Honoring the Legacy of Rachel Crane Mather

story by NAKEISHA DAWSON-THOMPSON
photos by FRED WASHINGTON and @sksignsdesigns | SK, SIGNS, DESIGNS & MARKETING

Rachel Crane Mather was a 44-year-old widow from New England when she first planted her feet onto the soil of Beaufort, SC. Rachel was born on February 5, 1823, in Troy, New Hampshire. She was the sixth of nine children born into a family of Christian missionaries and evangelists. Mrs. Mather was a devout Christian, teacher, and servant to this community. She was convicted early in her arrival, and she exclaimed that she had a commission from God to come to Beaufort County to help with freed slaves. Her initial assignment from the American Missionary Association (AMA) was to go and start a “normal” school for the freed slaves. She learned quite quickly that the condition of the freed slaves and their families required more hands-on and less conventional schooling. Her heart bled as she witnessed the many orphaned children, as many of their parents were sold and shipped away. These children were roaming around with no guidance or direction, no source of regular meals, and illiteracy, according to her letters she wrote to her contacts at the American Missionary Association. She opened the Mather School in 1868 during the nation’s Reconstruction Period with the assistance of many northerners who supported her efforts financially.

An excerpt from Rachel Mather’s letter to Sister Eliza dated April 26, 1868 reads:
“O sister, I cannot narrate the sufferings of these poor freedmen, all endured so patiently, cheerfully, hopefully. Such distress as they endure would sour and depress even Yankee Christians, I fear. I have written repeatedly that there must be great suffering this spring if there were no help from government or from friends, and they are fasting and famishing, too weak to work in some places. I have for some time been giving orders for supplies that the aged and helpless to buy corn. I could not see them faint and drop down before me for want of food, so I had given many a peck of meal, but yesterday having received $300 to appropriate for these poor freedmen, I went to the Bureau officer here Gen. Gile; he was pleased to have me look after the wants of the distressed and prevent starvation, so he furnished me a team to go round the island and look up the famishing and call home those who had been obliged to leave their own fields and go over on the main and work for the old chivalry.”

This was the beginning of what is now “The Technical College of the Lowcountry Beaufort Mather Campus.” The Mather School of Beaufort was started in 1868, with Rachel C. Mather as the principal, and closed in 1968. She began teaching women necessary household skills, while children practiced spelling and simple math. The boarding school provided 100 years of service and training to African American women and eventually integrated male students who desired education and training under a Christian core curriculum. The school started as an Orphans’ Home and Industrial School for the freedmen of Beaufort and the Sea Islands.

According to Sharon F. Beasley’s Dissertation on Pioneering Women of Southern Education:
“Rachel Mather purchased 20 acres of land on the Beaufort bluff for $87. The property had two small houses on it. I wrote to my colleagues at Bigelow School for Boys and explained the situation. They held a fair, raising $300, which they sent to me for my cause. This was enough money to purchase two military barracks from Hilton Head Island. They moved the buildings on a raft to the school grounds and made them into a schoolhouse, which accommodated 150 students on the first floor and a dormitory on the second floor. By 1869, we had a large family of orphans, a school of over 100 pupils, and a plantation Sabbath school of 200. Our large family was divided into two busy, harmonious households, where the girls were practically taught the domestic industries by kind, competent matrons, and thus prepared to become good homemakers in this land where genial, attractive homes were so few. Sewing was part of their instruction because it was a skill they could use for themselves and for employment. I had enough friends in the North who needed domestic assistance, so preparation was imperative to ensure self-sufficiency; therein, home economics offered a career path for my students. I sent students North on many occasions to work.

Mather School marked its first commencement program graduating three students from its grammar department. Mather died in 1903Rachel Mather died in 1903, but Sarah Owens continued her work along with other subsequent principals. Finally, in 1932, the South Carolina State Department of Education approved the high school as an industrial unit, changing the name to Mather Industrial School. A Junior College division was added in 1954, providing post-secondary education to both girls and boys. The following year, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accredited Mather Junior College, and the first class graduated in 1955. The South Carolina Technical College System acquired the school in 1970 and changed the school name to Beaufort Technical Education Center. The school underwent several name changes, added a transfer option, but continued to offer industrial courses.”

Today, the historical schools’ school’s history and legacy are made available through the Mather Museum and Interpretive Center located on the TCLs Beaufort Mather Campus. The mission of the museum is to illuminate the work of Rachel C. Mather and the students that attended Mather School, and to unveil the events of the 1860s that precipitated this “spiritual commission.” The museum is an educational site, where many photos and important historical events of the Mather School are housed. Mrs. Alvesta Robertson is one who is very knowledgeable of the Mather School’s history. She was previously employed as the librarian of the original Mather School from 1963-1968. Mrs. Robertson arrived in Beaufort directly after graduating from college with certifications in English and Library Science. She recalls the boarding school being a huge campus with a very “family-oriented type” environment, but with some strict standards that applied to single faculty members as well as students. Mrs. Robertson continues to educate the community and visitors on the history of the school, and the mission of Rachel Mathers and her impact on the freed slaves and their families in Beaufort.

Mr. Samuel Burke attended the Junior College in 1967-1968. He recalls many great memories while attending school. He states, “Christian core was embedded in me, and it helped me later in life. The school prepared me for the world.” While a student at the school, he was privileged with running the snack bar. He speaks of attending chapel, going to church services every Sunday , and studying bible courses, which were all part of their Christian curriculum.

Mr. Rufus Pinckney serves as the president of Mather School Coastal/Lowcountry Alumni and Associates Chapter, which has been in service for 15 years. Mr. Pinckney attended the Mather Junior College in 1968. This campus was a city within a city, according to Mr. Rufus. Though slavery had ended, the town of Beaufort was experiencing a racially charged atmosphere. It was important that the students had everything accessible on campus, as it wasn’t safe for the students to roam around town. Mr. Rufus continues his association with the Mather School, by making sure Rachel C. Mather’s life work with the school is not forgotten but honored as the visionary and trailblazer that she was. The efforts of the Alumni Chapter have not gone unnoticed.

On February 21, 2020, there was a dedication and unveiling of the name change to Technical College of the Lowcountry Beaufort Mather Campus after the approval by the TCL governing body and Dr. Richard Gough, president of Technical College of the Lowcountry.

“We have worked closely with Rufus Pinckney and other staff at Technical College of the Lowcountry and anticipate that they will be one of the first community sites to join the newly created Reconstruction Era National Historic Network, managed by the National Park Service.

The network is nationwide in scope and will work to showcase stories of the Reconstruction Era. The story of Mather School illustrates the ideals of freedom and education which were major themes of the Reconstruction Era. Mather School is a prime example of a site which highlights those stories during the Reconstruction Era,” states Scott Teodorski, Superintendent of the National Park Service.

It is essential to protect and share the rich history of the school and its students. The Beaufort Mather Campus was one of the oldest boarding schools in the country for African American women and drew students from across the United States. This was all created from the conviction and servanthood of one woman who saw people in need and created a way to meet those needs and serve from her heart. Rachel C. Mather had no idea that the seeds planted during her time as principal and missionary would evolve into a school that benefited the nation. Her works have left an unremovable imprint in the heart of the African American community and the history of Beaufort County as her ultimate goal was to please the Lord by serving His people. Her legacy continues to live on as the devout former students pursue to keep her legacy alive.

Sources:
Beasley, S. F. (2014). Pioneering Women of Southern Education: A Comparative Study of Northern and Southern School Founders. (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from http://scholarcommons.sc.edu/etd/2781