"Lucie Bragg Anthony" (1870-1932)

Trained as a physician,she made her contribution to society in education.She left an immeasurable mark in Sumter County,South Carolina,where she was known as Dr.Bragg.The first supervisor of Sumter County Colored Schools,Lucie recognized many needs of students,teachers and the community.Establishing schools as well improving teaching,teaching salaries,and health conditions became her primary focus.For sixteen years,from 1915 to 1931,Lucie worked tirelessly and relentlessly in Sumter County. Rather than practice medicine,she spent her life in the field of education and incorporated her medical training in teaching adults and youth good health practices.The motivation that fueled her life's work is expressed in her book, Little Clusters:  In the vineyard of our father Daily work we find to do. Scattered gleanings we may gather Tho we are but young and few,Little Clusters, Little Clusters Help to fill the garners,too.Lucie Bragg Anthony was born in Warrenton,North Carolina.Her parents, George Freeman and Mary Bragg,later moved to Petersburg,Virginia,where they were active in the Episcopal Church and where Lucie's father served as junior warden.The Braggs also had a son,George Freeman Jr.The Braggs also had a son, George Freeman Jr.Lucie enrolled at Oberlin College and Conservatory in 1889 and graduated in 1893.Still looking for a way to serve humanity,she entered Meharry Medical College in 1902 and graduated in 1907. She married Francis W.Anthony,an African Methodist Episcopal Zion minister,on September 4,1908.He died February 20,1928,in Sumter,South Carolina.They had no children.Francis church assignments may account for their moves to Kentucky,where Lucie was principal of the Saint Clemens School in Henderson,and to Texas,where she was principal of a church school in San Antonio.She was also a kindergarten teacher at the John Hopkins Home for Colored Children in Charlotte,North Carolina.Later she established the industrial department at Clinton College,Rock Hill,South Carolina.There is no evidence that she ever practiced medicine. In the 1910s,Francis and Lucie Anthony moved to Sumter, South Carolina,where he was minister of the Clinton Chapel AME Zion Church.Their home was located at the corner of Oakland and Purdy Streets.Still imbued with the zeal of serving others, in 1915 Lucie became the first county supervisor for African-American rural schools in Sumter county. Her goals for the schools were published in her book, A Concise History of Sumter County Colored Schools 1915-1931 she said:We had in the beginning four things in our vision for the work.The first,to extend the terms,second to increase the salary;third to get better school buildings, fourth to help make better teachers. Her tasks as county supervisor were not deterred when school superintendent J.H. Haynesworth stated,"he had very little,if anything"to assist her.She raised funds at events such as field days.Lucie identified home conditions and social issues of the county and sought improvements.Between 1918 and 1920,she formed demonstrations clubs to improve the family health through better dies. Not only were food preservation's projects initiated,but in 1920 and 1921,milk was provided to families.The Milk Campaign resulted in the state matching a dollar for every dollar raised.The campaign improved the number of milk-producing cows owned by families and raised the milk consumption level for adults and undernourished children.Still concentrating on the home,she oversaw the construction by and for students of nine garments for everyday use.Useful items of wood such as chairs and stools were made for home.Lucie knew that in order to have good schools,teachers had to be trained and rewarded for their work.She began a summer school program where teachers could be trained and skills upgraded. Lucie also sought salary increases for them.Prizes and awards were offered as incentives for the teachers to accomplish the various programs that were part of her initiative.In 1930 and 1931,temperance work became a part of her mission in the county,and she organized thirty-one temperance clubs and received hundreds of signed pledges from those who would abstain from drinking alcohol.She gave a prize for the essay "Why should I Not Drink Alcohol."Lucie wrote Little Clusters for use in instruction.It was termed "a mixed method for beginners"  by the author.The text demonstrated lessons with stories and also gave health notes and information on child study,psychology,and child astrology,which described personality traits of children born in each month of the year.There were spelling lessons and instruction in numbers,language and geography.Included for charter building were the Ten Commandments and the Lord's Prayer.Lucie also included motion songs with words and music which she had written,such as "Paper Cutting,Weaving Songs"and Busy Little Fingers."Little Clusters was endorsed for public use by outstanding members of the community and state in 1925.it had already been used in the Sumter County Schools for ten years. Letters of endorsement published in the book were from college president,school principal,vice president of Palmetto State Teachers Association of South Carolina,ministers,and teachers of Sumter County.Lucie's accomplishments from 1915 to 1931 as county supervisor were recorded in her reports which noted that her goals had been met.The school term,extended,teachers' salaries were increased,schools supported by the Julius Rosenwald Fund were erected, and the summer school term continued.Church work was part of Lucie life.Her love of inspiring youth led to a long friendship when she noticed a young girl Lillie B. Moore,singing in the choir of l Clinton AME Zion Church in Sumter. Lucie gave music lessons to Lillie and later sent her to Barber Scotia College to earn a teacher's certificate.Lucie was a great role model for Lillie.In an interview,Lillie Moore Nelson confirmed that "Lucie was firm,dedicated and liked to inspire."Lucie advised her to "br a good Christian woman."Lucie died in Baltimore,Maryland.