History of St. Johns County
Public Schools



Public School #1 - Peabody
Aviles St. (old Hospital Street)

While there are many beginning dates in our historic town of St. Augustine and St. Johns County,
the beginning date for the St. Johns County School Board was April 30, 1869.
The first chairman of the school board was N. D. Benedict and the first Superintendent was O. Bronson.
Schooling for both white and African-American students had existed before this date
and can be documented well back into the Spanish periods.
However, for the purposes of this page we will use 1862 as
the beginning of African-American education
in St. Johns County and 1832 as the beginning of white education.

Please enjoy the links as you learn about the struggle for quality education for all the children
of St. Johns County public schools and the great dedication of the teachers and staff of the school system.  

Prehistory:

St. Augustine City Free Public Schools

American Freedmen's Union Commission

American Missionary Association

History Of St. Johns County Public Schools

Peabody School Fund - Funding Education for Public School # 1

Letter from O Bronson, 1st School Superintendent with signature

1881 School and Teacher List

1882 School and Teacher List



Public School 1 Class (circa 1909)

1st Row
1. Harrington Wilson
2. ?
3. Lawrence Mickler
4. Troy Haigler
5. Kevin Wilson
6. Freddy Shugart
7. Arnold Melcher
8. Will Hutson
9. Fred Kirtland
10. Ray Dodd
11. George Ritchie

2nd  Row
1. Alline Hellier
2. Carrie Backer
3. Helen Bennett
4. Jenny Dodd
5. Elrina Gibson
6. Cloria McGinnis
7. Mary Pinkham Pacetti
8. Helen deMedeus
9. Marjorie Walton
10. Katie Mae Branett
11. Carl Mabeley
12. Earl Blue

3rd Row
1. Lucilli Center
2. Josephine Whetstone
3. H Mullettir
4. S Pomar
5. ?
6. Sheriden Owen
7. Harry Genovar
8. Gordson Pellier
9. Emmett McWilliams
10. ?
11. Gabriel Lee
12. ?  

Top Row
1. Sprague Finley
2. Reid Guyon
3. ?
4. Mary Fuller
5. Maud Davis
6. Naomi Barnes
7. ?
8. ?
9. John Stokes