HISTORY OF EDUCATION IN
PASCO COUNTY
Seven Springs School
Left: the schoolhouse sometime after it became a
residence; right: the library addition has been added to the museum.
The exact date on which the Seven Springs School opened is not known. In June 1913, school board minutes
apparently show Grace Gaskins appointed as the teacher at the Seven Springs School.
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. Perhaps the school operated
in 1913-14 in some other building, and the current building was completed in 1915. It was located
south of the Anclote River on the east side of State Road 54.
According to Florida Cracker Days in West Pasco County,
in 1916 a new Seven Springs school was
built inadvertently on property owned by T. J. Witt and was in use
until 1922.
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.
The 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.
According to Patrick Eddie Russ, the school was located about two or three lots north
of the Seven Springs Villas entrance.
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 (or Allye?) 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), Dorris Johnson (4), Walter Whitley (5).
|
| 1914-1915 |
Ollie (or Allie?) 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 Ericson (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 Branson (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), Da.. 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).
|
|
