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The halls are deserted and an
ominous silence hangs over the area. there are rusted hinges and
hanging cobwebs in some of the rooms. Parts of the main building are
being used as storage places for old broken desks and castoff
chairs. Other buildings in the complex are boarded up and forgotten.
This is the former A. G. Hilliard High School today. Though desolate
and empty, the campus is still pervaded with an atmosphere of
dignity, poise, and integrity, an atmosphere given it by the great
Negro educator who made it all possible—Asa Grant Hilliard I.
This man, who in later life was to
gain undying eminence in both the fields of education and improved
race relations, was born in Atlanta, Georgia on September 13, 1863 -
the son of slaves. Besides Asa, there were thirteen other children
born to his parents, Bunk and Mary Hilliard. Some of Asa's most
admirable character traits can be directly traced to these two
former slaves. His honesty and his strong stand on his principles
came from his father who once moved his entire family from Gonzales,
Texas to Hackberry, Texas so that he would not be forced to perjure
himself in court. From Asa's mother came his gentleness, his
charity, and his willingness to help others less fortunate than he.
Mary Hilliard was always willing to give food, clothing, and shelter
to those in need, even though she herself had fourteen children to
feed, clothe, and house. She was a midwife - delivering babies for
both blacks and wealthy whites. The wealthy whites usually paid her
with foodstuff such as hams, chickens, and turkeys. These foodstuffs
often went to the less fortunate families in the community. From
both of his parents, Asa gained dignity, poise, and pride in his
heritage.
In 1871, the family moved from
Georgia to Gonzales, Texas. There, young Asa attended a local public
school taught by Bob Riley known to the students as "Grandpa." In
1872, the family left Gonzales and moved into Lavaca County near
Hackberry, Texas. The family earned a living by farming and Asa
labored in the fields as did his other brothers and sisters. He
attended a nearby public school when he could be spared from home.
Among his first teachers at this school were Miss Hughes, Miss
Brown, Mrs. Lina Jones, and M. M. Rogers. All of these teachers
praised young Hilliard for his good study habits and high grades.
His mother, wishing the exceptional young Asa to get as full an
education as possible, took his place in the fields and sent him to
Oakland Normal School under the instruction of Drs. Townsend,
Middleton, Blakley, and Professor Smith. It is to these four men
that A. G. Hilliard owes his start in the education field. After Asa
had attended Oakland Normal School till 1883, these men convinced
him to try teaching a small school. Asa entered an examination in
Gonzales, Texas and was awarded a second grade certificate. At the
age of 19, A. G. Hilliard had launched his illustrious teaching
career which was to span nearly a half of a century and illuminate
and enrich the lives of hundreds of people.
In an attempt to further his
education, Hilliard earned a competitive examination at Columbus,
Texas in 1886 for a scholarship to Prairie View Normal. Twice, he
failed; but having early formed a philosophy of "try, try again" he
achieved his goal the third time and entered Prairie View in the
fall of 1887. He won many honors and his work was of such caliber
and his attitude so good, the principal recommended his return the
next year. Due to a misunderstanding, however, his appointment was
awarded to Mr. J. T. Hodges of Gonzales, Texas. Since Hilliard's
parents could not assist him financially, Hilliard sought a teaching
job in San Augustine.
Asa Hilliard's teaching contract
with School Community number 5, the county of San Augustine dated
October 27, 1890 set a school term of five months, commencing
October 27, 1890 and ending in the month of February, 1891. He
received a salary of $51.70 a month. The principal of Prairie View
Normal, L. Hudson, was so glad Asa was now teaching, he wrote him a
letter in which he stated: “I am glad to see that your purpose to
further pursue your course has not been changed and someday I shall
hope to know that you have carried out a long cherished intention.
To this end you have my best wishes.”
