The Anclote School

This page was last revised on May 24, 2018.

According to History of Tarpon Springs by Robert Franklin Pent, soon after his marriage on Jan. 5, 1875, H. F. Pent (his father) homesteaded a tract of land on the Anclote River and constructed a small wood building which became the schoolhouse, church, and place for public gatherings. R. F. Pent writes that he and his sister Sadie walked two miles or more to attend the school, which was about 50 feet north of the Anclote road and 50 yards east of the Baptist Church road. R. F. Pent also writes:

Harry Ferguson was a young school teacher from Charleston, South Carolina. He came to Brooksville, and since there was no means of further transportation, walked from Brooksville to Anclote, a distance of nearly 50 miles, arriving in the village probably in the year 1878. Like many other young men who came to Anclote, he found a wife. Mr. Ferguson married Miss Mamie Reeves Meyer. As there was not much a young married man could do in this undeveloped country, he started a school and taught the children of Anclote, a village which had begun to expand. Incidentally, Mr. Ferguson had settled on the south side of the river.

An 1877-78 list of Hernando County schools shows Anclote school in operation that year from Oct. 8, 1877, to Jan. 25, 1878, with M. A. Aderhold as the teacher and trustees S. E. Hope, W. A. Cobb, and H. B. Hill.

A letter published in the June 29, 1878, Sunland Tribune included, “Negotiations are now being made with Mr. M. A. Aderhold to establish a permanent High school here. His education is regular collegiate; has taught for us one quarter and given entire satisfaction.”

The 1880 census shows J[ohn] M. Craver, a 23-year-old school teacher living in the Thomas Gibney household in Anclote.

The 1886-87 Florida State Gazetteer shows Miss C. M. Crosby as the teacher at the Anclote School.

Pasco County School Board minutes on Oct. 1, 1887, show a school in Anclote with teacher M. A. Aderhold.

On Aug. 10, 1894, the Tampa Weekly Tribune mentioned Mrs. M. E. Shaw, teacher at the Anclote School in Hillsborough County.

On Sept. 2, 1896, the Tampa Morning Tribune showed Miss Mittie Jennings as the teacher at the Anclote school, in Hillsborough County.

On July 25, 1901, the Tampa Tribune reported that Miss Jessie Morrell was appointed the teacher at the Anclote school, in its list of Hillsborough school appointments.

School board minutes of Dec. 3, 1906, report that a special school was granted at Anclote.

The minutes of Sept. 2, 1907, report that the board instructed the superintendent to notify the trustees at Anclote school not to interfere with the pupils attending Tarpon School.

School board minutes of July 15, 1909, show Jewell Eden was appointed the teacher.

Minutes of Sept. 1, 1913, show Miss Ada Godwin was appointed.

Minutes of June 6-8, 1914, show Mr. J. G. Thompson was appointed.

Minutes of May 11, 1915, show Miss Flora Williams appointed.

Minutes of Nov. 1-2, 1915, show that the school board accepted the Anclote School building.

A 1915-1916 directory shows the teacher at Anclote was Miss Minnie Jones.

Minutes of July 3-5, 1916, show Miss Ada Godwin was appointed.

Minutes of Aug. 6, 1928, show Beatrice Scruggs was appointed.

Newspaper articles in 1929, 1930, 1931, and 1932 reported that Miss Jessie May Stevenson would be the teacher.

A 1927 map located the Anclote school in the SE ¼ of the SE ¼ of Section 34.

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