Webb School

On Wednesday, October 16, 2024 in the conference room of City Hall in Huntingdon, Mr. Ike Gilbert was our narrator.  Ike Gilbert is the current President of the Webb School Alumni Association.  The Webb School Alumni Association began in 1971.  The purpose of the association was to found Webb School Historical Museum and preserve the legacy of the school and alumni.  The museum opened on September 2, 2016.  Included in the museum are different exhibits, interpretive panels, class pictures, and school artifacts.  The Museum is located at 938 Walnut Street, Mckenzie, TN 38201.  The museum is open to the public on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 11:00 to 3:00 p.m. 

The plans for Webb School were begun in 1912.  The Julius Rosenwald Fund, which provided matching funds for local school systems to build schools for African American communities, helped to build twelve schools in Carroll County alone.  More than 350 schools were built in the State of Tennessee.

The first graduating class for Webb School was in 1932, with a total of two graduates at the time.  In 1966, the last graduating class of Webb School, there were 32 graduates.  Over the course of the life of the school, over 1900 young men and women graduated from Webb School.
Besides having sports clubs,  glee clubs, choral clubs,  and home economics clubs, Webb School also provided music education.  Alfred Harrell, also known as Chicago Pete, was one of the alumnus of Webb School.  He was known as a bluesman and gospel singer.  

After a fire destroyed the first Webb School, the school was moved to Mckenzie in its’ present location.  Webb School has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places. You can watch the video of Mr. Ike Gilbert giving the presentation on Webb School at:

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1C6nZN29F4

Pictured above are on the left, Neal Williamson, who is the former President of the Webb School Alumni Association.  On the right is Michael Tate, current President of the Webb School Alumni Association.  Between them is a billboard at the Webb School Museum which includes pictures of the Webb School in the 1940s and then a picture of the most recent Webb School.