In this new settlement, the teaching of children was done in the home until the settlement grew and there were enough children for a school. We have no way of knowing when the first school building was built. We do know, however, that the first building was located on a knoll west of the hill where Cornelius Keith built his brush harbor and house. This log schoolhouse remained for many years. This first building was a small log house with dirt floor and no chim­ney. The seats were a hewn slab with legs attached. For light, one log was left out onone side of the building. A shelf of hewn plank was placed at this opening. When pupils wanted to practice writing they used this shelf as a desk. Their pen wasa sharpened goose wing feather. Much of their ink was made from oak balls. J. B. Reid was the first teacher and taught for a number of years. The length of school term was six weeks -- sometimes twelve weeks. The tuition was "a dollar a scholar." Reading, writing, and arithmetic were the subjects taught. The Blue Back Speller served for both reader and speller.

The school day was long -- from early morning until late afternoon. After the church was established in 1795, on the same present location a school building was built directly in front of the church and the school moved to it. This school building was patterned after the first building but larger and had a stick and dirt chimney. The water was brought in a homemade bucket made of sassafras boards from a spring deep in a hollow about one-quarter of a mile away.

J. B. Reid was still teaching. He must have been an excellent scribe for old papers written by his pupils were beautifully done.

Some time after, a saw mill was brought in about 1875, a new school building was built on the corner where the road joins the church ground. This building was about 301 X 60'. It had a chimney built of field rock with a large fireplace for heating. There were six glass windows - three on each side. The seats were long benches with desks on backs extending the full length of the seat. Five or six pupils sat on each seat.

It was in this building that I made my school debut. I was six years old in December and started to school in July of the next summer. The teacher was a hangover of the old schoolmaster type with a gruff voice and whose rule was the rod. He taught the ABC classes first in the morning. Pretty soon he commanded me, "Come say your ABC's. " I froze - I didn't speak, nor did I go. Again he stormed, "Come say your ABC's." But, I was scared speechless and could not go. He came with his hickory, jerked me up by the arm and let me have it. I snubbed on a bench outside of school room door for the rest of the day. The next morning I hid in a corner of the rail fence until others of my family had gone to school. But Mother found me and went with me to school. She talked with the teacher but I don't know what was said. However, I got better treatment that day and could recite what had been taught me by my family the night before. The school term was three to five months. When the enrollment had increased so they needed more room (about 1895), an ell was added to the west side of the building and a flue built so a heater could be used. Two teachers were employed, when needed.

About 1906, the State Legislature passed an act that would give a school district money for buildings provided the district gave an equal amount. The trustees arranged for district to vote bonds for this purpose. A three-room building was built on the present location. It had modern seats and flues for heaters.

Mr. George Boddiford was principal when the school was moved to this building. He was a graduate of the University of South Carolina _ a man with no show but with real worth and proved to be an excellent school man. The school was growing and the community was booming.

Mr. Boddiford arranged for an Educational Rally _ State Superintendent Swearengen came to speak. In his address, he held up a copy of The Columbia State with an article about Oolenoy School and a picture of our building and announced that Oolenoy was the first graded rural school in the state.

Our County Superintendent, R. T. Hallum, was of great assistance in maintaining the school. This building burned and the citizens contributed funds and built the building which is now used as the Community Center. Mr. F. Van Clayton was Superintendent of Education and assisted with the plans.

In 1927, the school had a large enrollment with three teachers. Mr. George Welborn, County Superintendent of Education, decided we had a sufficient number for a high school. Two teachers were added, making five in number, and for three years we had a high school at Oolenoy. When the state adopted the bus system for pupil transportation, our high school pupils were sent by bus to Pickens and Dacusville. With the consolidation, the school was moved from this center to Ambler - three miles nearer Pickens. But Oolenoy School has served and served well through the years. She has given elementary training to hundreds of boys and girls and has inspired many to seek higher training. Of these, 64 have become teach­ers; 2, dentists; 1, minister with D. D. degree; 1, Civil Engineer; 1, Lt. Col. of Marines; 1, Pharmacist; 2, M.A. degrees and 20 with A.B. and B. S. degrees. Numbers have been successful in business and in farming and scores more in skilled positions in textile industries.

We have in Oolenoy Community, the Miracle Hill School for children of Greenville Rescue Mission. This is a school for children from broken homes who need love, care, and training. The idea of a school of this type originated with Rev. Tom Kirk, Head of Greenville Rescue Mission. The healthful altitude, scenic beauty, and historical background appealed to Mr. Kirk as a suitable location for his school. It has an enrollment of nearly 200 children of ages from cradle through high school. The Executive Director is Rev. Gerald Lehman.