History of segregated C.M. Eppes Middle School
Created by birdmanbobsin on Nov 10, 2010
Last updated: 12/01/10 at 02:03 PM
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Mr. Jones states in our interview "Every July 4th C.M. Eppes High School has a class reunion. Anyone who attended the high school is welcome to come. It does not matter if the person graduated or not. July Fourth we have the annual reunion, but we have chapters that do things monthly. I meet every month here at our cultural center. I got about 48 members that live right here in Greenville, that we come and we donate to charities, we do Christmas boxes for kids, we go over and visit with the C.M. Eppes Middle School, we give out scholarships. I mean we’d be in the Christmas parade. Anything that we can do for the community so we can be active." J. Jones (personal communication, November 4, 2010) Text: JD Post:WF
The current location of C. M. Eppes Middle school is 1100 South Elm Street Greenville, NC 27858. With Grades 6-8 there are 442 students enrolled during the 2009-10 school year. Pitt County Schools, C.M. Eppes Middle School. Retrieved November 20, 2010, from http://www.pitt.k12.nc.us/
1992 marked the opening of the Arlington campus, where J. H. Rose is still located today. After the new opening the Arlington campus, the South Elm campus of Rose became C. M. Eppes Middle school. Agriculture Education Industry. (1760). The Greenville Graded School: Public Education for All Children. Chronicles of Pitt County: Pitt County Historical Society .
In 1969 C.M. Eppes High School burned down, 69' was the last class to graduate from Eppes High. Underclassmen transfered to Rose High School to complete their studies. At this time the schools had become integrated. The picture on the left is a picture of Rose High School. This is now the corner of Elm Street and 10th Street. This building became C.M. Eppes Middle School. J. Jones (personal communication, November 4, 2010) Daily Reflector. Rose High School. In East Carolina University Joyner Library Digital Collections. Retrieved November 22, 2010, from Joyner Library Digital Collections. Post: JD
William Davenport dies of natural causes.
A graduating class typically had around 59 people. The class was divided into two classrooms, giving each class room roughly 35 to 36 students. There was always a class of about 15 to 20 girls because they took home economic classes while the guys were out doing things like track. Eppes High had all the basic extracurricular activities high schools have today. Mr. Jones played basketball and was the president of the student body and head of the teenage club. The picture on the left is one of Eppes High School's graduating class, class of 62'. The photo was take on May 26, 1962 and was printed in the Greenville Daily Reflector. J. Jones (personal communication, November 4, 2010) Daily Reflector. Eppes Graduating Seniors. In East Carolina University Joyner Library Digital Collections. Retrieved November 22, 2010, from Joyner Library Digital Collections. Post: JD
Jimmye Jones graduates from C.M. Eppes High School class of 1957.
Mr. Jones tells us that hard truth about racism and discrimination when he attended high school. White students were the only kids that rode a bus, the black kids had to walk. Some of them walked five miles to get to school. Mr. Jones said that the white kids would throw objects at the black students as the rode by on the bus to school. Mr. Jones, "They turned us into vegetables." J. Jones (personal communication, November 4, 2010) Post: JD
In an interview with Mr. Jones, a graduate of C.M. Eppes High School describes Principal Davenport as a stern man, a man the students feared. However, the students had the utmost respect for him. J. Jones (personal communication, November 4, 2010) Text: JD Post: WF
During Davenport's administration, Eppes High School was accredited by the Southern Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges. WF
Over his lifetime William Davenport has held a principal position of three different schools; Fleming Street School, South Greenville School, and C.M. Eppes High School respectively. Daily Reflector. W.H. Davenport wins medal. In East Carolina University Joyner Library Digital Collections. Retrieved November 22, 2010, from Joyner Library Digital Collections.
Charles M. Eppes passes away from a heart attack in Raleigh while visiting friends and family. He was prepared to attend breakfast when he was found laying on his bed fully clothed.
Eppes High School was located at the corner of Memorial Drive and 5th Street in Greenville, NC. The photo of Eppes High was taken between February 10-11, 1965. Daily Reflector. Eppes Building. In East Carolina University Joyner Library Digital Collections. Retrieved November 22, 2010, from Joyner Library Digital Collections. Post: JD
West 5th Street school is renamed C.M. Eppes Middle School after Charles M. Eppes passes away from fatal heart attack. William Davenport is presented as the new principal.
The school was located on 1409 West Fifth Street where it remained until 1970 when the school burned down. Agriculture Education Industry. (1760). First High School Building. Chronicles of Pitt County: Pitt County Historical Society , pp. 66-67.
Charles M. Eppes was the first principal of the black graded school in Greenville. The school was donated by the Pitt County Board of Education to the Greenville Board of Trustees. The building was West of Greenville's limit and was the first Greenville Graded School for black students. Copeland, E. H. (Ed.). (1982). The Graded School: Public Education for All Greenville Children. In Chronicles of Pitt County North Carolina 1982 (pp. 65-67). Greenville, NC: The Pitt County Historical Society, Incorporated. Post WF
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