Big Foot is thought to have been built in the early 1900's 
and joined the Wilson and Dodd Farms. It was about a couple miles 
north or behind Trew's Store up Co. Rd. 783 to Co Rd 782. It stood 
on the SE corner of this intersection.  The Love Cemetery is on the 
same hill above.

Some teachers were John Denton, Ellie Hicks, John Rymer, 
Flora McGee in 1904, Martye Melton 1907, Denyer Smith 1908, and 1910,
W.B. Melton in 1909. In 1913 Mr. Charlie Haun was the teacher.  It 
was called Scyberts Chapel by the school commissioner, Lake Gentry
from 1903-1911 in his record book.  It was used as a church also. 
It is noted for the big revival held in 1922.  There was a second
building in front of the old one. All this being on a hill. 

The McMinn Co Heritage Book, McMinn and It's People, gives
this account: "The school was a frame structure, and as there was no
water close by the students had to carry water from Bob Dodd's house
which was up the road.  They used a dipper to drink or a folding metal
cup. A pot bellied stove provided heat in the winter. According to 
Irene Posey Newberry, she walked 2 1/2 miles to school everyday. 
If the weather was bad her father took her in a buggy.  School was 
dismissed when it was cotton and pea-picking time, so the children 
could help harvest the crops.

All the students brought their lunches consisting of biscuits
with meat (ham or sausage) or a biscuit with jelley.  Boiled corn in
the summer and homade sweets.
 

Some teachers Irene remembers were: Mrs. Webb, Edith Moses,
Spurgeon Simpson, Eb Simpson, and John Lattimore.
Fellow Classmates were John Smith, Mildred and Gladys Trew,
Kelvia Barker, Nina Akins, Edna and Ruby Carver, Roy and Lawrence
Wilson and Evelyn Truelove." 

Two other earlier teachers were John Denton and Ella Hicks.
The school merged with Claxton in 1921.
Personal comments: Since there were two different buildings at 
one time, I'm not sure if anyone knows just how old the first one
is.  I remember reading that the school was on the East side of the
Pickens and Wilson line.  If this is the line of John and Nancy 
Bower Pickens who came to the Jones Chapel Community, McMinn Co. 
in 1820, then the school is much older than some think. There could
have been a third school that nobody can remember! 

Sources: McMinn and It's People: Pickens Family Article is # 935.
Big Foot School Article # 149, and # 209.
Edited by: Bill Bigham
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