Marion County · Marker 34-24
Bethel-Britton's Neck School
Bethel AME Church, 7113 S.C. Hwy. 908, Gresham vicinity
Front inscription
Along the nearby stretch of Gresham Road is the site of Bethel or Britton’s Neck School for African Americans. In 1902-21 the Julius Rosenwald Foundation helped fund construction of a 3-teacher school on the grounds of Bethel A.M.E. Church. It was later expanded. A high school building was constructed nearby in the 1930s. At that time about 200 students attended for a 7-month term.
Reverse inscription
Bethel-Britton’s Neck School was organized by longtime principal Dock Travis Taylor. It moved across the road when new elementary and high school buildings were opened in 1954-55 and 1960-61. They were funded by the state equalization program, an effort to preserve segregation. In 1970-71 the school became Bethel Elementary as part of integration. It was later Britton’s Neck High School.