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| Mother Bertha Henry Bailey |
(continued)
"My father's parent's 'Handy ' and Eliza
Thompson, were slaves", said Bailey.
"Therefore, his two goals in life were to own
his own home and send his children to
college. He had a deep determination and
achieved both goals." Bailey, along with her
late bother, Glen Telphod Henry, and her late
sister Leola Eliza Henry Burton, attended
Allen University in Columbia.
"In order to pay for our education and our
home, my father had to leave the farm and go
to Pittsburg and work in the steel mills.", said
Bailey.
Looking back, Bailey recalls the days of her
youth and life on the farm.
"We were content', said the senior lady. "We
didn't Know any other way of life. We were
self sufficient. Mother made our clothes and
was a member of a quilting club. We had a
garden and canned vegetables, raised cows,
hogs, chickens, mules, turkeys, and guineas
and grew wheat and corn that my father took
to the mill to be ground."
Bailey said her parents placed a strong
emphasis on church, just as they did
education. Friendship A.M.E. Church in
Clinton played an important role in her
family's life.
"We rode to church in a wagon and later my
father purchased a two-seated carriage",
recalled Bailey. "Oh, yes we certainly went to
church."
Bailey's early education began at Long
Branch Country School, which was only in
session for four months.
"It was a one-room school with only one
teacher for all grades. Our parents had to
bring wood and the older boys arrived early to
make the fire. The older girls were required
to stay late to clean the school", said Bailey.
Wanting more for his children, Bailey's father
enrolled them in a school that was taught by
Mrs. Wadsworth in a house on North Broad
Street in Clinton and paid tuition for them to
attend the rest of the school year. The Bailey
children walked to and from school each day
and were carried in the wagon on rainy days.
Later, the Bailey children attended Friendship
Church School which was located in the
present day Martha Dendy School parking lot.
"At first there were only nine grades at
Friendship Church School, but later Rev. E.A.
"My father's parent's 'Handy ' and Eliza
Thompson, were slaves", said Bailey.
"Therefore, his two goals in life were to own
his own home and send his children to
college. He had a deep determination and
achieved both goals." Bailey, along with her
late bother, Glen Telphod Henry, and her late
sister Leola Eliza Henry Burton, attended
Allen University in Columbia.
"In order to pay for our education and our
home, my father had to leave the farm and go
to Pittsburg and work in the steel mills.", said
Bailey.
Looking back, Bailey recalls the days of her
youth and life on the farm.
"We were content', said the senior lady. "We
didn't Know any other way of life. We were
self sufficient. Mother made our clothes and
was a member of a quilting club. We had a
garden and canned vegetables, raised cows,
hogs, chickens, mules, turkeys, and guineas
and grew wheat and corn that my father took
to the mill to be ground."
Bailey said her parents placed a strong
emphasis on church, just as they did
education. Friendship A.M.E. Church in
Clinton played an important role in her
family's life.
"We rode to church in a wagon and later my
father purchased a two-seated carriage",
recalled Bailey. "Oh, yes we certainly went to
church."
Bailey's early education began at Long
Branch Country School, which was only in
session for four months.
"It was a one-room school with only one
teacher for all grades. Our parents had to
bring wood and the older boys arrived early to
make the fire. The older girls were required
to stay late to clean the school", said Bailey.
Wanting more for his children, Bailey's father
enrolled them in a school that was taught by
Mrs. Wadsworth in a house on North Broad
Street in Clinton and paid tuition for them to
attend the rest of the school year. The Bailey
children walked to and from school each day
and were carried in the wagon on rainy days.
Later, the Bailey children attended Friendship
Church School which was located in the
present day Martha Dendy School parking lot.
"At first there were only nine grades at
Friendship Church School, but later Rev. E.A.
Adams became principal and added two more
grades making a total of 11 grades', recalled
Bailey.
After attending Friendship Church School,
Bailey then completed her education at Allen
University.
"I returned to Clinton and began my teaching
career in 1925", said Bailey. :I taught in county
schools for ten years and then for 27 years in
the city schools. I always taught first grade and
retired from M.S. Bailey School".
It was at Friendship A.M.E. Church that Bailey
met her husband, Walter. He was employed
by the late W.J. Bailey and passed away in
1946.
They became the patents of three sons:
Walter, Delmar, and John Bailey.
Displaying the same determination as her
father, Bailey placed a high emphasis on
education, sent all three sons to college and
two them received masters degrees.
Even today Bailey remains an active member
of the church of her youth, Friendship A.M.E.
She served as church secretary for 37 years,
taught the intermediary Sunday School class
for 38 years, currently serves as a steward, is
president of the Stewardess Board and [is] a
class leader, and also a Sara Allen torch
lighter.
"On my 91st birthday Rep. Donny Wilder and
the S.C. House of Representatives honored
me with a plaque for community service", said
Bailey.
Bailey holds life memberships in the S.C.
Education Association, the National Council of
Negro Women, and the NAACP.
She is also an active member of the Laurens
County Retired Educators [at the time the
article appeared, she had] plans to attend the
state conferences that [were] held in Columbia
in May.
Bailey lives in Clinton and continues to grow a
garden grocery shop and cook.
"I am a child of God", said Bailey. "That is why
my long life has been so fulfilling.
(This article, written by Libby C. Rhodes, originally
appeared in the March 2, 2005 edition of the Clinton
Chronicle newspaper.)
< Back to Tributes page >
grades making a total of 11 grades', recalled
Bailey.
After attending Friendship Church School,
Bailey then completed her education at Allen
University.
"I returned to Clinton and began my teaching
career in 1925", said Bailey. :I taught in county
schools for ten years and then for 27 years in
the city schools. I always taught first grade and
retired from M.S. Bailey School".
It was at Friendship A.M.E. Church that Bailey
met her husband, Walter. He was employed
by the late W.J. Bailey and passed away in
1946.
They became the patents of three sons:
Walter, Delmar, and John Bailey.
Displaying the same determination as her
father, Bailey placed a high emphasis on
education, sent all three sons to college and
two them received masters degrees.
Even today Bailey remains an active member
of the church of her youth, Friendship A.M.E.
She served as church secretary for 37 years,
taught the intermediary Sunday School class
for 38 years, currently serves as a steward, is
president of the Stewardess Board and [is] a
class leader, and also a Sara Allen torch
lighter.
"On my 91st birthday Rep. Donny Wilder and
the S.C. House of Representatives honored
me with a plaque for community service", said
Bailey.
Bailey holds life memberships in the S.C.
Education Association, the National Council of
Negro Women, and the NAACP.
She is also an active member of the Laurens
County Retired Educators [at the time the
article appeared, she had] plans to attend the
state conferences that [were] held in Columbia
in May.
Bailey lives in Clinton and continues to grow a
garden grocery shop and cook.
"I am a child of God", said Bailey. "That is why
my long life has been so fulfilling.
(This article, written by Libby C. Rhodes, originally
appeared in the March 2, 2005 edition of the Clinton
Chronicle newspaper.)
< Back to Tributes page >
