To date the project has focused on collecting Bethel Schools Yearbooks that have been digitized by DigitalNC.org, the over all history of each of the schools in town limits and the history of Bethel High School Basketball.

The Bethel Heritage Center has partnered with DigitalNC.Org to digitize yearbooks and other archival materials from Bethel Schools. So far, we have only been able to locate yearbooks for Bethel High School. We are actively seeking yearbooks from the Bethel Union School. If you have access to any editions of the Bethel Union School yearbooks that you would like to have digitized please contact us.

The earliest documented school in Bethel is the Bethel Academy established in 1871. It was a private school for white students from nearby communities plus others from across the state and nation. From 1892-1897 enrollment fell at the Academy as many individuals could not afford the tuition. Bethel Academy began begin called Bethel High School in the late 1890’s newspapers although it was not officially in the public school system. 

 In 1902 a vote was held in Bethel, to fund a local public school through a special local tax. The vote was passed, and Bethel established its first public school, Bethel School, which served Bethel’s white population using the Bethel Academy building. The school housed grades first through twelfth. 

In 1917 bonds were bought in support of constructing a new building to be used as the Bethel School. The Bethel Academy building was relocated and used by the Bethel Union School. 

In 1934, another vote was held which resulted in the building of a new school, Bethel High School. In 1936, Bethel School was renamed Bethel Elementary, and Bethel High School opened.

Professor Zack McWhorter, known to his students as Mr. Mac, established Bethel Academy c. 1871 as a private school for white students. Pupils from nearby communities plus others from across the state and nation arrived in Bethel to attend this school as it was believed that Bethel would become a thriving metropolis due to the railroad. Bob Ward was the first teacher at Bethel Academy and was native to Pitt County. Tuition was roughly $35 to $40 a yard. Students were also provided room and board for an additional $8.00 a month. From 1892-1897 enrollment fell at the Academy as many individuals could not afford the tuition. The price of tobacco and cotton were down, resulting in small depression that some locals call the “Cleveland Depression.” In 1900 the Bethel Academy became part of the public-school system as Bethel School. In the 1920’s the Bethel Academy building began being used by the African American population.

Bethel Elementary School opened in 1936 in the old Bethel School building and would remain in operation until 1970 when Pitt County Schools were integrated. It served grades one through seven. Following integration, the implementation of new resources was added to the school including reading resource labs and reading tutoring. After school programs were introduced by the school P.T.A. that assisted middle school grades with extra learning opportunities. In the Spring of 1974, construction began on Bethel Middle School which housed grades five through seven. With this change Bethel Elementary started a kindergarten program.

The Bethel Union School was established September of 1913 and used the old Bethel Academy building to serve the African American population of Bethel. It is known that the Union School used the Old Bethel Academy until 1926. Funds were raised by Pitt County and the Julius Rosenwald Fund to build a new school for African Americans in Bethel. In 1938 a fire destroyed the Rosenwald school building. A new complex of buildings were erected in 1940 and would be in use until 1970 when the school systems integrated in Pitt County. The 1940’s complex of structures were constructed on Barnhill street and served grades one through twelve. The main brick structure housed an auditorium and class rooms and four other external buildings also housed class rooms. Several of these structures are still standing.

The new Bethel High School opened in 1936 and served white Bethel citizens and surrounding community grades eight through twelve. The first principal of the new Bethel High was Nick Nobles. Community citizens raised money for a gymnasium to be built, naming it the community center. Just as construction was almost complete the building burned down. The community came together for a second time to rebuild the gym. Bethel High School remained in operation until 1970 when Pitt County Schools consolidated. Bethel High School operated one year as an integrated school before the opening of North Pitt High School. In the mid 1990’s the Bethel High School building was partially demolished and incorporated into the Bethel Elementary School.