Clayton School
"Among the first school houses located in Panola County in the 1840's was between the present town of Clayton and the present home of the W.H. Latham family. The school house was near the old Roquemore and Jarrell places. It was made with hewn and split logs for seats," this according to the county history compiled by the Carthage Book Club.As early as 1876 a Baptist College was located on the present school grounds. The two story building was a thriving center for education for a time, but was later abandoned.
Clayton Community was lucky enough to be founded by a teacher-preacher, the Rev. Isaac Reed. He taught school as well as preached from house to house and he apparently induced the settlers to build a log hut for public gatherings before 1836, though prior to then the law did not permit the organization of any church except Catholic.
In 1885 The Panola Watchman carried stories of the closing exercises of the Clayton and Buncombe high schools. The school terms then had been taught in the summer.
Clayton School District # 11 was created in May 1905; it was defined and organized in February 1907. The County Board Minutes for June 1912 gave Clayton as a "First Class High School, a three year high school". Superintendent A.J. Holmes reported in 1912 on the condition of each school, saying of Clayton, "Clayton had a room added this year, the building was painted and about $500 worth of furniture and supplies were added. It has four teachers, ten grades, it has a local tax, but does need unanimous support from patrons."
Further reports on Clayton School in 1912 described it as having a four acre playground and an abundance of pine and sycamore trees. The building was described as follows: "The building has four rooms, an average of 30 by 40 feet, each furnished with single desks, good blackboards and modern equipment. It has a library and a library room. The high school received State Aid to the amount of $750.00 and it has an agricultural experiment farm adjacent to the playground. The school has a lot with 12 stables for horses driven by pupils attending high school from the neighboring communities. It has four teachers and a term of eight months. The cost of the building and equipment was $3,000.00."
The school continued as a prosperous rural school, but as high school students later began to attend school at Carthage, the high school grades were dropped and it was for some years an elementary school.
The buildings were of wood until 1949 when the present brick building was erected. The old two story wooden building was torn down in 1950.
The last teachers were Mrs. Mary Lizzie Martin and Mrs. Mary Brown. They were employed for several years until the school was consolidated with Carthage in 1965.