Charlie Louisa Elizabeth "Aunt Isa" Holland-Monnie
An
Educator and Humanitarian
December
25, 1865/August 1, 1926
By
Charlie Louisa Elizabeth "Aunt Isa"
Holland-Monnie was an out-standing citizen and scholar of Panola County.
1
She was born
December 25, 1865, on Spearman "Major" Holland's Old Slave Plantation.
2
Charlie was one of six children born to the parentage of Charles Holland and
Melinda Jones. Her father, along with other African Americans, cleared and
harvested the land, in 1842. At the
end of the emancipation, Major gave his land to the ex-slaves.
The old plantation grounds is now known as the 3 Holland
Quarters Community, Carthage, Panola County, Texas, and the area is still being
inhabited by descendants of the original slaves.
Aunt Isa received her early training from
white teachers. In 1877, at the age of twelve years, she taught her first
official beginners class at Mt. Zion School, near Oddfellows Black Cemetery.
4
She taught in
all the rural, African American schools in Panola County and in some adjoining
counties.
In addition to the fact that she was an
outstanding teacher, she was also a leader.
5 She
was one of the leaders along with Mr. Joseph Benton and Mr. Mack McCarver who
helped organize Carthage Colored High School in the early 1890's.
6 Joseph Benton served as principle at the school
until 1897. 7
The school has
since changed name and location. 8 Portions
of the old school, now known as Turner High School, are being used as a Human
Service HUDCO Center and child development center.
Not only was she helpful in organizing a
secondary school for African Americans. She
also assisted in the organization of the East Texas Summer Normal for Teacher
Certification, and also the Teacher's Institute.
She was not only an educator but also a
religious leader an organizer. She
was an organizer of the Home Mission Society
and B.Y.P.U. of the Bethlehem Baptist Church located in Carthage. 9
She held the
first position as church secretary, and helped to secure the land on which the
present edifice was built.
In addition to being an educator, religious
leader and organizer, she was also a well known mid-wife.
In 1897, she married Jim W.
"Lula" Monnie, after which she was known as Mrs. C. L. E. Holland-Monnie. After entering into holy matrimony she continued her career
as teacher. 10
Her teaching
career began in 1877, and ended at her death in 1926.
The last two years of her teaching career were in Louisiana.
By that time she had been promoted from a third class teaching
certificate to a permanent certificate, given by the State Department of
Education.
On August 1, 1926, thirty days before
entering her forty-eighth year as teacher, she passed away.
She was buried near the spot where she first began teaching.
11
She was a Christian woman, a humanitarian in the truest sense.
12
Her motto was, "Be thorough in all
things that are ascertained by repetition, for all that is great and good is
done by patient trying".
She was a pioneer in the teaching profession for African Americans in the
Piney Woods
A Texas Historical Marker is need in memory of
Charlie Louisa Elizabeth "Aunt Isa" Holland-Monnie because of her
ambitions and skills in the field of teaching African Americans.
A Texas Historical Marker will speak for her and show
how much we care and appreciate the concern she had when times were difficult.
The location for the marker will be on County
Road (CR) 221 off Farm-To-Market Road (FM) 959 in front of Zion Apostolic
Church, where Elder Henry O. Blanton is Pastor and owner of the land.
13 Zion
Apostolic Church was established the 2nd Sunday in December of 1983.
The land and structure were purchased from Rev’s Thurman and Romina
Johns-Pierce.
The only change the Blantons made was to change the name of
the church.
Notes
1. See 59-59 Holland, Chas
father
of Charlie Louisa Elizabeth Holland
1870
PCC - page 5
2. See 253-267 Holland, Charles
father
of Charlie Louisa Elizabeth Holland
1880 PCC - pg. 19
3.
See Holland Quarters, Texas
Handbook of Texas in Six Volumes
Volume 3 - pages 665 & 666
4. See Teacher Service Record
notarized
by J.W. Yarbouough, County Supt.
5. See notarized letter
6. See notarized letter
7. See Court Record
8. See Court Record
9. See Bethlehem Baptist Church records
10. See notarized letter from
R.E. Carswell, County Supt.
11. See notarized letters to J. Worth Yarborough
County Supt., certifying knowledge and credibly
of C.L.E. Holland-Monnie
12.
See notarized letter from daughter
Shelie M. Monnie-Jones
13.
See 1840/1998 - Footprints into History - - Barbara Bonner, Author
Zion Apostolic Church - pages 61 & 62
4
miles W. of Carthage, TX on U.S. Hwy. 79, right on FM 959, right off FM 959 to
CR 221.