Professor Ingraham, born a slave in Hancock County on August 24, 1855, was the son of David and Rhoda  Ingraham. Before his emancipation, he was the property of Judge Linton Stephens, brother of Alexander Stephens.     Educated by Alexander Stephens as a young man who  told him to "go out and spread the doctrine of industrial education among his people."
     According to the Augusta Chronicle " In the early seventies, Ingraham as as a young man walked from Sparta to Crawfordville, Ga., with a crocus sack on his back containing all the wearing apparel he had in the world. He was hired to work on the farm at $10 per month. He was not there before he met the late Governor Stephens, who after talking a little while extended him an invitation to come in and take lessons under him at night.
  It was Governor Stephens who inspired him with the idea of become a teacher. He secured the first school for him at Raytown, Ga., in 1875."
   He graduated from of Atlanta University.  In Randolph County February 19,1886,   he  married  Anna L Turner, a teacher and a native of Alabama who was born in  August of 1871.  Their daughter Maud was born a year later in February 1887.
    The idea of a industrial school for boys and girls  was  mentioned in The Atlanta Constitution in November 27,1904 in an article about the Methodist North Georgia conference in which  Professor Ingraham, principal of the Rome Ga. public schools for negroes and Professor J. A. Bray of Lane College, Jackson Tennesse  addressed the conference and asked for monetary assistance with  negroe education. Professor Ingraham  stated  " I am a native Georgia. I was a slave and early in my life I became one of the domestic servants in the home of the late Alexander H. Stephens. Until I started out for myself I was always a house boy.
    Upon one occasion, I remember very distinctly, General Robert Toombs visited Mr. Stephens I heard their conversation because it took place in my presence while I was waiting upon them. General Toombs and Mr. Stephens entered into an argument. The general said that it would be impossible to make the negroes learn anything, that their minds had not sufficiently developed to retain learning. Mr. Stephens took the other side. They could not agree and finally Mr. Stephens, to settle the question and end the argument, said: " I am going to prove to you that you are wrong. I know of a negro boy who cannot read or write. I am going to make an experiment upon him.
     That night Mr. Stephens called me to his side and we at once began the course of study that has resulted in giving me my education. Mr Stephens was my personal tutor for a long time, he started me in the right direction, and gave me from his great brain the basis for my education."
      Professor Ingraham had been the superintendent of the public schools for negroes in Rome Ga. for 10 years when he came to his home town of Sparta with the plans for the school. Financed chiefly by northern contributors, it  had flattering indorsements  from Judge Horace M. Holder, of the supreme court, Attorney A. W. Stephens, of the Atlanta bar, John D. Walker, of Sparta and Senator W. H. Burwell and others.
     The school,  located  about 1½ miles west of Sparta,  began with 3 acres and one small building. It was part of Judge Linton Stephens plantation.   According to The Atlanta Constitution Sept. 18, 1910. Professor Ingraham went north in the summer of 1910 to solicit funds for a " new building which he wanted to erect as a fitting memorial to his beloved friend, the late Alexander Stephens. " John O Moore was the president of the school and J. D. Burnett, secretary and treasurer.
      In 1916 the school had 135 pupils and was owned and controlled by the Hancock County Board of Education. Hildonia P. Canady, was the principal of the industrial department.
     In 1919 the trustees of the institute met and adopted a plan offered by the special state supervisor Professor George D. Godard for the erection of a Rosenwald school building. The trustees planned to erect at once a $5,000 brick veneer structure. The Rosenwald Fund was avilable for assistance in constructing model colored school buildings, in co-operation with local communities and county authorities. Rev. E. J. Forester, D.D., pastor of the white Baptist church was president of the board of trustees, Professor C. W. Moran, county superintendent of education was treasurer.
    Author Jean Toomer was a acting principal here in 1921 while Professor Ingraham went north to solicit funds.  Dr. Carlton Morse, of Fort Valley State University, was a student and principal at Sparta A & I in the years after Toomer left. Dr. Morse was a native of Hancock County.
     By 1923 the institute had fifty-three acres and two buildings. The acreage was farmed by the male students. The female students were taught home making, domestic science, sewing, dressmaking, cooking, etc.  All students were given the regular grade school courses.  There were 210 pupils and was anticipating more. Supporters of the institution in 1923 were Judge Alexander Stephens, Judge Samuel Lumpkin, C. W. Moran, of Sparta, county school superintendent, Judge John M. Graham of Atlanta and other prominent Georgians.
        In 1927, possibly the first consolidation of negro schools in Georgia was started here with a  motor truck bus. The children were brought in from a radius of several miles to the school. Dr. E J. Forrester, was the chairman of the trustees. Robert A. Waller and B. Moore were elected to fill vacancies caused by the death of two of  the trustees.
       In February of 1935 the Coleman Cottage, the boy's dormitory, was destroyed by fire. It was a heavy loss since the building was not insured.  A new brick and concrete domintory costing $62,000 was slated to be built in April 1935.
     The school consisted of 200 acres and several more buildings at the time of Dr Ingraham's death September 20, 1935 which was only  a few days after his 80th birthday. His wife Anna S. Ingraham became the principal of the school.  He and his wife Anna, who died in 1950, are buried  in a small family cemetery about ½ mile  from his beloved school.
      In 1936 a three room brick building was completed and was used for the primary grades. An office and two rooms were added to the boy's dormitory.
    In 1940 a new elementary school building was erected on the concrete foundation of the academic building which had burned some time ago. The building was used for grammar grades since the high school students were carried by truck to the East End Negro school on the eastern outskirts of the city.
     The school eventually became L. H. Ingraham High School. In 1950 a new school building was erected by joining two surplus Army barracks. The building eased the classroom shortage which had been acute for sometime.
    In 1953 a new building was in the plans to be erected.
 

Sources: Atlanta Constitution and Augusta Chronicle

Eileen B.McAdams copyright 2005

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