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Flat Gap School and Community
Where the road forks in Flat Gap, where the N.W. Williams
store was, the lane that turns left to the Ernest Jayne place,
across the branch stood an old log school house built about 1851.
Later it was torn down and moved down the road to a place on the
hill. Henderson Wheeler and Son built the weather-boarded building
about 1710 according to Flora McKinnin. The deed to the property
on the hill was dated July 31, 1871.
Some of the teachers who taught on the hill were the following
:
| Gusta Williams |
Con Ferguson |
| Ella Webb |
Ora Sturgill |
| Calaway Hall |
Susie Walters |
| Cam Holbrooks |
Charles Williams |
| Mary Leslie |
B.F. Conley |
| Merida McKenzie |
Russell Wallin |
There was an Academy built on the hill where Nell Jayne now
lives. It was called the Enterprise Academy. The Board of
Trustees included the following:
| Henry Daniel |
Hiram Conley |
| Dock Woods |
Alexander Rice |
| William Jaynes |
Ransom Lyons |
| Wallace Bailey |
The building of the Academy included two rooms, a coat hall, a
library with folding doors, and a bell steeple. The courses
offered at the Academy included Ray's Higher Arithmetic, mental
arithmetic, Harvey's Grammar, spelling, and geography. The
teachers were Douglas Arnold, Mrs. Douglas Arnold, Molly Kilgore,
and John Tolbert. The following people attended the Academy in
the 1883-1884 school year:
| C.C. Carter |
Green V. Daniel |
W.R. Fugate |
| G.B. Carter |
Martha Daniel |
Brig Harris |
| C.B. Wheeler |
Henry Daniel |
Jesse Lohr |
| John K. Picklesimer |
Emma Hutchinson |
C.W. Chapman |
| Rafe Caudill |
Harkless Cooksey |
Sarah Woolan |
| William Barton |
Oscar Hoberlin |
Frank Ramey |
| Harry Salyer |
Henry Milton VanHoose |
The above information was provided by a member of that class.
*Note: In the days of the Enterprise academy, its chief
purpose was to prepare people to take the Teacher's Examination.
That was the only way to obtain a certificate to teach school. It
served its purpose for that time. The Academy was never supported
by any church. The Jayne family founded the
Missionary Baptist Church in Flat Gap and gave the land on which
the school was built. They were very influential in the
development of the community. The school was never supported by a
church.
After having been in operation for about fifteen years, the
Academy closed in 1898. The original high school building was
built in 1927 when O. W. Cain was superintendent. The next two
rooms were built close to Lonza Reed's farm. The superintendent
was Arville Sheeler. The stone building was built in 1935-37
by the WPA. when John Fred Williams was superintendent. The
block building consisting of four rooms was built when V.P. Horne
was superintendent. The brick building was built when W.A.
Stapleton was the superintendent. The new building, known as the
Luther Wright Building, was built when Virgil Porter was
superintendent in 1973.
The following people have served as principals of Flat Gap
High School:
| W. C. Brandenburg |
Arnold Webb |
John A. Smart |
| Edwin Jesse |
Cecil M. Preston |
Ray Salyer |
| Russell Boyd |
Luther Aright |
Basil Mullins |
| Virgil Porter |
W. H. Conley |
Dow Stapleton |
The board members at that time were Dr. David Osborne, Y. B.
Rice, Fred Hager, Aaron Moore, and Franklin Wheeler.
It became necessary, after the school was built, for the
community to raise $1,000 for the library. Money was scarce, but
the community worked together. In a short time, the money was
raised and the school became accredited.
The board members who served during the forty years that the
Flat Gap High School was here were the following:
| Aaron Moore |
Woodford Estep |
| Rexford Trimble |
Ralph Salyer |
| Tom Cantrell |
Ralph Burchett |
| Charlie Blanton |
The following students entered Flat Gap High School in 1927.
