The Dorchester Free School Board, believed to be the oldest functioning school board in the United States, will mark its tricentennial anniversary in 2024 with a series of presentations to historical organizations, civic clubs and other interested groups. Many of these events are open to the public.

As part of the observance, the board has authorized the publication of a book titled “History of the Free School Board of Dorchester in the Province of Carolina.” The history is a project of the book committee – Thomas R. Dion, chair, Walter M. Bailey Jr. and William L. Walker Jr. Books may be purchased at three locations in the county: The Timrod Library at 217 Central Ave., the Summerville Dorchester Museum 100 East Doty Ave. and the Dorchester Heritage Center at 101 Ridge St. in St. George. The cost is $75 per book.

The Dorchester Free School Board began three centuries ago when the Colonial Legislature authorized the creation of a free school in the Puritan settlement of Dorchester on the Ashley River.

In 1724, the Colonial Legislature passed an act establishing the “Commissioners for funding, erecting, governing, ordering and visiting a Free School at the Town of Dorchester.” A journal of The Society of the Propagation of the Gospel in London records the Act and the activities of the Rev. Francis Varnod, Anglican missionary at St. George’s Dorchester, and other appointed commissioners. Although no record indicates the Crown approved the Act of 1724, the thin historical record shows work was being done to raise subscriptions, arrange for a master and other initiatives. Four statutes about various aspects of the free school were adopted.

The commissioners had built a schoolhouse by 1758 and pursued their educational mission until 1781 when British troops burned the buildings. The school was rebuilt in 1797 and remained in operation until 1817, when the board received permission to move the school to the growing town of Summerville.

Funds from selling the schoolhouse and land in Dorchester were used to build a school in Summerville, which opened in 1818 and flourished during the antebellum years. The board lost most of its funds during the Civil War and did not recoup the losses until the turn of the century.

In 1906, the board used its assets, augmented by citizen donations and a grant from the town of Summerville, to buy land and build an elementary school on Laurel Street. Six years later, the commissioners sold the land and the building to the trustees of School District 18, the predecessor of Dorchester County School District 2. The Laurel Street School continued educating the community’s children until the mid-1950s, when it was razed to make room for a playground.

At that time, the free school board shifted its focus from bricks and mortar to the challenge of providing financial help to college-bound students. Since then, hundreds of students from Dorchester County have received scholarship assistance from the board to pursue their college degrees.

In 1980, the Summerville Infirmary closed its operations. It transferred cash assets of $30,248 to the board to establish an annual scholarship for a student whose schooling is directly related to the medical profession.

Scholarship funding is derived from charitable gifts from individuals and corporations, annual contributions from the trustees and interest earned on invested assets. Three named scholarships are currently offered:

  • The Daisy Richardson Doar Scholarship honors a beloved teacher and scholar who founded the Timrod Library in Summerville in 1897. She was the daughter of William H. Richardson, mayor of Summerville for 24 years.
  • The Tommy Cuthbert Memorial Scholarship recognizes one of Summerville’s gifted golfers who was an ambassador for the sport. He served for 30 years as Director of Golf at Kiawah Island and, among his many accomplishments, hosted the Ryder Cup (1991) and the World Cup (1997).
  • The James Taylor Boyle Sr. Medical Scholarship honors the memory of Mr. Boyle, who, as a boy, dreamed of becoming a doctor. Boyle was accepted into medical school but relinquished his dream to assume the responsibility of raising a family. The scholarship, which combines the assets given by the Summerville Infirmary with significant gifts from the Boyle Family, supports students pursuing a career in medicine.

“Over the course of its long and colorful history, the Dorchester Free School Board has weathered the storms of the Revolutionary War, the Civil War and the Great Depression,” said Board President Stephen F. Hutchinson. “But its mission over three centuries has remained steadfast – to provide learning opportunities to young people. Since its founding in 1724, the board has dedicated its efforts to affirming belief in the bright promise of youth.”

Hutchinson, Secretary James R.B. Bailey, and Treasurer Jan Waring Woods are current officers. Trustees are Bailey, Mary Boyle Beauchene, Grange S. Cuthbert III, Dion, Deborah Boyle Engelman, Terrence T. Jenkins, Dr. Thomas M. Leland, D. Sherwood Miler III and Walker.

Miler has been named Tricentennial Anniversary chair. He may be reached by email at pinefore1@att.net and by telephone at 843-343-7567.