A History of Forest Hill School - Continued

During an M. E. A. meeting in Jackson in 1916, fifty five superintendents and principals came out in buggies and surreys to see what a Home Economics department looked like. The teacher with the help of her students gave them a good meal. They were impressed so favorably that most of them went back home and started Home Economics in, their schools. As many as five wagons brought children to this school. The routes were long and the roads were unpaved and not even graveled. One wagon from the Alta Woods area solved its cold weather problem with a wood burning small stove. They cut a hole in the top of the tarpaulin for the stovepipe. This particular wagon often had difficulty getting up Forest Hill, and the students would get off and push the wagon along the muddy, rut-filled road. Citizens of the area requested that the Board of Supervisors do something about this continuing problem.

The supervisors graveled what is now known as Raymond Road in the state, one of the first "rock roads".

New innovations gradually changed the school. In 1916 the State Department of Education was inspecting the schools of Hinds County and gave Forest Hill a score of 96. This was the highest score of any school in the county. In their report they mentioned the Home Ec. Department and the excellent wagon barn. There are pictures of this barn as well as the two story frame building that served well from 1914 to 1930. In 1929, the people of Forest Hill voted a bond $30,000 to build a new building. This building issue had eight classrooms and an auditorium and served the community well for 53 years.

Shellie M. Bailey (1899 - 2001) first came to Forest Hill, in the summer of 1934. In 1939, four classrooms were added, and a cafeteria underneath was built to the east end of this building. Later that same year, the "old gym," was added with a $2,400 bond issue, and the coliseum was started. The school boasted twenty-six regular teachers and four special teachers, including a band director, a music teacher and two piano teachers. The reason for all these building programs was the unprecedented growth in the enrollment. Dairy farms were being converted into sub divisions and people were moving into houses as fast as they could be built. In 1934, there were 210 pupils. By 1942, it had risen to over 400. The shop was built in 1946. In 1949, a new auditorium and 16 classrooms for elementary children were built. The cafeteria was built in 1950, and the Home Economics addition came in 1956. In 1959 (notice these 9's), the Eva Ferguson building was built. In 1960 a "new gym" was built and later officially became the "Shellie M. Bailey Coliseum. The Forest Hill people held the record of never voting against a school bond issue. The Forest Hill community voted seven issues by 90% or better. One bond issue had three votes against it. These three votes were from the old Men's Home which was located in the extreme southwestern corner of the district at that time.

Under Mr. Bailey's guidance, Forest Hill was accredited by the State Accreditation Commission and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Forest Hill attained a well-rounded school program of academic excellence, a strong athletic program, a top-rated band and many outstanding clubs under his leadership. Mr. Bailey passed away in January, 2001, shortlly after breaking his hip. These pages are dedicated to his memory.

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by Carl Burnham, Alumni, Class of 1980 with the assistance of Forest Hill alumni staff