Hopewell Rosenwald School
National Register Listing
Street Address:
S.C. Sec. Rd. 33-12, Clarks Hill, SC City Vicinity (McCormick County)
NRHP Nomination
Record Number:
S10817733021
Description and Narrative:
The Hopewell Rosenwald School, built in 1926, is significant in the areas of education, African American heritage, and architecture. Hopewell is a One Teacher Community Plan school, embodying the distinctive architectural characteristics that fall under the guidelines set out by the Julius Rosenwald School Building Program from 1913 to 1932. Though it appears from the exterior to be a one room school house, inside are two smaller rooms and one large room. The larger space was reserved as the class room. Hopewell was built, along with one other Rosenwald school in McCormick County, at a cost of $400 per school. Hopewell is the only Rosenwald School remaining in the county. Hopewell greatly impacted the education of rural McCormick County’s African American students from 1927 to 1954. By 1954, Hopewell’s enrollment dropped to only nine students as many of the African American families left the area for better opportunities. The school was then left for the benefit and use of the community. Because South Carolina’s white students and schools were afforded more, African American schools, especially in rural counties such as McCormick, were extremely important in the education they provided, the safe environment they gave, and the belief that if students studied and did their best, they could better their future and community. The history of Hopewell Rosenwald School shows its impact on McCormick County’s educational and black heritage landscape for just such provisions and aspirations. Listed in the National Register June 9, 2010.
Period of Significance:
1927
Level of Significance:
Local
Area of Significance:
Education;Ethnic Heritage: Black;Architecture
National Register Determination:
listed
Date of Certification:
June 9 2010
