LAURINBURG — Where Jerry’s Deli & Grill customers sit now to enjoy a meal,there once were desks where young black students could earn their education.
Beacham McDougald has been collecting historic photographs and references to the Rosenwald schools and, while many have been torn or collapsed over time, one still stands — Jerry’s Deli.
“Jerry’s was made of brick, the one wall divided one classroom from the other,” said McDougald. “It was called Zion Chapel School.”
Zion Chapel was one of 14 Rosenwald schools in Scotland County that were built during the early 20th century so black children could get an education. Booker T. Washington brought the idea to Julius Rosenwald, president of Sears, Roebuck and Company and these schools were built in multiple southern states. McDougald said the schools were all built with Sears, Roebuck and Company money and says North Carolina had the most of the southern states at around 800.
According to Americacomesalive.com, the result stimulated the building of more than 5,000 schools, vocational workshops, and teachers’ homes in the South. As times changed, black children were allowed into public schools.
Also according to Americacomesalive.com: “While Southern states discouraged teaching slaves to read, the conclusion of the Civil War brought with it sporadic efforts to educate black children. Missionaries arrived to establish schools, and later in the century, some communities permitted African-American children to enroll in public schools. As the blacks were stripped of the right to vote, the whites began reducing opportunities for their children to attend regular public schools. The white communities created separate and lesser schools for blacks, and underfunded those that existed.”
McDougald pointed out the importance Rosenwald schools had on school systems today.
“Rosenwald schools gave them opportunity, it is really the first public education system,” said McDougald. “In the later 1950s, public schools came into play. Now it is just one school system, but we don’t realize how much it went through to be what it is today.”
While the facility first housed the Zion Chapel school, it’s use changed over the years.
“The Mosley family bought it and, when they opened the Pine Acres Lodge (next door), the building was their restaurant to the hotel in the 1950s,” said McDougald. “The Riggin’s bought it from the Mosley’s and it became Jerry’s Delicatessen in the 1960s.”
Jerry Riggins Jr. confirms that his family has owned the former school since 1963, but McDougald says it still went through many changes.
“Jerry’s closed, and it became a Chinese restaurant, a BBQ restaurant, and then Jerry Riggins Jr. took over again and made it his restaurant,” he said.
When asked about the history of his restaurant, Riggins says he has historical information of his own about the former school.
“I have old pictures hanging in the restaurant and it (Zion Chapel) was built to better black children’s education,” said Riggins.
State Rep. Garland Pierce and president of Scotland County NAACP Herman Tyson are excited to know there is another piece of black history in Scotland County.
“I hope he (Riggins) applies for a historic marker — I would be willing to help him obtain it because generations need to know the impact it had in the community,” said Pierce. “Some things young people don’t understand is how far education has come. Every small community had a school because we had no buses. We owe the Rosenwald family thanks for the number of students who benefited from the Rosenwald schools.”
McDougald listed other Rosenwald schools he has learned were in or near Scotland County:
— Laurel Hill School ( was located near the Old Carver School)
— Louisville School (location unknown)
— Baysville School (location unknown)
— Chapel Hill School ( was located off of Old Stage Rd. a mile south of Old Laurel Hill Church)
— Matthew’s Chapel School (was located near Matthew Chapel A.M.E Zion Church)
— Palmer’s Memorial Church (location unknown)
— Cool Springs School (was located across from Cool Springs United Methodist Church)
— Hasty School (was located near Hasty Road)
— Name unknown (located in the Laurel Hill area)
HistorySouth.org lists 14 Scotland County Rosenwald schools: Allen Hill, Beaver Dam, Gibson, John’s , Julia Palmer, Matthews Chapel, Old Hundred, Rocky Ford, Silver Hill No. 1, Silver Hill No. 2, Snow Hill, St. Luke’s, Wagram and Zion Chapel.
When told what Pierce offered, Riggins was open to a historic marker.
”We can’t register it as a historic site because we won’t be able to renovate it, not that we want to do anything major, just small renovations like painting the walls or changing the shingle color. We wouldn’t be able to do that anymore, but I would like to have a historic marker,” said Riggins.
Tyson added that education has changed for the better for all students.
“Overall, our students are awarded equally along with integration has moved education forward and the consolidation had helped advance students overall,” said Tyson.
Jael Pembrick can be reached at 910-506-3169 or jpembrick@laurinburgexch.wpenginepowered.com.
