were consolidated into better-
staffed and better-equipped, larger operations. In 1923 and 1924
area schools were consolidated into the Fort White School, the
Mason School, the Columbia City School, and the Kings’ Welcome
School. Others followed in later years. Minnie Jones Niblack, one
of the outstanding black educators of Columbia County, was
involved in the Kings’ Welcome consolidation and donated ten
acres of land for the site.16

Consolidation helped but many of the county’s schools were
still operating on a rather low level. Several rural schools operated
on a shortened school year, and facilities such as libraries were
nonexistent or containing little more than a few novels. Many of the
teachers had only the equivalent of a low level high school educa­
tion. Eldridge Collins, who started teaching in the county in 1928,
found the rural schools of the county far more primitive than what
he had experienced as a student in Fort White. Furthermore, his
starting salary was $60 a month, not uncommon for the period.17
15Lake City Chamber of Commerce, Lake City, Florida (Lake City, c. 1915), pp.
11-14; Columbia College, A Pictorial Catalog, 1911-1912 (Lake City, 1917), n.p.n.;
Columbia College Yearbook, The Chapeaubas (1914), Mossoks (1915); Lake City
Reporter, July 30, September 3, 1915.
,f,Eldridge Collins Interview, November 24, 1976; “Minnie J. Niblack A
Pioneer Leader for Columbia Education,” Lake City Reporter, December 13,1974.
,7Collins Interview.
165

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