The Syracuse Herald New York May 18, 1923 ENTIRE FAMILIES PERISH AS PARENTS AND CHILDREN BATTLE TO REACH EXITS MANY LEAP FROM ROOF WHEN OVERTURNING OF A LAMP ON STAGE AT ENTERTAINMENT PRECIPITATES FIRE AND MAD PANIC SOUTH CAROLINA SCHOOL HOUSE FUNERAL PYRE FOR COMMUNITY Camden, S. C., May 18 - Seventy-four persons, many of them school children, lost their lives last night in a ghastly fire which swept through a country school house six miles south of here. They were burned, suffocated and trampled to death in a mad, terrified scramble for the one exit that led from the top floor of the flimsy wooden structure. Death List Expected To Grow Perhaps a score of others are so badly burned they may die, and many who were successful in their frenzied dash for the stairway are suffering from injuries or varying degrees of seriousness. The terrible tragedy occurred at what is known as the Cleveland School. Those who escaped today told the horror details of a night of horror. Between 150 and 200 persons were gathered in the school house for graduation exercises. The school house was of the old fashioned country, wooden type, with a stairway in the rear and lighted only with kerosene lamps, located in a comparatively isolated community with no other houses or building nearby. The audience was made up of fathers, mothers and children, the latter dressed in their "Sunday best" for the biggest community event of the year. About 10:00 P. M. after most of the exercises had been completed and the superintendent of schools was presenting the ribbon-bound diplomas to the graduates of the eighth grade, there was a terrific explosion. It came from a smoky kerosene lamp swinging in the rear of the hall from the ceiling. Burning oil was scattered over the back part of the big square room and flames appeared instantaneously, catching readily at the dry wood. The only staircase was in the rear and almost before those in the room realized what had happened escape was virtually cut off. The flames immediately surrounded the stairway. Leap From Windows Those in the rear of the room dashed through the blinding smoke and jumped from the windows to safety below. Those nearest the platform and in the front seats of the hall were not so fortunate. With no windows from the platform and the smoke and confusion growing worse every second, there resulted a mad, terrified scramble for the one hope -- the stairs. It was sheer panic and it paid the usual price of panic. Women and children, gay in their white graduation costumes were knocked down and trampled under foot ant the interior of the hall became in a few minutes a screaming, milling mass of horror-stricken people, intent upon but one thing - escape. Some of those who escaped said later the doors of the auditorium "opened the wrong was," and that a score of persons got jammed against a closed door and thus held up escape for many. Warning Ignored The Superintendent of Schols[sic], on the stage with diplomas in his arms, made a futile attempt to stem the tide of panic. He shouted that all could get out safely, if they took their time, but his voice was lost in the screams of the women and the children. The superintendent and those of the graduating class, being furthest from the stairway, are believed to have perished. The flames spread through the dry wooden building with almost unbelievable speed. Within a few moments after the explosion the whole rear portion was blazing high, and the flames, fanned by a stiff wind, began to eat into the flooring. 