T.C.
Henderson returned to Transylvania County to serve as Superintendent of Schools
for a second time in 1923. 

In a
1924 report on the state of Transylvania County schools Henderson offers an
early history and a statement of progress made over the past sixteen to
eighteen year including the addition of standard high schools at Brevard and
Rosman, as well as a reorganized high school at Davidson River.  

The new Brevard High School opened in September 1925.

He
continues, “It is the plan of the State Department of Education and the hope of
the county board of education and the county superintendent of public
instruction very soon to have high school instruction within reach of every boy
and girl who has completed the elementary course in our public schools.  This can be accomplished by means of
transportation for high school pupils. 
One of the greatest needs of our schools, especially the high schools, is
the installation of shops, laboratories and scientific paraphernalia for the
addition of courses in vocational agriculture and home economics.”

Henderson
proposed establishing one county wide tax district so every child would have an
equal opportunity.  This policy was being
used in the more progressive counties in the eastern part of the state and included
a recommendation for an eight month school term for all schools.

After
the Uniform Tax passed on December 15, 1925, Henderson received high praise
from across the state.  A.T. Allen, State
Superintendent wrote, “The success that you have had will put heart into many
of the fellows in other counties.  This is
the best bit of information we have had in support of the State-wide eight
month school term, and I can’t think of enough to say to you in commendation of
the wonderful way in which you have handled this election.”

At the
start of the 1925-26 school year Transylvania County’s first school truck (bus)
began transporting high school students from Calvert, Cherryfield, Quebec and
Lake Toxaway to attend Rosman High.  By
Spring 1927 there were four school trucks operating in the county.

T.C.
Henderson would serve as Superintendent of Transylvania County Schools from
1905 through 1917 and 1923 through 1929. 
Following his “retirement” Henderson taught for several more years at
Rosman and in the Gloucester and Hogback townships. 

 The
North Carolina retirement law stated that teachers must retire at the end of
the school year after reaching the age of 70. 
T.C. Henderson’s final year as a teacher was the 1941-42 school year
when he taught twelve students at the Montvale School, the same school where
his brother Charlie had once taught 72 students. 

T.C. Elementary School in 1962.

Whether
as Superintendent of Schools or teaching in the county’s smallest one-teacher
school T.C. Henderson always worked for the good of the students.  He was a leader in education advancement in
Transylvania and Robeson counties and across the state.  His brother, Charlie stated, “His
entire life was spent in laying the foundation for others to build upon.” 

When
the last of the rural schools were consolidated the new elementary school in
Quebec, not far from where T.C. Henderson was raised, was named for him.  T.C. Henderson Elementary School opened on
August 26, 1957, just fourteen months after Henderson died on June 17, 1956.

Photographs
and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina
Room, Transylvania County Library. For more information contact the NC Room
staff at 828-884-1820 or [email protected].