For many years, this building served as Abbeville‘s elementary school. At that time there was no parking in front of the school, so students used the entire front lawn as their playground. Upon the completion of the much larger Long Cane Primary School, this building gained new importance as the headquarters of the Abbeville County School District.
The interesting jungle gym pictured below was located on the front lawn of the old school. Years ago the train and its caboose were restored and moved to Long Cane Primary School.
SCIWAY thanks Mark Clark, an Abbeville native currently residing in Winnsboro, for sharing these photos.
Mark writes, “I always did well in school, but I found it dreadfully boring and spent many a day playing on this train under the shade of two tall oak trees. It seemed schoolwork was never as exciting as fighting train robbers. My father and grandfather both worked on the railroad in Abbeville, so the train had deeper emotional meaning for me than it did for most of the other kids.”
Greenville Street Elementary Info
Address: Abbeville, SC 29620
GPS Coordinates: 34.184839,-82.380126
Greenville Street Elementary Map
Take Me There
I attended Greenville St as a first go. Mrs McAllister was my teacher.
Prior to beginning first grade my family lived in the teacherage next to the school. My father, Charles Dillard, taught at the high school. I remember Mr. Hite and eating lunch on the playground because there was no cafeteria. (1954)
I remember the train as well. I also remember Mr. Hite, Ms. Cox health teacher and Mrs. Goings my music teacher! She gave me a whipping that lasted to this day. I’ll never forget it. Clarkie Ponds also got a lashing. We acted up at some event so I’m sure we deserved it!
I played on this train many times myself.
Hi,
I would like to use your picture of Greenville Street Elementary school for a project, pleas e let me know if this is ok?
Thanks,
Tamikia
I was going to be sent to a private school in Greenwood. Then I saw the train and begged to go to school in Abbeville. I won. I remember Mr. Hite (the principal) well.
Whenever the teachers could not find me at my desk as I was supposed to be, I could be found in the playground at Greenville Elementary on the train.