70 In Inferno Then, the second floor collapsed and down into that raging inferno of fire and burning embers went all who were left - established at about 70 persons. The first of hose who escaped by jumping out of the windows dashed across fields for the nearest farm houses for telephones by which to summon aid. Practically the whole countryside was at the school house, however, and some houses were locked. Telephones are not many any way, in the community. Camden finally was notified and chemical fire apparatus was sent on the run. When it arrived it was too late - the school house was a mass of burning embers, smoking and black -- the funeral pyre of half this little community. When the Camden firemen arrived they looked upon the mass of ruins around which stood weeping mothers, frantic fathers and wailing children, looking for their loved ones. There were a score of persons lying groaning on the ground, suffering from broken limbs and fractures suffered in leaping from the windows. Night Of Terror The darkness was lighted only by the ruddy glow of the smouldering fire and in the intense heat and amid confusion the work of finding out who had escaped and who had died continued throughout the night. Dawn this morning found a wearied, blackened crowd on men working feverishly. At 8 o'clock they had succeeded in pulling 74 bodies from the ruins. The work of identification has not been completed because of the confusion and the stunned condition of those who escaped. Several whole families, however, have been wiped out. "There was no one to blame," said the chief of police here. "It all happened so quickly and the panic was natural." All of the victims were either graduates, students of the little school or parents and friends.   Identified Dead In Fire Disaster The identified dead in the Cleveland, S. C. fire, are: MR. and MRS. EUGENE BROWN Five Members of the KRAUSE Family Nine Members of the SCOTT Families MR. and MRS. CHARLES HUMPHRIES MR. and MRS. M. L. McLEOD and Two Children J. L. PEARSE MR. and MRS. C. G. BROWN F. J. WEST MRS. J. R. PHILLIPS and Three Children Two Children of MRS. L. M. WEST M. B. McLEOD CHARLES HENDLING and Four Children MRS. BRITTCOFT and Three Children MRS. HENDRI and One Daughter MR. and MRS. B. C. McLEOD and One Child MRS. ANDREW CAMPBELL MR. A. J. RHODES JACK BUSH and Daughter of MRS. S. CAMPBELL GRACE ARRANTZ ERNA ARRANTZ MRS. WALTER DAVIS and Three Children MRS. R. L. McCASKILL and One Child JESSE SMITH Two Children of C. K. McCASKILL Coroner G. L. DIXON and One Child MRS. WILLIAM BROWN and One Child MR. and MRS. A. R. DAVIS and Four Children MRS. R. L. DIXON and One Child Cleveland School, Camden, South Carolina   This tragedy occurred on May 17, 1923 during a school play on graduation night, when a candle tipped over and ignited curtains and between 9-10 p.m. Thirteen bodies were claimed by relatives and taken home for burial. Another report states ten victims were taken. At least 67 remained. It was difficult to separate and identify the other dead. It was decided that since they had died together, they would be buried together.  One mile from the school stood Beulah Methodist Church and Cemetery. A large grave, 12 feet by 40 feet, was prepared. The bodies were removed from the school yard and placed in the mass grave. Between three and five thousand persons attended the funeral service. The fire resulted in some of the most sweeping changes in U.S. fire codes. The two-story Cleveland School was constructed of wood. Only a single, narrow stairway led to the second floor auditorium which was packed the night of the play. As the result of this fire, the greatest loss of life in a public building at the time, fire escapes, doors opening to the outside, increased stairway widths, flame retardant materials became mandatory for public buildings. A monument is located on Cleveland School Road, across from the Camden Equestrian Center and Entertainment Complex with 77 names on it - "In Memory of Those Who Lost Their Lives In The The Cleveland School Fire on the Night of May 17, 1923". There is another monument at the burial site with 67 names on it.  