HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN
PASCO COUNTY
Seven Springs School
Left: the former schoolhouse before being moved; right: the library addition has been added to the museum.
The exact date on which the Seven Springs School opened is not known. In July 1913, school board minutes
show Grace L. Gray appointed as the teacher at the Seven Springs School.
School board minutes of Sept. 22, 1914, have: “Board rejected bids on Seven Springs school
and instructed it built in connection with the Elfers job.” On Nov. 27, 1914, it named
G. H. Boring a supervisor of the Elfers and Seven Springs buildings.
School board minutes of Jan. 4, 1915, show that the board
voted to have W. I. Porter & Co.
insure the Seven Springs building for $1500 for a period of five years. Apparently the school operated
in 1913-14 in some other building, and the current building was completed in late 1914 or early 1915.
The school was located on the east side of Little Road, south of the Anclote River.
According to Patrick Eddie Russ, the school was about two or three lots north
of the Seven Springs Villas entrance.
According to Florida Cracker Days in West Pasco County,
the school was
built inadvertently on property owned by T. J. Witt.
School board minutes of Feb. 3, 1916, show that the board
refused to allow the McNeal children to attend
the Seven Springs School and live in the Elfers district.
A directory for 1915-1916 shows Mrs. B. O. Baker
as the teacher, with a Sumter Co. certificate.
School board minutes of July 3-5, 1916, show Cephas Geiger
as the teacher at Seven Springs.
School board minutes show from April 1920 show payment to
teacher Inez Roseborough
at Seven Springs School no. 38.
On Aug. 8, 1924, the Dade City Banner reported, from school board minutes, “On account of the construction work
on the road between Odessa and Elfers making transportation impossible between those two points
for the time being, the school at Seven Springs was re-established and an additional teacher
to take care of the high school pupils at Odessa was authorized.”
The Seven Springs school apparently closed in 1925.
 In 1925 the school building became
the residence of Thomas J. Witt (1871-1943). (The photo at right shows Annie and
Sweetie Witt.
The parents of the Witt students are shown as Henry Witt, and later,
Mr. and Mrs. J. Bosely.)
In 1927 Ed Frierson bought the property from his mother
and it became the home for Frierson and his second wife, Willie Maude
Frierson, according to Cracker Days. Their children had attended the school.
In 1980, Mrs. Frierson sold the building to Alex and Dorothy Acey.
In May 1981, the Aceys donated the building to the
West Pasco Historical Society and in October 1981 it was moved to Sims
Park, where
it now serves as the historical society's museum. A library addition
was built in 1992.
Teachers and Students
| 1914 |
Ollie Danielson
|
Paul Johnson (7), Sweetie Witt (6), Effie Stephens (8),
Marguerite Johnson (11),
Ernest Stephens (12), Dolphas Stephens (17), Paul Frierson (6), Milton
Steveson (11), Gertrude Steveson (9), Hildah Frierson (8), Paul
Frierson (5), Herbert Frierson (5), Sweetie Witt (5), Tony Stephenson
(21), Doris Johnson (4), Walter Whitley (5).
|
| 1914-1915 |
Ollie Danielson
|
Paul Johnson (7), Sweetie Witt (5), Vivian Martindale
(8), Carmen Martindale (10),
Effie Stephens (8), Marguerite Johnson (11), Ernest Stephens (12),
Dolphas Stephens (17),
Katie Stephens (16), Paul Frierson (5), Herbert Frierson (5), Hildah
Frierson (8),
Lillie Sermons (3 or 13), Ellen Sermons (8), George Sermons (15), Milton
Steveson (11), Gertrude Steveson (9). |
| 1915 |
B. O. Baker
|
Herbert Frierson (6), Hilda Frierson (8), Paul Frierson
(6), Doris Johnson (5),
Sweetie Witt (6), Paul Johnson (8), Effie Stevens (10), Ernest Stevens
(13), Marguerite Johnson (12), Dolphas Stevens (18), Charlie Stevens
(20), Tony Stevenson (22),
Uel Dixon (13), Archie McNeill (17).