Romance entered the life of Asa
Hilliard soon after he had completed his San Augustine teaching job,
and in 1896, he married Pearl India Carothers. Miss Carothers was
born in Live Oak, Texas, the daughter of a Frenchman, Dick Carothers,
and a part Indian, the former Camilla Yancy. Pearl attended Mart
Allen College in Crockett, Texas. During one of Asa's teaching
terms, Pearl had been a student and she and Asa developed a liking
for each other. The liking was to result in "one of the happiest,
most successful marriages in marriage history. Though fifteen years
Asa's junior, Pearl was the ideal wife for Hilliard. She was loyal,
supporting and encouraging in all Asa's attempts to further the
education of the Negro community, though she herself was not active
in community affairs. Pearl was quiet and likeable - always
interested in helping the poor and the underprivileged. Once, she
even gave one of her son's favorite dishes, hockbones, to a passing
tramp. When her son appeared disgusted by the donation, she told
him, "Now, don't say anything else about it. I have children who
might find themselves hungry in some strange place and I would
certainly hope that someone would feed them, if this became
necessary."
Hilliard and his growing family soon
came to Bay City and settled on a lot just west of Rugeley street
and Avenue D. Hilliard taught at the school in the community for
Negro children. Since adequate funds were not available for the
construction of a school building, classes were held at the
Enterprise Church. Mrs. Grace Banks and Mrs. Grace Young were
assistant teachers at the school. Reference was made to this school
in the minutes of the School Board of the Bay City Independent
School District. Dated April 4, 1926, the minutes of the meeting
stated that Jefferson Davis was the white school and a small colored
school with three teachers and a Latin American School with one
teacher served the minority communities.
Hilliard's life was not entirely
devoted to education during this period. He made a return journey to
Hackberry, Texas in 1914 to bury his mother, Mary Hilliard. (His
father had died in 1895.) His family was steadily increasing and by
1914, he and Pearl had five children - Maud, Roby, Sid, Abel, and
Jewel. Still to come was Asa II. In 1925, the Hilliard home in Bay
City was destroyed by fire. Immediately there was an outpouring of
aid from both the black and white communities, as people attempted
to repay the kindness and aid given them by the Hilliards. The
Women's Society of Christian Service wrote a letter to Asa which
stated its appreciation of Hilliard's efforts "for the up-lifting
and betterment" of his own race. Enclosed was money to aid the
rebuilding of the new home.
Asa Grant Hilliard continued his
phenomenal rise in the field of education and was appointed
principal of Booker T. Washington High School after only a few years
in Matagorda County. He was to continue in this position for the
next twenty-seven years. Asa's lifelong dedication to quality
education for all people regardless of race, creed, or national
origin, and his outstanding Christian principles and moral
leadership influenced all of his students. Many of the hundreds of
men and women he taught are now leading truthful and upstanding
lives because of the influence of Professor Hilliard as he was
affectionately called by his pupils.
Hilliard was a deeply religious man
and was active for fifty years in the Christian Church. He belonged
to various brotherhoods, fraternities, civic and service
organizations, and was a member of the Masonic Order. Perhaps
Hilliard's most important nationwide honor came when he was named in
Who's Who in Colored America.
Asa Grant Hilliard I died in Bay
City on February 2, 1931, after a prolonged illness. He was buried
in Eastview Cemetery in Bay City, Texas and in 1932, his devoted
wife Pearl was buried next to him.
His great leadership and dedication
to the field of education was rewarded after his death when the
Board of Trustees of the Bay City Independent School District
changed the name of the Booker T. Washington High School to A. G.
Hilliard High School. In 1960, the Board of Trustees of the
Northwest Independent School District named an elementary school the
A. G. Hilliard School.
Though the former A. G. Hilliard
School is today deserted, barren, and lifeless, the honesty,
loyalty, integrity and Christian ideals which Asa Grant Hilliard
instilled in his pupils will never become lifeless, empty, and dead.
Though Hilliard is no longer with us in body, truly his spirit is
marching on.
[Editor's note: Since this
article appeared in 1976, the Hilliard school building has been
used for many activities. Some of those included Early Childhood
classes, Multi-Handicapped classes, offices for the Matagorda
County Educational Services, nursing classes, Economic Action,
and Edith Armstrong Center for handicapped students. In 2001, it
is used for the Tri-County Headstart Program and Economic Action
offices.]
