The Sumner Presbyterian Nursery School opened its doors in September, 1970. It was suggested that our church should start a program for pre-school children by Susanne Lake, our minister’s wife, and Rev Murphey Wild who was a member of a family in this church. An addition to the Sunday School building was new and it had adequate space for such a program.
Betty Mitchell was our first teacher. Initially, the children who attended were from families in our congregation. Now they are from primarily from the local community and surrounding small towns.
Two of the teachers in the early years were Harriet Casburn Catoe, and Jo Flautt.
Members of the original Nursery School Committee included Fannie Rankin and Eileen Casburn. They were active in planning and supporting the school in it’s early years. We began our 50th year in September, 2022.
Sherry Clark has been teaching the class for 33 years. She is the “glue” that has kept it alive.
The third generation of some families is now attending “Miss Sherry’s School” at the Presbyterian church.
In the past several decades we have been fortunate to be able to accept scholarship students who are supported by individuals in our current congregation and other friends of the program. Scholarship students have become more and more of the norm. As our local population has decreased, we have expanded and now serve a wider geographical area. We still continue to serve our local community.
Judith Mitchener has served as Treasurer for many years. She oversees the day-to-day financial needs of the School. The church provides the space and the heating, air conditioning and paper products. The refreshments are provided by the Presbyterian Women Circle since the school’s inception. The school does not depend on the annual church budget for support.
Attending is a tradition in many families. We hope and pray that it will continue.
Nursery School Students
These are some of the children who have attended the nursery school over the past 50 years. This is by no means a complete list.
Lillian Abbey, Randall Abbey
Sophie Clay, Schuyler Clay
Bo Catoe, Ellen Catoe
Donna Buford
Porter Spell, Lillian Spell
Garner Falls, Aubrey Falls
Myers Falls
Richard Flautt
Graham Flautt, Katherine Flautt
Lilly Brooks Flautt
Caitlyn Flautt, Carly Flautt
Chad Flautt
George Gates, William Gates
Rane King
Rivers Rayburn, Emma Rayburn
Julia Mitchener, Frierson Mitchener
Mitchener Turnipseed, Watson Turnipseed, Bratton Turnipseed
Smith Murphey, Margaret Murphey
Scott Parsons
Elizabeth Patterson
Art Smith, Susan Smith
Bailey Jenkins
Stephanie Smith, Kathryn Smith
Doyle Tubbs
Allen Tubbs
Lawrence Wagner, Abbey Wagner
Laurie Gaddis Webb, Jackson Webb
Camille Bullock, Webb Bullock
Lucy Webb, Jack Webb
Ellen Whitten
Robert Whitten, John Whitten
Hugh Worley, Cooper Worley
Betty Mitchell was our first teacher. Initially, the children who attended were from families in our congregation. Now they are from primarily from the local community and surrounding small towns.
Two of the teachers in the early years were Harriet Casburn Catoe, and Jo Flautt.
Members of the original Nursery School Committee included Fannie Rankin and Eileen Casburn. They were active in planning and supporting the school in it’s early years. We began our 50th year in September, 2022.
Sherry Clark has been teaching the class for 33 years. She is the “glue” that has kept it alive.
The third generation of some families is now attending “Miss Sherry’s School” at the Presbyterian church.
In the past several decades we have been fortunate to be able to accept scholarship students who are supported by individuals in our current congregation and other friends of the program. Scholarship students have become more and more of the norm. As our local population has decreased, we have expanded and now serve a wider geographical area. We still continue to serve our local community.
Judith Mitchener has served as Treasurer for many years. She oversees the day-to-day financial needs of the School. The church provides the space and the heating, air conditioning and paper products. The refreshments are provided by the Presbyterian Women Circle since the school’s inception. The school does not depend on the annual church budget for support.
Attending is a tradition in many families. We hope and pray that it will continue.
Nursery School Students
These are some of the children who have attended the nursery school over the past 50 years. This is by no means a complete list.
Lillian Abbey, Randall Abbey
Sophie Clay, Schuyler Clay
Bo Catoe, Ellen Catoe
Donna Buford
Porter Spell, Lillian Spell
Garner Falls, Aubrey Falls
Myers Falls
Richard Flautt
Graham Flautt, Katherine Flautt
Lilly Brooks Flautt
Caitlyn Flautt, Carly Flautt
Chad Flautt
George Gates, William Gates
Rane King
Rivers Rayburn, Emma Rayburn
Julia Mitchener, Frierson Mitchener
Mitchener Turnipseed, Watson Turnipseed, Bratton Turnipseed
Smith Murphey, Margaret Murphey
Scott Parsons
Elizabeth Patterson
Art Smith, Susan Smith
Bailey Jenkins
Stephanie Smith, Kathryn Smith
Doyle Tubbs
Allen Tubbs
Lawrence Wagner, Abbey Wagner
Laurie Gaddis Webb, Jackson Webb
Camille Bullock, Webb Bullock
Lucy Webb, Jack Webb
Ellen Whitten
Robert Whitten, John Whitten
Hugh Worley, Cooper Worley