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THE<br />
MATHER SCHooL<br />
The Mather School was the first African American school in Beaufort, established to<br />
prepare the daughters of newly freed slaves to teach. Rachel Crane Mather of Boston,<br />
Massachusetts founded the school in 1867. From Mrs. Mather’s faith that God would<br />
provide for all children grew an accredited high school and junior college. Students received<br />
a superior education and practical skills in cooking, gardening, sewing and social graces<br />
as well as religion.<br />
Students came from the Lowcountry, southern, northern and New England states and<br />
as far away as Africa and La Ceba, Honduras. In 1881 the school became part of the<br />
Woman’s American Baptist Home Mission Society. The school continued to educate African<br />
Americans until 1968 when its mission changed to include people of all races. Over the<br />
years Mather graduates earned the reputation of being well educated, refined and successful<br />
in every major undertaking of their lives.<br />
The mission of The Mather School Lowcountry Alumni and Associates Chapter is to insure<br />
the inclusion of The Mather School in the annals of black history and to have Mather School<br />
recognized with equal historic significance as other Reconstruction schools of that era.<br />
In 1972 the school became part of the South Carolina technical college system and is now<br />
the Technical College of the Lowcountry.<br />
22 The Mather School · BCBCC
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