Those who were in the first 4-year graduating class are marked
with an asterix.
| Guy Bond |
*Leslie Jones |
Nellie McKenzie |
| Mae Cantrell |
*Lillian Salyer |
*Marie Ross |
| Lou Ella |
Colvin Eulah Salyer |
Herman Ross |
| *Hazel Conley |
Ola Sparks |
*Eckell Rowland |
| *Merle Conley |
Watt Kelly |
Blanch Thomas |
| Burgess Davis |
Mayme Lemaster |
Duell Williams |
| Esther Dorton |
*Elizabeth McKenzie |
Eulas Williams |
| Lexie Fyffe |
Ray McKenzie |
*Erma Lemaster |
| Leora Jayne |
*Walter McKenzie |
The first graduating class in 1930 included Duell Williams,
Eulas Williams, Lenore Jayne, Guy Bond, and Ray McKenzie.
Flat Gap Facts:
A man called Professor Don, came to the
community and wanted to organize a band. The band met in the
school up on the hill and practiced once or twice a week. The
following were members of the Flat Gap Band:
| Eliphus Ross |
Jack McKinnin |
| B.F. Conley |
Cornelius Bailey |
| Hardy Skaggs |
Merida McKenzie |
| John Williams |
Ben Cox |
| Herschell Conley |
Aaron Moore |
| W.R. Conley |
Brice Moore |
| Galen Lemasters |
Virgil Lemasters |
| Vonnie Williams |
Flat Gap Facts:
- First Baccalaureate Sermon---Rev. Arnold Webb, Pastor
First Baptist Church, Paintsville, Kentucky
- First Commencement---Professor Victor Hollis, Morehead
State College
- Last Baccalaureate Sermon---Rev. Bruce Daniel on May 26,
1968 at 10 AM
- Last Commencement -- C.V. Snapp from Pikeville, Kentucky
on May 27, 1968 at 8 P.M.
- The people of Flat Gap voted for consolidation of the
high schools in Johnson County on February 9, 1965.
- Johnson Central High School opened in 1968 and Flat Gap
High School was no more.
- The school served the community for forty years. In that
time, approximately 840-850 students graduated.
Flat Gap Facts:
- According to Reddings History, published in 1880, the
population of Flat Gap was between 100 and 150 when Flat
Gap was incorporated.
- The Flat Gap Missionary Baptist Church was founded in
1870. The founders were Henry Daniel, Mr. Smith, and W. L.
Jayne. The church eventually closed in 1914.
- It was reorganized in 1935 by G. G. Leonard.
Unfortunately, the church didn't last very long.
- The last time the church was used was for the funeral of
Oscar Williams in 1948.
- In 1391, a Masonic Hall was erected over the church. Now
the entire building belongs to the Flat Gap Lodge #616.
- In 1877 Joseph Pelphrey was sexton of the church. His
salary was $1.00 a year.
- A few Methodist were residing in Flat Gap and on June 5,
1879, they requested a place in the Baptist church for
their meeting on the second and fourth Saturday and
Sunday. William Jayne, the moderator of the church,
agreed with the stipulation that the Methodist take care
of the church.
- The church debt was reduced to $2.00 on May 2, 1896.
- The Flat Gap Enterprise Baptist Church was organized in
1909 and admitted to the Association in 1909. At that
time there were 105 members. The church was located in
front of the Isom Salyer's home. They later sold this
property and moved to the bottom in front of the Masonic
Lodge.
- The name "Flat Gap" was originated when it was
discovered that the land on the divide of the gap between
the waters of Mud Lick Creek and Big Laurel Creek was
"flat".
- A grist mill at the mouth of Drakes Fork Creek and Flat
Gap Greek was operated by Merida Sagraves.
- A Mr. Rilen was a blacksmith in the early days of Flat
Gap. He was later replaced by Jack McKinnin.
- The first election held in Flat Gap was in 1884, with
Henry Jayne serving as the Judge of the election.
- Daniel Jayne was appointed surveyor of a public road from
Flat Gap to Hoods Fork Road in 1843.
- The Chief of Police was Thomas Dills.
- The first mill operated in the community was by Merida
Sagraves. Another grist mill was operated by William
Sagraves. Harrison Grim built the last grist mill. These
mills were washed away having all been built on Laurel
Creek in Johnson County.
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