Joyner School

Building History
Other Names: Model School
Date Built: unknown
Date Razed:
Cost of Construction: unknown
Gross Square Feet: not known
Assignable Square Feet: not known
Architects: unknown

Namesake: James Yadkin Joyner (1862-1954) served as the superintendent of public instruction for North Carolina and was a member of the ECTTS Board of Trustees (1907-1918, 1922-1925). See J.Y. Joyner Library for additional information. This school was originally known as Forbes School after the merchants Alfred and Arthur Forbes who donated the land. An early pupil claims that the school's name was changed to Joyner School after O.J. Joyner who owned land adjoining the Forbes property, because there was already a Forbes School in existence. Joyner School could have been named after either of these individuals.

History: The building was originally a one room structure with a movable partition.In 1917, this elementary school was obtained and used until 1923 by ECTTS through a cooperative agreement with Pitt County Schools. It was subsequently converted (1916-1918) into a three room school with two small front porches. An initial sum of $500 was appropriated by ECTTS for the establishment of a program in this building. Details of the agreement are recorded in Volume 1, pp. 252-257 and 265-267 of the Board of Trustees Meeting Minutes. Joyner School was meant to provide experience for ECTTS teachers in a realistic teaching position within a rural community. Additionally, the lessons that the Joyner School students were taught were more appropriate for the problems they would encounter in a rural lifestyle. In 1919 an automobile was purchased by the ECTTS Board of Trustees to be used by the student teachers. Joyner School is about two miles northwest of Greenville on NC 43. It was last used as a school in 1931 and is now a storage barn.

President Robert H. Wright's report on Joyner School was recorded as part of the May 31, 1918 Board of Trustees meeting minutes.

Additions: 1916-1918 - Converted into a 3 room structure.