E.T. was correct. The certification process during Reconstruction into the early 20th century was very different from today. Although some teachers came from families that were FPOC during slavery, many did not. Students who attended local one- room school houses would study through their 8th or 9th year and then remain as an assistant for a year or two before going off to "college." I have family members from Colleton County who went to Benedict College in Columbia which was established in 1869 and others who attended Claflin in Orangburg, established in 1869. You might want to check the local HBCU's to see if your ancestors attended. Here are just a few: SC State University in Orangeburg est. 1896, Voorhies College in Denmark est. 1897, Allen University adjacent to Benedict in Columbia est. 1870 and Morris College in Sumpter est. 1908. There were/are others and would also look into schools in the surrounding states but I would start my search with the above listed.