Front
The original part of this building was home to one of the oldest
African American schools in Dale County. In 1949 on this site, the
new building for the Pinckard Colored School was constructed and
Mack M. Matthews became its principal. The Pinckard School building
burned in 1959 and reopened in 1961.
In 1962, a metal building from Newton was moved here to provide
a lunchroom. In 1964, a gymnasium was constructed and the Dale
County School Board changed the name to the Mack M. Matthews School.
In 1965, both houses of the Alabama legislature passed a resolution
supporting the name change to the Mack M. Matthews School.
In 1969, the segregated Mack M. Matthews School closed. In 1971,
the Dale County School Board reopened the school as an integrated
middle school but changed the name to South Dale Middle School.
The original building retains its historic exterior appearance from
the period when it operated as a segregated black school from
1961-1969.
The campus also includes a 1987 cafeteria and 1999 classroom addition.
The building was listed in the Alabama Register of Landmarks
Heritage in 2011.
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Rear
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Mack M. Matthews
(June 8, 1902 - March 15, 1981) was born in
Dale County, Al, the first child of Monroe & Dollie Matthews.
He married Inella Crittenden and they had six children. Mack M.
Matthews graduated from Lomax-Hannon College and received his
BS Degree from Alabama State College He also attended Troy
State College. He served as teacher and principal at Pinckard
Colored School, located in Pinckard, Al. His contribution to
education was honored by the Dale County School Board when
they renamed the school "Mack M. Matthews School" During his
teaching career he was instrumental in shaping the lives of
many school children in Dale and Houston Counties, Ozark City
Schools and Graceville, Florida Schools. Mack M. Matthews was
the First Chairman of the Ozark Voters League, and First Honorary
Life Chairman.
Mack M. Matthews was named Ozark, Alabama's
Outstanding Man of the Year in 1975
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