Georgia’s high schools of 1949-50

Here’s a simple list: Georgia’s white high schools of 1949-50.

Currently, there is not a cumulative list freely available on the internet prior to 1960. The Georgia High School Association, citing the number of consolidations taking place in the 1950s, declined to publish region lists. Not that region lists were cumulative in that era, there were a number of unaccredited high schools. Depending on year, the GHSA frowned upon its member schools playing non-accredited schools in the state, or at times, ignored it happening.

The methodology of this list was copying down the number of four-year public high schools per each listed school system in the Seventy-Eighth and Seventy-Ninth Annual Reports  of the Department of Education to the General Assembly of the State of Georgia.

Accredited high schools were applied to the list from the 1949-50 Georgia Educational Directory. At that time, the directory did not print what grades each school housed. Accredited high schools were listed in all caps.

Fortunately, much is known of school systems of that era to add in nearly all unaccredited high schools. We know all nine of Gordon County’s county schools and that Walker County was operating minuscule high schools at Cedar Grove and West Armuchee.

Unfortunately, not enough is known about Georgia’s African-American schools to attempt that list. The Annual Reports said there were 289 four-year black high schools in the year ending June 1950 (there were 482 white four-year public high schools). Sources are few and far between, especially for a rural county like Meriwether, which was said to have nine public African-American four-year high schools.

The stats from the Annual Reports almost assuredly contain a handful of errors. Glascock County, for example, was credited with two white high schools.

There were four schools in Glascock County in 1949-50, according to the Department of Education’s Educational Directory of the same year: Gibson, Bastonville, Edgehill and Mitchell. Gibson, of course, being the county seat and the biggest town in the county, had an all-grades 13-teacher school and was accredited as a high school by the state. The directory specifically labels Bastonville and Mitchell as junior high schools. Though not labeled, Edgehill was smaller than the two of those, at four teachers.

Any system number starred is one I feel the number is not correct.  Some likely had fewer schools. Some, like Cobb County, probably had more high schools than the list credited. If the asterisk appears by a school, it means I am not sure if the school was indeed a high school. Rather, it’s an educated guess.

In another note, the Annual Reports were not always consistent with breaking school systems into county and city. For example, Statesboro and Vienna were separate school systems than Bulloch and Dooly counties, respectively, but were included with them.

