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James
H. Hope
South
Carolina
 James Haskell Hope was
born September 22, 1874 in Hope Station (called
Hope Station because of the local train
station), Pomaria, South Carolina on a tract of
land that his German ancestor had built and
maintained. He was the son of James C. and Martha
Frederica (Miller) Hope, (who was the son of
James
Christian and Louisa Caroline Eichelberger
Hope). He died January 18,
1952 in Columbia, South Carolina.
Mr.
Hope has been married twice. His first
marriage occurred at Peak, on April 28,
1901, and his second marriage at
Savannah, Georgia, March 5, 1921
to Wilhelmina Grimsley, daughter of John R.
and Lou Hulda Grimsley.
Hope was elected
to be the South Carolina Superintendent of
Education in 1922 and was the longest serving
Superintendent of Education in the state of
South Carolina till year 1945 - 10th South
Carolina Superintendent of Education. Hope
was preceded by John E. Swearwingen and
succeeded by Jesse T Anderson.
Friends called him "Bud". In 1925,
Mr. Bud Hope paid for and donated two acres of
land to the  Rosenwald Fund (The Rosenwald
Fund (also known as the Rosenwald Foundation,
the Julius Rosenwald Fund, and the Julius
Rosenwald Foundation) was established in 1917 by
Julius Rosenwald and his family for "the
well-being of mankind."). This became the Hope
School (The Hope
Rosenwald School is a former school at 1971
Hope Station Road near Pomaria, South Carolina.
As a Rosenwald School, it served rural
African-American children in the early 20th
century). James Hope is known for his defending
of the rights of African Americans before and
during his term in office.
On April 20,
2005, the Hope school was registered with the
South Carolina Secretary of State as a
non-profit organization as "Hope School Community
Center, Inc." The
organization's mission is to supply the needs of
the community by administering programs that
will have a positive impact on the quality of
life for community residents.
(Wikipedia)
During his reign,
African-Americans were awarded high school
diplomas for the very first time. Also, a
teacher retirement plan was created, an
attendance law passed, and the 12th grade
introduced in South Carolina. James Haskell Hope
was a member of the Democratic Party.
Hope was enrolled in
a two-year program at Clemson Agricultural
College, graduating from Newberry College
where he received his M.A. degree. He was a
schoolteacher in rural South Carolina for six
years, city superintendent for thirteen years,
and county superintendent for five years.
Hope served as captain in the National
Guard and held senior roles in a multitude of
organizations and clubs such as South Carolina
Lodges, Ancient Free Masons, Wardlaw Club,
Ancient Arabic Order of the Mystic Shrine, the
Lions Club, and the Democratic Club of South
Carolina.
Biography of Dr. James Haskell
Hope
South Carolina Superintendent of
Education, 1922-1946
Originally
Published in the 1930s
contributed by Jay
Hope
A native and
lifelong resident of South Carolina, Mr. Hope is
a member of a prominent family settled in the
State since prior to the Revolutionary War. His
entire career has been devoted to furthering the
cause of education in his native State. He has
bee n eminently successful in this work and
since 1923 has filled with outstanding ability
and much success the important and responsible
position of State Superintendent of Education.
Mr. Hope is widely known in educational circles
not only in his own State, but throughout the
South.
James Haskell Hope
was born a Hope Station, September 22, 1874, a
son of James C. and Martha Frederica (Miller)
Hope. His father was a planter and a veteran of
the War Between the States during which he
served four years in the Confederate Army. Mr.
Hope was reared on the parental farm in Newberry
County, a farm which he still owns and which has
been in the possession of his immediate family
since before the Revolutionary period. Having
received his early education in the common
schools of South Carolina, Mr. Hope then
attended Clemson Agricultural College for two
years and after that Newberry College, from
which later he graduated. Later, at various
times, he spent four summer sessions taking
normal courses. After having completed his own
education, Mr. Hope taught rural school for six
years and next served as city school
superintendent for thirteen years. After that,
he held the position of county superintendent of
education for five years. In 1923 he became
State Superintendent of Education. How
effectively he has filled this position since
then was indicated when on January 20, 1931, he
was reelected for another four year
term.
For a number of years, Mr. Hope has
been active in the National Guard of South
Carolina and he now holds the rank of captain.
He is a member of the Junior Order, United
American Mechanics; the Knights of Pythias, of
which he is Past Chancellor Commander; one of
the South Carolina Lodges, Ancient Free Masons,
of which he is a Past Master; one of the South
Carolina Temples, Ancient Arabic order Nobles of
the Mystic Shrine; the Blue Key National
Honorary Fraternity; the Lions Club; and the
Wardlaw Club, the last named an education
organization. His religious affiliations like
those of his family are with the Baptist
Church.
Mr. Hope has been
married twice, his first marriage having
occurred at Peak, on April 28, 1901. He married
(second), at Savannah, Georgia, March 5, 1921,
Wilhelmina Grimsley, a daughter of John R. and
Lou Hulda Grimsley. By his first marriage he has
one son and by his second marriage one daughter
and three sons: 1. James Donald born April 23,
1907. 2. Martha Louise, born January 24, 1922.
3. James Haskell, Jr., born December 1, 1923. 4.
John Christian, born September 28, 1926. 5.
Stuart Cromer, born May 14, 1930. The family
residence is located at No. 129 Walker Street,
Columbia, while Mr. Hope’s offices are in the
State Office Building at Columbia.
James Haskell Hope
would serve as the State Superintendent of
Schools for South Carolina from 1922 to
1946. A small two-room school bears his
name (Hope School) on Hope Station Road.
This school was provided for black children on
land donated by James Haskell Hope. He married
twice. First was to Violet Swygert and
second to Wilhelmina Grimsley.
Information from a
granddaughter of James Hope-first wife was an
alcoholic-marriage ended in divorce. He had to
go out of state for the second marriage as South
Carolina law did not allow divorce.
From
The State Newspaper, December 2,
1948
Woodwork Hobbyists Produce Fine
Articles For Love of It; Are Neighborhood
Handymen
Dr. Hope’s
Workshop
Dr. Hope has one of the most
modern workshops in the city. From the two
building behind his home on 119 South Walker
street, he turns out numerous objects to give
his friends. Even a visiting reporter came away
with several useful objects for the home made of
fine wood from various parts of the world.
“It is a real joy
for me to be able to spend my time in a workshop
and turn out useful things which I can give my
friends” said Dr. Hope.
Dr. Hope started
early in life to take up this hobby. Born on a
farm near Pomaria, he was the maintenance man
for the farm and all the outbuildings. He began
by teaching manual training at Union high school
many years ago. Since that time he taught
woodworking in other places until he became
connected with administrative end of the
schools. At that time he made himself a workshop
where he has spent an average of about two hours
each day.
Dr. Hope’s
products, especially gavels, have reached many
prominent places in the state. The chairman of
the ways and means committee, Senate finance
committee, and the speaker of the House all use
gavels made in the workshop of Dr. Hope in his
spare time. He said that his gavels have been
given to 40 or 50 different organizations in the
past several years.
Some of the items
made by Dr. Hope are chairs, tables, lamps,
plate racks, cup and saucer racks, small wagons
for children, letter boxes, reading stands,
jewel boxes, settees, tabourets and others.
“There is no finer
training for any boy to learn than this trade.
There is always something to be done around the
house. It not only occupies your time, but it
can save you a lot of money at times”, Dr. Hope
said.
For the past several many years,
Dr. Hope said he has given away each Christmas
some 40 or 50 presents made in his
shop.
Besides woodworking, Dr. Hope has
other hobbies. They include reading, chickens
and a garden in the spring.
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