Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Remodeled Gym Dedicated At McRae School

Former Gov. Thomas C. McRae believed in a free public education for all people regardless of race.

In his honor, the McRae Middle School gymnasium, recently renovated, was dedicated Saturday, April 14.

The ceremonies opened in the MMS cafeteria with Prescott Superintendent Ron Wright welcoming all. "We wanted this day to show you how we spent your money," he said, talking about the millage passed for renovating all three school buildings and the construction of a new gym at Prescott High School.

Wright said a lot of local contractors worked on the project, ensuring a quality job at a reasonable price.

Jim McKenzie, with the law firm of McKenzie, McRae, Vasser and Barber, told of McRae's life, calling him a majestic person.

He began by talking about watching the McRae Tigers play football in the 1950s, saying he saw a lot of exciting games there.

"This is a man I've been familiar with all my life," he said. "I learned he was a majestic man, liberal and generous with his time, talent and assets."

What McRae did for public education, McKenzie said, spread across Prescott, Nevada County, Arkansas and the nation.

His accomplishments are remarkable considering McRae had to drop out of school at age 11 when his father died. In those days, the eldest male child took responsibility of running the household.

This, McKenzie said, is something McRae took very seriously. He worked on the family farm in Union County until he was 17, leaving to pursue his academic career.

At the time, 1868, there were no public schools in Arkansas. McRae attended a private school, then left to the Masonic Academy in Falcon for a year.

He then took a year off, working as a clerk in Shreveport, La.

From there, he attended and graduated from Souix Lake Business College and returned to Arkansas in 1870. But, his academic pursuits weren't finished yet.

From there, he went to Virginia, where he attended Washington and Lee University and earned his law degree.

McRae ran into a problem when he returned to Arkansas. He wasn't 21 and couldn't be licensed to practice in his chosen profession.

Still, in Jan. 1873, he opened a law office in Rosston, then the county seat.

He married Amelia White on Dec. 17, 1874, and was elected to the Arkansas State House of Representatives two years later.

McRae was the youngest representative in the legislature at the time.

In 1877, the county seat was moved from Rosston to Prescott. The McRae family relocated and built a home in Prescott.

A year later, McRae founded the First Presbyterian Church, and remained involved in city affairs as the city attorney and a member of the city council.

On July 5, 1882, the McRae's donated land for a public school for black children. This school was located at East Fifth and Laurel.

Such a donation was not only amazing, being 17 years after the Civil War, but farsighted on McRae's part, as he realized the importance of education for all people.

In 1885, McRae was elected to Congress from Arkansas' Third Congressional District. At the time, the district was composed of 19 counties, with McRae carrying 15 of them.

He served nine terms in Congress, retiring after 18 years in 1903.

McRae returned to Prescott and joined in the law practice of W.B. Thompkins, which was located where the Partnership is now.

In 1904, he founded the Bank of Prescott, serving as its president until his death.

The wooden building housing the initial McRae School burned, and in 1910, he contributed more land for the school, wanting this one to be built of brick.

This facility measured 300 by 300 feet, and was, again, to be for the free public education of the area's black children.

McRae, though, wasn't finished with politics quite yet. In 1915, some 5,000 people gathered at the Nevada County Courthouse to hear of his decision on running for governor. At this time, he chose not to seek this office.

However, at age 68, he did run for governor and won, serving two terms.In the May 29, 1920 primaries, McRae faced eight opponents and won by 11,000 votes. He carried 65 percent of the general election ballots.

One of the most significant aspects of this election, is it was the first time women had the right to vote.

McRae, though, never forgot about Prescott, and, in 1922, contributed another plot of land to be made into a park for black people.

This was also the year he sought his second term as governor. He was opposed by E.P. Tony, who was backed by the Ku Klux Klan, and won handily.

During his second term as governor, McRae felt he had the political power to push through some of his education reforms.

At this time, schools were limited to 131 total days, with many barely having 100 days of attendance. There was also the problem of adult illiteracy in the state.

McRae fought for, and passed, a severance tax and income tax to be used for education. But these taxes didn't provide enough money for his plans.

So, he called a special session on March 24, 1924, telling the legislature school districts were taxing themselves to death and needed help. He pushed a cigar-cigarette tax through with the money to be used strictly for education.

McRae left office on Jan. 12, 1925, as his dream of financing a free public education system had been realized for the children of the state.

He returned his Prescott home at Fourth and Main, known as the Oaks because of the oak trees lining the street. Here he stayed until his death, on June 29, 1929, at age 78.

During his life, though, McKenzie said, Thomas C. McRae was an advocate for the people and lived as an example to others.

"It is only appropriate this school be named after him," McKenzie said. "He deserves to be admired and revered."

Tom McRae, the great-grandson of Thomas McRae, voiced the family's thought on the dedication.

"It's an honor to be here, and we appreciate this recognition of Gov. McRae."

From the family perspective, he said, McRae had important life lessons to give, living his private life in the same manner he lived his public life  with dignity and character.

"My father used to hammer value and character as themes when I grew up," he said. The values taught were: treat everyone equally and fairly; always tell the truth; and serve your community and God.

"Gov. McRae embodied this in his private and public life. He instilled these values in his family," McRae said.

Gov. McRae and Gifford Pinchot, he said, are also considered to be the founders of the U.S. Forestry Service.

McRae actually wrote the laws on how public lands were to be handled, and is partially responsible for the creation of Yellowstone National Park.

Johnny Hamilton, Jr., a former instructor and coach at McRae during the 1960s, said this is the greatest thing that could have happened in Prescott, praising the school district for renovating the gym.

George Odom also spoke, saying he came to Prescott as a teacher in 1964, and the only one left from those days is Prescott Elementary School Principal Howard Austin.

McRae had a rich and proud tradition, Odom said, "I love it dearly and am happy to see it again."

The ceremonies closed with MMS Principal Jim Gober telling how the school board, under Wright's direction, worked to get a millage passed so the renovations could be done.

Following the dedication, tours of MMS were given, with much time spent in the gym, where two basketball games were played.