Our book inventory will be moved from at least
three remote locations. Work dates will be discussed at
our September meeting. If you are not yet familiar with
our new property, ask any Board member for a tour.—GREG
TUCKER, PRESIDENT
Thanks to the generosity of the heirs of the
late C.B. Arnette, the Rutherford County Historical Society has
ownership of the Ransom School at 717 North Academy
Street. Cheryl Arnette Sommardahl, C.B.’s daughter, handed
the keys to the refurbished Ransom School to Board members
of the Society on Wednesday, August 17, 2011. It is
estimated that Mr. Arnette spent approximately $400,000 on the
ante-bellum property in order to restore the historic school and
save it from being torn down. He purchased the old,
dilapidated home when it became available. In 2008 he
began restoring it. He even brought in logs he had
purchased to build a couple of new rooms in the rear. The
original building of two large classrooms and central hallway
have been added to with two more large log rooms to the back of
the School, and also includes two handicapped accessible
bathrooms, and a kitchen, along with extra storage rooms.
His plan was to open a summer day camp for children who have
learning challenges. However, C.B. Arnette passed away in
October 2010 at the age of 92.
After Mr. Arnette’s death, Dr. E.C. Tolbert,
past president of the Rutherford County Historical Society and
current program chairman, approached the heirs about preserving
the historic school either as a gift to the Society or for a
nominal fee. The 12 Arnette family members voted
unanimously to accept the Society’s offer to assume ownership of
the land and building, with all future liability and
responsibility for its perpetual care.
The following is the agreement between the
Rutherford County Historical Society and the Arnette heirs:
“The Board of the Rutherford County Historical
Society regrets the passing of C.B. Arnette, one of its unique
members. He will always be remembered for his contribution
to the written history of this community and for the quality of
his life and influence in Rutherford County, Tennessee.
We mourn his passing and extend our sympathy to his family.
“For many years C.B. was an active member and
very strong supporter of the Rutherford County Historical
Society and its mission. This mission involves preserving
our local history through research and the collecting of
documentation for publications and presentations.
The Society meets monthly for programs and lectures to educate
and inform the community regarding our local history. A
bi-monthly newsletter, “Frow Chips,” is published to inform the
Historical Society members and the community of current news,
research, and publications.
“Our historical publications and research are
valuable resource materials for the community at large. A
substantial inventory of publications and resource
materials have been accumulated by the members and are available
for sales and distribution to the community. At
present, there is great need for a facility in
which this collection can be housed. Also, there is need
to expand the availability of these resources to those
interested in researching local history.
“A fitting monument to C.B. Arnette, who
personally purchased and restored the Ransom School on Academy
Street, would be to establish a permanent exhibit to include his
personal publications and a memorial exhibit in his honor at
that site. The Ransom School would also be a facility that
would meet the need of the Rutherford County Historical Society
to house our inventories and assets. Mr. Arnette’s
personal involvement and affection for this site would
permanently establish it as his legacy.
“Therefore, at the November, 2010, meeting the
Rutherford County Historical Society Board unanimously endorsed
the following proposal:
1. The Society would acquire the Ransom School
property from the C.B. Arnette estate by an agreed upon method
by both parties, i.e. either by gift or nominal amount purchase.
2. The transfer of title of the Ransom School
property to the Society will be done by the C.B. Arnette estate.
3. The Society will assume ownership with all
future liability and responsibility for its perpetual care.
4. The Society will permanently display on site
a designated memorial to C.B. Arnette, a former Ransom School
student.
5. The Ransom School history will be detailed in
a permanent on-site exhibit.
6. A significant portion of the building will
house the Society’s publication inventory and sales/distribution
office.
7. Access to the memorial exhibits and research
materials will be provided by the Society.
8. If the Society defaults on any of the duties
with respect to the property, or discontinues use of the
property for whatever reason, title shall pass to the Linebaugh
Library.
9. The signage for the grounds of the early
antebellum house at 717 North Academy Street [Ransom House
School] shall include the memorial designation of C.B. Arnette.
10. The Society agrees to pay the closing costs
and attorney’s fees incurred for the transfer, excluding any
antecedent indebtedness or unpaid taxes. (Taxes to be prorated
for the year to date.)
11. The Society agrees to accept the gift of the
entire publication inventory of C.B. Arnette and transfer it at
the Society’s expense to the Ransom House School.
Louise Houck Wiser’s publication A History of
Rutherford County Schools, 1972, Vol I states that from 1907 to
1930 the Ransom School was a private elementary school.
Miss Eliza Ransom, who operated the school, was assisted by Miss
Belle Ransom. It was largely a neighborhood school with
seldom more than twelve students. School was in session
from 8AM to 3PM. The monthly tuition fee of $8 was paid in
money, produce, or services. “There was a high quality of
thorough teaching coupled with strict yet kindly discipline and
moral code.” If a pupil was tardy, all those present rose
and sang, “A diller, a dollar, a ten o’clock scholar.” The
students were assigned three pages of Webster’s Dictionary each
day and used the trapping method for spelling. For
punishment, a student stayed until 4PM and memorized poetry.
Among the students were Dr. Robert Miles (who perfected heart
surgery technique), Dr. James Cason (scientist), Dr. John Cason
(physician), Del Fuston (attorney), Rev. James A. Ransom,
Chip Ransom, Robert Overall, Bill Overall, Bobby Burnett, Dr.
Bart White, III (physician), John Nelson, Bobby Wilson, Houston
McBride, James Butler, J. R. Henry, Burnett Moore, Alvin Moore,
Dr. Matt Murfree, Jr. (physician), Judge Whitney Stegall
(Chancellor), C.B. Arnette, Charles Ragland, Howard Spain, Frank
White, Arthur B. Wharton, Frank Partee, Al Lytle Partee, Tom
Crichlow, Lawrence Freeman, and Edwin Hooper. Among the
few girls who attended was Lucille Byrn Reagor, who remembers
that Annie Byrn Roberts, Annie Alsup Jordan, and Margaret
Ragland were classmates of hers before Tennessee College opened.
Louanna Robertson Holloway attended in the late 1920s.