Photo
courtesy of Tresmond Scott
A. G. HILLIARD
A. G. Hilliard has
passed on to his reward and to a richly deserved rest. He was
born in Atlanta, GA., 1864, died in Bay City, Texas February 2,
1931, being 67 years of age. He began his work as a teacher at
the age of 27 in the year 1883, forty-eight years ago. Having
won first place in a competitive examination for a scholarship
at Prairie View he finished his teacher training course at that
institution in 1889. Since that time he has continued active in
his chosen profession. Thirty-nine years has he taught in
Matagorda county and of that time twenty-eight years have been
spent as teacher and principal of the Booker T. Washington high
school in Bay City.
Gentle and unassuming
in manner, strong in his principles always he stood for the
right as he saw it. Hundreds of young men and young women of the
negro race are now leading upright, honorable useful lives
because of the influence of the life and the teachings of
“Professor Hilliard” as he is affectionately known to them. He
has been a consistent member of the Christian church for fifty
years. A half century of Christian living and almost a half
century of active teaching in the public schools.
The majority of the
teachers in the county have at one time or another been under
the tuition of A. G. Hilliard in normal classes or in regular
school work by these teachers he is held in veneration and
esteem.
He was a member of the
Masonic order and of several brotherhoods. His name has recently
been entered in “Who’s Who in Colored America.”
We have known A. G.
Hilliard for 25 years, always the quiet yet strong leader of his
people, the one to whom they deferred in times of stress and
strain. He was trusted alike by the white and the black races a
spokesman for each to the other many times.
Since we have served
in the county department of education, all our efforts toward
educational progress among the negro schools have met with the
ready understanding and co-operation of A. G. Hilliard. We shall
miss him in the various gatherings, institute, county teachers’
association and county interscholastic league work held with the
negro teachers. We valued his support and his counsel and feel
it a privilege to pen an appreciation of the man who walked
among us so quietly and yet so powerfully as to influence, all
these years.
He leaves a family of
children to mourn his loss. Mrs. Willie V. Cooper, principal of
Mabel Kennedy school, Cedar Lane; Mrs. Maud Baines, teacher of Clemville; Asa G. Hilliard, Jr., recently from Prairie View
college, who has been supplying his father’s place during his
illness; Jewell Hilliard who is matriculated at Power Point
vocational school; Rutherford, Abel, Henry and Robey, all young
grown men in useful employment.
“To live in hearts we
leave behind is not to die,” therefore A. G. Hilliard will
continue to live on in the county which he loved and in the
hearts of the people whom he has served so long.
CLAIRE F. POLLARD
The Daily Tribune,
February 10, 1932
A. G. HILLIARD
MEMORIAL SERVICE
By Dr. J. P.
Browning
Bay City, Texas,
February 8, 1932. The entire student body and a large number of
sincere friends assembled in the Booker Washington High school
auditorium Tuesday evening February 2 to commemorate the late
Prof. A. G. Hilliard, who unstintedly gave us his unselfish
service for 47 years as an educator in this panoramic state
fitting, shaping and preparing our future destinies in order
that we prominently stand out as radiant examples of true and
patriotic leaders in our various endeavors.
His magnetic
personality made many friends plus his phenomenal success and
eminent reputation. He always faithfully discharged his civic
duties. As a citizen, he was very modest, courageous, impartial
and considerate. Truly he was a great man. His esteemed
ambitions are being fulfilled by Asa G. Hilliard, Jr., who sits
now in the chair left vacant by this noble one is without doubt
coping with the perplexing problems that so often confronted his
exalted predecessor.
The program of the day
was as follows: A rendition of the deceased’s favorite
selections “I am going home” by the audience. Invocation by Rev.
S. W. Whitehead. A selection by the Booker Washington quartet.
The featured speakers were Reverend S. W. Whitehead, Cash Brown,
C. O. Walker, Mrs. M. L. Anderson and Dr. J. P. Browning. Miss
Christian Roberts closed the program with a beautiful solo.
This writer admires
and is tolerant to the suggestion that the school be renamed the
A. G. Hilliard High School for the man who nobly served this
institution for 25 or more years. Further it is believed will be
a very favorable undertaking in the sight of his many white and
colored friends.
I ask vehemently that
the faculty of Booker Washington High School interest themselves
each year in constructing plans for this solemn occasion to
attract the distinct attention of our co-operative citizens to
pay homage to this great benefactor of education.
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