HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN PASCO COUNTY

Richland School

An 1885-86 list of Hernando County schools shows a Tuckertown School.

A deed dated Aug. 8, 1887, shows property in S30, T25, R22 in the town of Richland transferred from Thomas H. Evans of Pasco County and Albert T. Evans of Richland Parish, Louisiana, to the school board. The property was all of block no. 1, bounded on the north by Pine Ave., on the east by Street No. 6, on the south by Laurel Ave., and on the west by Street No. 7.

School board minutes of Sept. 5, 1887, show Richland School, no. 29, with trustees J. H. Pedrick, W. R. Lilburn, and S. Y. Stafford.

The Pasco County Democrat of Jan. 9, 1890, has: "A handsome academy adorns the Village. In this building an excellent school is being taught under the charge of Mr. J. H. Gilpin a young man of good attainments who gives promise of much usefulness in his chosen profession.”

At the school board meeting of July 3-5, 1916, H. A. Hammer was appointed Principal of the Richland school, and Miss Mary Shearer was appointed assistant.

McCormick has: “Richland began July 23, 1923 under Warren Haynes Jr.”

According to McCormick, in Feb. 1933, Richland School was to close at end of month because of insufficient funds.

On Sept. 4, 1936, the Dade City Banner reported that Miss Ruth Giddens was appointed to teach at the Richland School.

A new Richland school building built by the WPA was dedicated on May 12, 1939.

On Oct. 21, 1952, the Board voted to continue Richland one more year.

On April 14, 1953, the Board voted to close Richland, as only five students registered for the next year.

In August 1967 the school board agreed to rent a classroom in the vacant Richland School to the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Zephyrhills.

The building was vacant until Headstart began and was used while that program was in existence.

In 1997 Clark Roman purchased the school building from the school board for use as a residence. A picture of the home is e386.