Names listed below are taken from both monuments.  Those with * are not listed on the monument at the burial site.  * GRACE ARRANTS, age 7 Irma Arrants: Mar. 22, 1906 - May 17, 1923 Mrs. Floride Brown:  Apr. 9, 1876 - May 17, 1923 Lottie Brown:  Oct. 6, 1913 - May 17, 1923 Eugene A. Brown:  Jul. 13, 1866 - May 17, 1923 Mrs. Eugene A. Brown:  Oct. 31, 1873 - May 17, 1923 Ellie Barnes:  Nov 13, 1905 - May 17, 1923 Fannie Bowers: Oct. 18, 1906 - May 17, 1923 * MRS. ESTELLE CAMPBELL, age 20 Eoline Campbell:  May 12, 1909 - May 17, 1923 Mrs. Lula Croft:  Dec 11, 1886 - May 17, 1923 Dorothy Croft:  Feb. 12, 1913 - May 17, 1923 Hamilton Croft:  Jul. 21, 1916 - May 17, 1923 Ase R. Davis:  Feb. 15, 1884 - May 17, 1923 Mrs. Ase R. Davis:  Sep 9, 1881 - May 17, 1923 Leila Mae Davis:  Mar. 13, 1909 - May 17, 1923 Lina Davie:  Aug. 13, 1914 - May 17, 1923 Mrs. Lizzie Davis:  Jul. 2, 1888 - May 17, 1923 Eve Mae Davis:  Sep. 12, 1912 - May 17, 1923 Frannie Lee Davis:  Jul. 13, 1915 - May 17, 1923 W. C. Davis, Jr.: Feb. 20, 1920 - May 17, 1923 Mrs. Addie Dixon:  Jan. 20, 1901 - May 17, 1923 C. Lucus Dixon:  Nov 27, 1881 - May 17, 1923 Clara Dixon:  Oct. 12, 1910 - May 17, 1923 Mrs. Fannie Dixon: Jan. 16, 1873 - May 17, 1923 Linwood Dixon:  Nov. 24, 1910 - May 17, 1923 Sara Dixon:  Aug. 14, 1913 - May 17, 1923 Margaret Dixon:  Dec. 20, 1915 - May 17, 1923 Theda Dixon:  Nov. 28, 1916 - May 17, 1923 Thelma Dixon:  Nov. 2, 1913 - May 17, 1923 Mrs. Theresa (Burgess) Dixon:  Sep. 14, 1890 - May 17, 1923 Willene Dixon:  Sep. 12, 1921 - May 17, 1923 Mary Lyne Godwin:  Jul. 29, 1920 - May 17, 1923 Bertie (Irene) Hendrix:  Jan. 4, 1907 - May 17, 1923 Charlie W. Hendrix: Oct. 20, 1871 - May 17, 1923 Mazie Hendrix:Nov. 14, 1907 - May 17, 1923 Annie Lee Hendrix:  Nov. 13, 1909 - May 17, 1923 Wilbur Hendrix:  Mar. 27, 1913 - May 17, 1923 Alva Hendrix:  May 8, 1916 - May 17, 1923 Wesley E. Hendrix: Nov 1, 1862 - May 17, 1923 * FRANK HINSON, age 9 J. C. Hinson:  Feb. 15, 1914 - May 17, 1923 Ora Belle Hinson:  Jun. 8, 1912 - May 17, 1923 Charles N. Humphries:  Dec. 13, 1858 - May 17, 1923 Mrs. Charles Humphries:  Nov. 7, 1866 - May 17, 1923 Tom B. Humphries:  Jun. 17, 1892 - May 17, 1923 * WILLIAM GETTER JOHNSON, age 11 Mrs. Kate McCaskill:  Jun. 11, 1883 - May 17, 1923 Roy McCaskill:  Jan. 8, 1919 - May 17, 1923 Adeline McCaskill:  Mar. 5, 1903 - May 17, 1923 Cozea McCaskill:  Jun. 5, 1911 - May 17, 1923 Gracie McCaskill:  Nov. 9, 1917 - May 17, 1923 Miller L. McLeod:  Apr. 5, 1884 - May 17, 1923 Mrs . Miller L. McLeod:  Dec. 13, 1889 - May 17, 1923 Lindsey McLeod:  Jul. 1, 1917 - May 17, 1923 Milton McLeod:  Aug. 9, 1921 - May 17, 1923 Bernell G. McLeod:  Jan. 20, 1894 - May 17, 1923 Mrs. Bernell McLeod:  May 8, 1896 - May 17, 1923 Bruce McLeod:  Apr. 3, 1921 - May 17, 1923 M. Baum McLeod:  Dec. 18, 1859 - May 17, 1923 * JESSE E. PEARCE, age 40 Mrs. Dora Phillips:  Aug. 21, 1877 d. May 17, 1923 Ola Phillips:  Mar. 27, 1906 - May 17, 1923 Doreen Phillips:  Sep. 9, 1908 - May 17, 1923 Eva PhillipsS:  Sep. 25, 1914 - May 17, 1923 Mrs. Grace Rhoden:  Jan. 20, 1891  May 17, 1923 Jack Rush:  Sep. 21, 1907 d. May 17, 1923 *  Clara Mae Sowell:  May 10, 1910 - May 17, 1923 *  Louise Sowell:  Oct. 19, 1914 - May 17, 1923 Jesse Smith:  May 22, 1910 - May 17, 1923 *  Dunnie W. Truesdale:  May 23, 1900 - May 17, 1923  (John William Truesdale, s/o William Jackson Truesdale & Lula Lavicey McLeod.) *  EMILY TRAPP, age 10 *  VERA TRAPP, age 9 Sadie Wade (colored):  Feb. 22, 1906 - May 17, 1923 Shell J. West:  Jul. 31, 1885 - May 17, 1923 Thelma West:  May 17, 1908 - May 17, 1923 Rebekah West:  Aug. 16, 1911 - May 17, 1923 Read the story November 2003 news story written about the fire Read the book J. O. Moseley wrote (about 1923-24) - about the victims of the fire Back to Kershaw County South Carolina Genealogy Trails