The Rover School was located in the small community of Rover, which is in the tenth district of Bedford County approximately 5 miles south of Eagleville. This school as well as the other small community schools located around the country side was built with the purpose of serving the families within walking distant of the school which still could have been several miles. Some of the students may had the opportunity to ride in a horse and wagon or buggy, but most of the students had to walk.

The first school, known as the “Old School” by the early Rover Community citizens was located on Beasley Road, on property presently owned by the McFarland Family. I’m not for sure when this school actually began but it was in existence for several years. It was closed in 1910 and the students were moved to the new Rover School in 1911. My neighbor Ben Farmer, now deceased, had told me he started to school in the Old School in 1907. He remembered that penny pencils were given as rewards for good attendance and for answering the most questions correctly. Some of the teachers in the old school were: Alta Clay, Lena Chick, Edna Gentry, Laura Crowell, Jim Ed Crowell, Nancy Farmer, Sam Reid, Leticia Farmer, Chance Taylor, Sara Hord, George Yost, Ollie Shearon and Mattie Smith.

In 1911 a new three-room school building was built on land purchased from Frank Jackson. The property is located on highway 41A and is now owned by Wendell Rowland. Some of the teachers for this new elementary school were: Todd Blankenship, Lillie May Osteen, Edna Gentry, Daisy Boyce, Lena Chick, Vashti Jacobs, Billy Simpson, Kittie Simpson, Auburn Stem, Lizzie Morton Floyd, Alta Clay, Virginia Vaughn, Mary Heath, Era Johnson, Andrew Jarman, Jack Snoddy, Bill Osteen, Winnie Clardy, Amzier Reynolds and Lorene Thompson.

ROVER HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS – 1923 FRONT ROW -left to right: Jennette Phillips, Dorothy Elmore. SECOND ROW: C. J. Lamb, Mattie Poplin, Lorene Wood, Myrtle Boyce, Ella Taylor,  Lizzie Mae Westbrooks, Margarette Chick. THIRD ROW: Morgan Faris, Alva Jackson, Glyde Poplin, Russell Neal, Ruby Crick ??,  Flora Elmore, Pearl Lamb, Lou Ella Faris. FOURTH ROW: Ivin Moore, B. Arnold, Robert Wood, Eugene Crick, Clarence Faris,  Herman Read, John William Boyce, James Rogers. FIFTH ROW: E. Jackson, Jim Wilkie Taylor, Willie Davis, John Westbrooks, Horace  Arnold, B. Jackson (twin to E. Jackson), Fred Taylor, Francis O’Steen, Mitchell Elmore. The two teachers in the back are Roy Simpson and Lillie D. Harding, principal.

In 1919 an auditorium and classrooms were added to the elementary school building and high school classes were begun with Macie Southall as principal. A well-rounded curriculum was offered and students participated in interscholastic basketball, playing teams as far away as Ashland City. A dormitory for teachers was constructed later while Lillie D. Harding was principal. The teachers were: Macie Southall, Lillie D. Harding, Roy Simpson, Margaret Lakenan, Edith Dixon and Loretta Phillips. I have in my possession a Rover graduation diploma that belonged to Mr. Herman Reid, dated March 24, 1921 and also a 1923 class ring from the Rover High School. It belonged to the late Lou Ella Farris (Taylor).

One night in the fall of 1924 the entire school building burned. Arson was suspected. After the fire, the term was finished with the elementary school having classes in the Methodist Church and the high school in the Baptist Church.

A new school was built back in the same located for students in the first eight grades and had the following teachers: Julia Prince, Arlie Hitt, Beatrice Dickens, C. J. Lamb, Clarence Terry, Runa Hix, Sammie B. Spence, Harry Lee Lawell, ____Glenn, Allene Gillespie, ____Blanch, Argie Stem, Nannie Moore Copper, Lela Lynch, Peggy Robinson, Wilma Boyce and Edward Harper. In 1947 this school was closed by consolidation. The building is still standing and in the process of being remolded by Judy and Wendell Rowland.

After the fire, the Rover high school students were then moved to Unionville where a new school was erected and was called Community School.