|
| 1917 |
Louise Leach
|
Marguerite Johnson (14), Herbert Frierson (8), Paul
Frierson (8), Hilda Frierson (10), Sweetie Witt (8),
Doris Johnson (7), Guy Strickland (14), Effie Stevens (12), Ernest
Stevens (15), Paul Johnson (10),
Grace Frierson (6), Merle Brannan (6), Milligan Stevenson (8), Mable
Baker (11).
|
| 1918 |
Louise Leach
|
Marguerite Johnson, Hilda Frierson, Sweetie Witt, Doris
Johnson, Grace Frierson, Muriel Brannan,
Effie Stephens, Paul Johnson, Paul Frierson, Herbert Frierson.
|
| 1919 |
C. Geiger
|
Marguerite Johnson, Doris Johnson, Paul Johnson, Effie
Stephens, Ernest Stephens,
Hilda Frierson, Paul Frierson, Herbert Frierson, Grace Frierson,
Sweetie Witt,
Bergie Pratt, Wetzel Pratt, Gray (?) Pratt, Carl Pratt, Ruby Edenfield,
Owne (?) Edenfield, Eugene Edenfield.
|
| 1919 |
Fetta Davis
|
Muriel Brannon (7), Doris Johnson (8), Gracie Frierson
(7), Sweetie Witt (9), Hilda Frierson (11),
Annie Witt (..), Effie Stephens (12), Paul Johnson (11), Paul Frierson
(9), Herbert Frierson (9),
Ernest Stephens (17), Ruby Edenfield (17), Eugene Edenfield (13), Elmer
Clark (18),
Myrice (?) Nettles (8), Herbert Burgess (6), Lawrence Nettles (9),
William Nettles (..), Fay Anderson (..),
Fay Burgess (9), ..wne Edenfield (10), Jessie Clark (13), Clifford
Anderson (12),
Irene Clark (16), Leonard Anderson (9).
|
| 1919-1920 |
Inez Rosenbrough
|
Iva Anderson (6), Fay Anderson (7), Linton Anderson
(10), Clifford Anderson (13),
Muriel Brannon (9), Herbert Frierson (10), Paul Frierson (10), Gracie
Frierson (8),
Hilda Frierson (12), Paul Johnson (12), Doris Johnson (9), Effie
Stephens (14),
Earnest Stephens (17), Sweetie Witt (10), Annie Witt (6), Ruth Frierson
(4).
|
| 1919-1920 |
Inez Rosenbrough
|
Iva Anderson (6), Muriel Brannan (9), Herbert Frierson
(10), Paul Frierson (10),
Gracie Frierson (8), Hilda Frierson (12), Paul Johnson (12), Doris
Johnson (9),
Effie Stephens (14), Sweetie Witt (10), Annie Witt (6).
|
| 1920 |
Hazel Nason
|
Hilda Frierson (13), Herbert Frierson (11), Paul
Frierson (11), Sweetie Witt (11),
Gracie Frierson (9), Annie Witt (7), Earnestine Bowen (7), Iva Anderson
(7),
Muriel Brannon (10), May Jewel Logan (6).
|
| 1920-21 |
Hazel Nason
|
Paul Johnson (13), Hilda Frierson (13), Herbert
Frierson (11), Paul Frierson (11), Sweetie Witt (11),
Doris Johnson (10), Grace Frierson (9), Annie Witt (7), Earnestine
Bowen (6), Iva Anderson (7),
Muriel Brannon (10), May Jewel Logan (6).
|
| 1924 |
Prudence Pearell (?), Ruby Eiland
|
Gracie Frierson (13), Ruth Frierson (8), Rose Frierson
(7), Bertha Frierson (6),
Annie Witt (11), Nita Witt (8), Wilma McNatt (9), Hattie Crosby (9),
Herbert Frierson (15),
Leon Clark (11), Alton McNatt (10), Daniel Crosby (11), Mitchell Hope
(6).
|
| 1925 |
Ruby Eiland
|
Gracie Frierson (14), Ruth Frierson (8), Rose Frierson
(7), Bertha Frierson (6),
Annie Witt (11), Neita Witt (8), Wilma McNatt (9), Leon Clark (11),
Alton McNatt (10),
Mitchell Hope (6), Eva Belle Miller (12), Gladys Miller (6), David
Miller (9),
Elizabeth Eiland (9).
|
|
