Before you stands the Highland Home School Plaque a testament to a rich history. This unassuming marker tells a story far grander than its size suggests. It speaks of Highland Home College a beacon of learning in rural Alabama.
Founded in 1881 as the Highland Home Institute the college faced its first challenge early. Typhoid fever and yellow chills forced a relocation. Undeterred the founders Justus Mack Barnes Col ML Kirkpatrick and Samuel Jordan moved the Institute a mile within Crenshaw County. In 1889 it was incorporated as Highland Home College.
Imagine a two-story frame building classrooms below a large auditorium above. While not explicitly a church school it had a Bible Department. Many students went on to the ministry. The town itself Highland Home replaced the earlier name Rocky Mount. Barnes built a large home initially sixteen rooms later reduced to eight. It housed the principal and his family before being demolished for an elementary school.
The college thrived offering academic scientific and classical courses. The school day was long starting at 7:30 AM and ending at 4:15 PM. A mere fifteen minutes were dedicated to physical culture. Students came from across Alabama and even beyond. Literary societies thrived the Wattsonian Society for women and the Zetalethians for men held debates and public programs.
Tragedy struck in 1904. A fire of undetermined origin destroyed the building. Despite the setback a new larger building was planned and constructed. Donations of money and land poured in from grateful citizens. By 1905-06 enrollment reached 225. The college peaked in 1890-91 with 243 students from five states.
The college’s property was sold to the state of Alabama in 1916. It became Crenshaw County High School. A new building rose next to the old college building. The old college building served as an elementary school before its demolition in 1959. Highland Home College’s legacy lived on transforming into the Highland Home School.
This plaque a small tribute to the college’s impactful years. It stands as a reminder of perseverance education and the enduring spirit of a small community. The Highland Home School Plaque is more than a marker. It’s a portal to a remarkable story of growth resilience and educational devotion.