Martha Barringer Remembers the Siloam School

Martha Barringer, 98, attended Siloam School, one of the Charlotte area's oldest remaining schoolhouses.

Martha Barringer and her daughter, Maxine Barringer.

Martha Barringer,

98, Remembers Her Younger Days at Siloam School

By Alicia Benjamin

Martha Barringer may be 98 years old, but that doesn’t stop her from cooking her own meals, washing her clothes, gardening, doing crossword puzzles and babysitting her greatgrandchildren. “She’s a very strong woman,” her daughter Maxine said.

Ms. Martha, born on September 26, 1923, was the daughter of Will and Rosella Granger Barringer who had 12 children. Her father also had six additional children.

Ms. Martha, the only one of her 18 siblings who is living, is also an important historical figure in African American history. She attended the Siloam School in Mallard Creek, one of the oldest remaining schoolhouses in Mecklenburg County and one of Charlotte’s last standing Rosenwald Schools. (See Preserving Our Culture: Helping to Save the Siloam School on pages 20-22)

Named Scrub Hill School when she began going to school, the small wooden building that was surrounded by woods was renamed Siloam School shortly after Ms. Martha started attending, she told Adria Focht, president and CEO of the Charlotte Museum of History, during a recorded interview in August 2021.

Maxine talked about some of the memories her mother has shared with her over the years. Ms. Martha’s teacher was Rosella Alexander who gave Ms. Martha a dress because she was one of the smartest students at the school. “She also told me how the boys would cut wood to heat the pot belly stove and how sometimes she had to walk in the rain with holes in her shoes, so she would put cardboard in them.”

Ms. Martha was known as one of the brightest students at Siloam School, and classwork wasn’t the only responsibility she had as a child. Maxine said, “She had to get up early in the morning, do the housework, work on the farm and feed the chickens. Then she had to come back home after school, take care of the home, and whatever time she had left – she did her schoolwork. I couldn’t have made it!”

“There have been some changes since then,” Ms. Martha said as she laughed. “Y’all have it good compared to what I had.”

Education was important to Ms. Martha’s parents and they encouraged her to do well in school. They both helped her complete her schoolwork. “She would always tell me and my sister and brothers, ‘I want you to do well in school so when you grow up, you’ll be able to do for yourself,” Maxine shared.

When one of the community members needed help communicating with other people, Ms. Martha would translate for her because she learned sign language at Siloam.

Ms. Martha also had a health scare when she was a pre-teen, Maxine said. She was admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with Rheumatic fever. “The doctor told her, 'Mom, if you take her out of the hospital, she’ll die.’ They had given up on her, but her mom took her home and she’s been healthy ever since.”

Ms. Martha stopped attending school when she was in the 11th grade because she had to help raise her youngest four siblings after both of her parents died.

Ms. Martha told her own children, “You gotta have that education. You don’t have to have As and Bs, but get what you can while you’re there.”

Three of Ms. Martha’s children are living: Maxine, 65 (the youngest), Gracie

Lee Barringer Caldwell, late 70s (the oldest), and Manuel Leonard Barringer.

Her sons Andrew Barringer and Glenn Franklin Barringer are deceased.

Education continues to be important to the Barringers. Maxine attended Central Piedmont Community College and Rutledge College. Her daughter Dokeya, 40, and Donita, 42, both attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Maxine’s oldest grandson attends Central Piedmont Community College.

“Our family is the most important thing other than God,” said Maxine. Her mother expressed the same sentiment when she said, “I thank the Lord and what He’s done for me.” P