Tucker School

This article refers to the white school in the area of Tucker, Fivay Junction, Gowers Corner, and Greenfield. There was also a black Tucker school.

Minutes of Dec. 8, 1908, report that the board granted school #2 “at Fivay Junction on Cootie River.”

Minutes of Feb. 2, 1909, report that A. O. Pearce was appointed supervisor of Tucker school, #2.

At the April 3, 1911, school board meeting there was a request for a school at Tucker.

A pupil roster in 1913 shows the school as #2. Starting in 1914, it is school #28. In 1915-16, it is school #2, district #28, and it is subsequently school #2.

A deed dated Dec. 16, 1914, conveyed property in S8 T25 R18 from the Aripeka Saw Mills Co. to the school board for one dollar.

At a meeting in July 1913 Ada Godwin was appointed the teacher at Tucker, although her name seems not to be listed on the pupil rosters.

The following list of teachers is taken from pupil rosters. However, see below for other possible teachers, from other sources.

1913	Leona Sherfey
1914	Sophie Elslander
1915-16	Sophie Elslander
1916-17	E. L. Mickell
1917-18	Mrs. Richards
1918-19	N. A. Pearce
1919-20	Elsie Thornton
1920-21	Bertha McCracken
1921-22	Miss Gertrude Ansley
1922-23	Mrs. Gertrude Gant
1923-24	Prudence Pearce
1924-25	Nina Tracy
1925-26	Emmett A. Jenkins
1926-27	Violet Gant
1927-28	Emmett A. Jenkins
1928-29	Mrs. Mary Hancock
1929-30	Mrs. Mary Hancock
1930-31	Mrs. Mary Hancock
1931-32	E. R. O’Berry
1932-33	Edwina Ruff
1933-34	Edwina Ruff
1934-35	Mittye Pierce
1935-36	Mittye Pierce
1936-37	Mittye Pierce
1937-38	Willie Silas, Isabel Stewart, Daisy Miller
1939-40	Daisy Miller, Isabel Stewart (principal)
1940-41	Ellen Norfleet, Lula Hancock
1941-42	Ellen Norfleet (principal)
1943-44	Mrs. Lula Mae Bellamy
1944-45	Mrs. Lula Mae Bellamy, Annie Mae Bellamy
1945-46	Daisy Miller
1946-47	Isabel H. Barnes (resigned Jan. 1947), Mrs. Gertrude Godwin
1947-48	Mrs. Gertrude Godwin

The minutes of the school board meeting on July 3-5, 1916, apparently show Chas Mikel appointed as the teacher at Tucker, but the pupil roster shows E. L. Mickell.

In March 1920 the school board members, county superintendent, and attendance officer inspected the schools in western Pasco County. Their notes show: “TUCKER, attendance small on account of measles and influenza in community. Work progressing nicely. Board took note of needed repairs on steps of building, toilets and blinds, also took note of the well being incomplete (no water in yard). Board provided for water by having man to fix well.”

In August 1922 Mrs. Gertrude Gant was appointed to teach at Tucker, school no. 2.

On May 7, 1926, the Zephyrhills News mentioned Gladys Hood as the 24-year-old school teacher of Fivay Junction.

A 1927 map shows the Tucker school in the NE ¼ of the NE ¼ of Section 8, about ½ mile north of Fivay Junction, the crossing of the Tampa Northern Railroad (later Seaboard Airline Railroad) with Cross County Road (now State Road 52). The school was west of the Tampa Northern railroad tracks.

At the Sept. 2, 1931, school board meeting, Tucker school plans: 24 X 36 X 11 ft. with 4 windows on each side and 2 in the front with a 10 ft. porch on the front. Mike Grovereau was awarded the bid on the Tucker School for $845.

MacManus has: “Tucker School was also used as a church. When the school burned, it was rebuilt on the southwest corner of the Gower’s Corners, at the present-day intersection of U. S. 41 and S. R. 52. Among those attending the old school were Carl Thomas and Roscoe Stafford. At different times Tucker and Greenfield merged churches, schools, and post offices.”

In August 1943 Mary Duggan was assigned as teacher.

On Aug. 2, 1949, H. M. Govreau submitted the low bid of $650.00 to disassemble the Tucker School and re-assemble it on the Board property in San Antonio.

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