The value of education continued to be uppermost in the minds of Selma residents, for in 1875 John A. Waddell moved here, built a home and established a pay school upstairs with a Miss Faison as the first teacher. Margaret Waddell, one of John Waddell's daughters, also taught here. A year later, in 1876, the Masonic Lodge granted the use of the lower rooms of its building for a pay school (expenses paid by student fees) to Ben Hatcher. Several Masons served on the Board of Trustees of that school.
Another church, the Methodist, was started in 1878 when a lot in Selma was given by John A. Waddell and his wife Susan and the Wilson Lumber Company of Wilson's Mills. Prior to this time, as. early as 1869, Methodist congregations had been meeting near Selma; however, the wooden church constructed on the lot at the corner of Sumner and Anderson Streets was the first within the town itself. Members of the building committee were Dr. J. W. Vick, chairman; John A. Mitchener, treasurer, and W. t. Graves, secretary. The present brick church, built in 1910, occupies the same lot.
According to the North Carolina Directory of 1877 - 78, Selma Township magistrates were W. J. Barrow, E. S. Moore, Theo Hinnant, Henry L. Watson, and Willis Gerald. W. A. Joyner was a Selma lawyer. Two ministers listed were 'Noah Adams, Primitive Baptist, and Ray Phillips, Free Will Baptist. Operating general stores were W. H. Avera, W. J. Barrow, A. B. Creech, D. H. Graves, S. H. Hood, R. J. Lassiter, W. Millender, Jackson Rains, P. M. Stuart, Webb & Twisdale and John W. Wiggins. J. A. Waddell operated a saw mill and D. W. Adams, W. J. Barrow Co., and D. S. Stewart were listed as turpentine distilleries. The physicians were R. J. Noble and J. W. Vick.
From the History of Selma - Centennial Program.
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