• Appling (2) – Baxley, Surrency
• Atkinson (2) – Pearson, Willacoochee
• Bacon (1) – Bacon County
• Baker (1) – Baker County
• Baldwin (3) – Georgia Military College, Midway Vocational, Peabody
• Banks (4) – Banks County, Davis Academy, Gillsville, Hickory Flat*
• Barrow (1) – Statham
• Bartow (4) – Adairsville, Cass, Pine Log, Taylorsville
• Ben Hill (1) – Fitzgerald
• Berrien (5) – Alapaha, Enigma, Nashville, Poplar Springs, Ray City
• Bibb (3) – Lanier, Macon Vocational, A.L. Miller
• Bleckley (1) – Cochran
• Brantley (2) – Hoboken, Nahunta
• Brooks (4) – Barwick, Dixie, Morven, Quitman
• Bryan (2) – Bryan County, Richmond Hill
• Bulloch (7) – Brooklet, Laboratory School, Nevils, Portal, Register, Statesboro, Stilson
• Burke (4) – Girard, Midville, Sardis, Waynesboro
• Butts (1) – Jackson
• Calhoun (3) – Arlington, Edison, Morgan
• Camden (2) – Camden County, South Camden
• Candler (2) – Metter, Pulaski
• Carroll (6) – Bowdon, Mount Zion, Roopville, Temple, Villa Rica, Whitesburg
• Catoosa (2) – Lakeview, Ringgold
• Charlton (2) – Charlton County, St. George
• Chatham (2) – Commercial, Savannah
• Chattahoochee (1) – Cusseta
• Chattooga (5) – Gore, Lyerly, Menlo, Subligna, Summerville
• Cherokee (2) – Canton, Woodstock
• Clarke (2) – University Demonstration, Winterville
• Clay (1) – Clay County
• Clayton (3) – Forest Park, Jonesboro, North Clayton
• Clinch (1) – Homerville
• Cobb (8*) – Acworth, Austell, Fitzhugh Lee, Kennesaw, Mableton, McEachern, R.L. Osborne, Powder Springs, Smyrna. Nine schools.
• Coffee (6) – Ambrose, Broxton, Douglas, Nicholls, Satilla, West Green
• Colquitt (2) – Doerun, Norman Park
• Columbia (3) – Evans, Harlem, Leah
• Cook (1) – Cook
• Coweta (4) – East Coweta, Grantville, Newnan, Western
• Crawford (1) – Crawford County
• Crisp (3) – Arabi, East Crisp, West Crisp
• Dade (2) – Dade, Davis
• Dawson (1) – Dawson County
• Decatur (7) – Attapulgus, Bainbridge, Brinson*, Climax, Faceville*, Mount Pleasant, West Bainbridge
• DeKalb (8) – Avondale, Chamblee, Clarkston, Druid Hills, Lithonia, Southwest DeKalb, Stone Mountain, Tucker
• Dodge (5) – Chauncey, Chester, Dodge High, Eastman, Rhine
• Dooly (5) – Byromville, Dooly High, Pinehurst, Unadilla, Vienna
• Dougherty (0)
• Douglas (1) – Douglas County
• Early (4) – Blakely-Union, Damascus, Hilton, Jakin
• Echols (1) – Echols County
• Effingham (5) – Clyo, Effingham Academy, Guyton, Marlow, Rincon
• Elbert (2) – Bowman, Nancy Hart Memorial
• Emanuel (6) – Adrian, Emanuel County Institute, Garfield, Oak Park, Summertown, Swainsboro
• Evans (1) – Claxton
• Fannin (4) – Blue Ridge, Epworth, Fannin County, McCaysville
• Fayette (1) – Fayette County
• Floyd (6*) – Armuchee, Cave Spring, Coosa, Johnson, McHenry, Model, Pepperell. Seven schools.
• Forsyth (2) – Chestatee, Cumming
• Franklin (3) – Franklin County, Lavonia, Royston
• Fulton (9) – Campbell, College Park, Fulton, Hapeville, Milton, North Fulton, Northside, Russell, West Fulton
• Gilmer (1) – Ellijay
• Glascock (2*) – Gibson. No other high schools.
• Glynn (1) – Glynn Academy
• Gordon (9) – Belwood, Fairmount, Liberty, Oostanaula, Plainville, Red Bud, Resaca, Sonoraville, Sugar Valley
• Grady (2) – Cairo, Whigham
• Greene (2) – Greensboro, Union Point
• Gwinnett (11) – Bethesda, Buford, Dacula, Duluth, Grayson, Lawrenceville, Lilburn, Norcross, Snellville, Sugar Hill, Suwanee
• Habersham (4) – Baldwin, Clarkesville, Cornelia, Demorest
• Hall (10) – Air Line, Chattahoochee, Flowery Branch, Lyman Hall, Lula, Murrayville*, Oakwood, River Bend, Sardis (and unknown)
• Hancock (1) – Sparta
• Haralson (5) – Bremen, Buchanan, Tallapoosa, Waco (and unknown).
• Harris (4) – Chipley, Hamilton, Mountain Hill, Waverly Hall
• Hart (1) – Hartwell
• Heard (2) – Centralhatchee, Franklin
• Henry (2) – Hampton, McDonough
• Houston (2) – Perry, Warner Robins
• Irwin (3) – Irwinville, Mystic, Ocilla
• Jackson (5) – Benton, Braselton, Commerce, Jefferson, Maysville
• Jasper (1) – Monticello
• Jeff Davis (1) – Jeff Davis
• Jefferson (6) – Avera, Bartow, Louisville, Stapleton, Wadley, Wrens
• Jenkins (1) – Millen
• Johnson (2) – Kite, Wrightsville
• Jones (1) – Jones County
• Lamar (1) – Milner
• Lanier (1) – Lanier County
• Laurens (10) – Brewton, Cadwell, Cedar Grove, Condor, Dexter, Dublin, Dudley, Lowery, Rentz, Wilkes
• Lee (1) – Lee County
• Liberty (1) – Bradwell Institute
• Lincoln (1) – Lincolnton
• Long (1) – Ludowici
• Lowndes (6) – Clyattville, Hahira, Lake Park, Naylor, Pine Grove, Valdosta
• Lumpkin (1) – Lumpkin County
• Macon (4) – Ideal, Marshallville, Montezuma, Oglethorpe
• Madison (4) – Colbert, Comer, Danielsville, Ila
• Marion (1) – Buena Vista
• McDuffie (2) – Dearing, Thomson
• McIntosh (1) – Darien
• Meriwether (4) – Greenville, Luthersville, Manchester, Woodbury
• Miller (1) – Miller County
• Mitchell (4) – Hopeful, Mitchell County, Pelham, Sale City
• Monroe (1) – Mary Persons
• Montgomery (2) – Montgomery County, Mt. Vernon-Ailey
• Morgan (1) – Morgan County
• Murray (1) – Murray County
• Muscogee (3) – Baker, Columbus, Jordan
• Newton (1) – Newton County
• Oconee (2) – Bogart, Oconee County
• Oglethorpe (2*) – Oglethorpe County. Oglethorpe County was the only high school.
• Paulding (2) – Dallas, Hiram
• Peach (2) – Byron, Fort Valley
• Pickens (2) – Pickens County, Tate
• Pierce (2) – Blackshear, Patterson
• Pike (2) – Concord-Molena, Zebulon
• Polk (1) – Rockmart
• Pulaski (1) – Hawkinsville
• Putnam (1) – Eatonton
• Quitman (1) – Georgetown
• Rabun (3) – Lakemont, Rabun County, Rabun Gap
• Randolph (2) – Cuthbert, Shellman
• Richmond (3) – Hephzibah, Richmond Academy, Tubman
• Rockdale (1) – Conyers
• Schley (1) – Schley County
• Screven (5*) – