Tragedy Strikes Blaney High School

Before there was the town of Elgin there was the town of Blaney and tragedy struck the town of Blaney back in 1956. We all can remember tragic times in our lives but those who lived in Blaney, SC back in May and June of 1956 it would be a memory you would like to forget. During the 1960’s the name of the town of Blaney was changed to Elgin.

All of us can remember the excitement we had of the day when we would receive our school yearbooks and attending our high school graduation. The Blaney High graduation was to be held in the evening of Wednesday May 30, 1956.

That Wednesday morning was the beginning of an unforgettable graduation for those who attended Blaney High School. Early Wednesday morning a student school bus driver was pulling up to the gas pump to gas up his bus when the student heard someone yell for him to stop. He did, but it was too late. The rear wheel of the bus had run over a two-year-old little girl. She died instantly. The driver of course never saw the child who was playing in front of the bus when the accident occurred,

The child was only feet from her home, her father was the agriculture teacher at Blaney High, there home was located on the school grounds. The Blaney community was in shock over the accident, so school officials postponed the ceremonies for that evening until Friday June 1st.

For the 375 people attending the graduation festivities it had to be much sadness throughout the school auditorium as salutatorian Jimmie Dillard gave the welcoming speech and the valedictory speech was given by Shelba Wooten. Twelve graduates received their diplomas which were given out by Superintendent Edward W. Shingler. The graduates were Helen Barfield, Annette Branham, Betty Goff, Floyd Goff, Gary Goff, Jr., Virginia Guest, Margaret Jackson, Nettie Moak, Jimmy Nelson, Jimmie Rose, and Shelba Wooten. With the ceremonies ending shortly after 9:00 pm, graduates were told to return the next morning to pick up their report cards.

It was early Saturday morning and most if not all of the 12 graduates who would be picking up their report cards were asleep when a motorist J.F. Ingle was on his way to go fishing at 5:00 am when he noticed a fire at the Blaney school. Mr. Ingle pulled over at Judge Alton Nelson’s home, he was able to awaken Mrs. Maude Nelson and she proceeded to all the Camden Fire Department. Blaney had no fire department and the Camden Fire Department was approximately 30 minutes away.

By the time the Camden Fire Department arrived the school building was on the verge of collapsing. On the second floor in a science room area there was an explosion lifting the roof completely off. The Blaney school principal, John Krantz attempted to enter the building in order to save many of the school records but was unable to enter because of the flames and extreme heat.

The fire department was able to save the new cafeteria which was located behind the school, although some windows and the roof were damaged. The gym, the cannery, and an isolated classroom were not damaged.

An amazing side note to the fire was that of a piano that was saved. There was a Schomacker piano which was used the previous night during the graduation was removed from the auditorium by two men. It had taken 8 men to move the piano to the auditorium.

The fire had completely destroyed the elementary, high school, and the auditorium. Along with the main school building, also destroyed was all report cards, text books, and student records. As students arrived to pick up their report cards they were in disbelief to find their beloved school just charred embers. Just days earlier the students had to deal with a little girl death and now that were witnessing the death of their school that had been in Blaney since 1915.

After fire was out Superintendent Shingler found that 3 sets of student records had survived but all the athletic equipment had been destroyed. Once again the community was dealing with another tragedy along with knowing 155 high school students, 276 elementary students, and 21 teachers had no school.

As there was shock within the community from what had taken place during the last few days it became even more shocking when the Blaney community learned that Superintendent Shingler had been arrested on June 6th on breach of trust. Judge Charles Blyther had issued a warrant charging Shingler had taken money from the School PTA, along with the Junior and Senior classes. After further investigation of the fire in October 1956 Shingler was arrested for burning the Blaney School. It was determined that Shingler had taken money from the school safe ad in order to cover his crime t=he set fired to the school.

Shingler faced four charges which included breach of trust, grand larceny, embezzlement, and arson. It was revealed that $1,314.35 was missing from school funds. During the investigation $200 was found in Shingler’s outhouse behind his home. A little over 2 years after his arrest Shingler abruptly plead guilty and was sentenced to 4 years in prison.

For the long time Blaney residents the name of their community was changed to Elgin, named after the Elgin watch factory that had moved into the community.