Johnston County, NC Teacher’s First Grade Certificate

Source: Albert R. Smith Collection #9.1.b.23

Staff Person: Jonathan Dembo

Description: This Teacher’s First Grade Certificate, dated 12 Oct. 1889, belonged to N. T. Ryals of Johnston County, North Carolina.  It showed that Ryals had successfully passed the examination to teach in Johnston County’s public schools.  It listed his “true grade of scholarship” in Spelling, Defining, Reading, Writing, Aritmetic (Mental and Written), English Grammar, Geography, Elementary Phsysiology and Hygiene, History of North Carolina, & History of the United States. Ryals passed all these examinations with grades between 90 and 95 out of a possible 100 points. Johnston County Superintendent of Public Instruction Ira T. Truslington signed the certificate and also attested that Ryals had “also furnished satisfactory evidence of good moral character.” According to his journal, Ryal’s teaching was not his sole source of income. He was also a surveyor and farmer. Printed form. 1 item. 1 p.

N. T. Ryal's Teacher's First Grade Certificate