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Farming For A Better Future, page 293
In 1919, the teacher was Mrs. Marcella Townsend, who stayed for three school sessions. Her successor, Mrs. B.F. Hill, taught for 12 years. Teachers who served the community between 1944 and 1947 were Mrs. C. Witchard, Mrs. Clara Twitty Raines, Ms. Clara Mason, and Mrs. Lizzie Mae Walker. Mrs. Lizzie Mae Walker was the mother of Col. James L. Walker, and who attended Little Zion School at the time that his mother taught there. In 1919, he spoke about his memories of the school.
In the mid-20th century, the school held grades one through six in one room. Mrs. Lizzie Mae Walker divided the room by grades and rotated her attention. Col. Walker describes how Mrs. Walker taught spelling to the first graders, then moved to the second graders who learned science. She continued on to teach math to the third grade, followed by English for fourth
(Top) Image of Class in Front of Little Zion
School, Date Unknown (Retro Glances, 1947) (Above) 1920 Federal Census Showing John and Emma Roberts (National Archives and Records Administration via Ancestry.com)
graders, before moving on to a history lesson for fifth graders and reading for sixth graders. Mrs. Walker was also tasked with teaching the girls and boys hygiene, including how to groom and style their hair. Often, she cut the boys' hair herself.
Teachers of color were considered the best role models for their students. Mrs. Walker believed in dressing well to set an example of a respectable citizen. She passed this practice onto her son, Col. Walker. In the photograph of a class in front of Little Zion School, Mrs. Walker is second from the right.
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Mason Cemetery
The Mason Cemetery is located off Mack Road in southeast Limestone County and near an area known as Poplar Creek. Situated among farm fields, the small family cemetery contains 29 burials. Family names include Hicks, Malone, Mason, Swopes, and Yarbrough. Among the Yarbroughs are Hence Yarbrough (1850-1934) and his wife, Governor Mason Yarbrough (1857-1914), the grandparents of Lizzie Mae Walker and the great grandparents of Col.
James L. Walker. Also, three of Hence and Governor's children: Lillie Yarbrough Turner (1881-1957), Clarence Yarbrough (1890-1975) along with his wife, Nina (1892-1977), and Eliza Yarbrough Malone (18941991).
(Below) 1948 Topographic Map of the Mason Cemetery
293 - LIMESTONE - (4821)