Mt Tabor School

New Messenger Centennial Edition 1869 to 1969

Brief History

  • In 1874 Mt. Tabor Lutheran Church was built on Mr. Job Hale’s land, which is now the corner of Happy Hollow and Mt. Tabor Road. A log one room school was built adjacent to the church. The school was called Hale’s No. 4 School (2003 Slusser’s Chapel Church).
  • In 1904 a second room was added and the name changed to Mt. Tabor School.
  • In 1915 the new wood-framed room school was built on the site of the log school. In 1920 a third room was added.
  • The exterior of the school was bricked in 1950.
  • Grades 1-5 were taught by three teachers, with over 100 students.
  • The County School Board bought the Lutheran church’s community building in 1936. It was used by the school as a lunch room and eventually as a community center. In 1954 the building was bought by the Community Club from the School Board.
  • The Mt Tabor school closed in 1965 when students went to Gilbert Linkous School in the fall of 1965.
  • The Community Club was razed and the land given to the Ruritan Club in 1977. In 1983 the land was sold and is now used as a private home. (Ruritans has been organized in the Blacksburg area since 1965)

Links and Social Network

Blacksburg, Memories of the Way We Were
Search on the school’s name for information.

Documents

This is a description of Mt Tabor school found in the 2003 Slusser’s Chapel Church document and attributed to Brownie Lafon.

Social Media

Gathered information and memories from social media, including Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, & Instagram.

  • Students attended 1st – 6th grade, with two classes per room. The coal stove divided the room and the toilets were outside.
  • Teachers: Anna Mae Slusser, Annie J. Hall, Nell Ross, Imre Jo B. Shivery
  • The ” weathered” building … at the corner of Happy Hollow and Mt. Tabor was a Community Center. In the 60’s, Slusser’s Chapel Church of God having a church Halloween party there. Mt. Tabor School was to the left of the community center. The school was renovated into apartments, and the community center was demolished. A residential home now occupies that spot. Slusser’s Chapel was (is) located further up Mt. Tabor (less than a mile) on the right and now occupies a newer building that is connected to the former Mt. Tabor Nursery and Day Care Center. The original church building still stands.

We Need Your Help

Please don’t hesitate to reaching out. Check out the comment section below or send us an email if you have information, memories or memorabilia.

Image Gallery

  • 1940 School Census (Courtesy Montgomery Museum of Art & History)
  • 1940 School Census (Courtesy Montgomery Museum of Art & History)
  • The school was converted to apartments.
  • ca. 1905-1915 , origin is from Ollie Shaver Cox’s daughters that lived next to the chapel and school
  • Annie J. Hall
  • Note the Brick Exterior
  • 1960’s
  • Summer of 1960
  • Note the bottom photos of the Community Center
  • Pump House
  • Backside of the school
  • Annie J. Hall, beloved teacher and sister of Gilbert Linkous’s wife.
  • Annie J. Hall
  • Memories of the Osage Orange Tree and School Bell
  • Bathroom and Osage Orange Tree
  • 1940 School Census Map – Note “Old Sch. Ho.” next to B.G Slusser. This is another older school than Mt Tabor school

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