A Century of Schools in Cumberland County: 1850 - 1950

    The earliest centers of learning in Cumberland County were subscription academies and seminaries.  A school was established in the village of Fayetteville in 1794. It was incorporated as the Fayetteville Academy for Males and Females in 1799. Located on Green Street, it was destroyed by the fire of 1831.

    In 1834 the Donaldson Academy was established. With the establishment of North Carolina’s public school system in the mid-1840s, most schools in Cumberland County were one-room structures with one teacher who taught all subjects and grades. 

Additional historical facts about schools in Cumberland County can be found by clicking the Chronology link above.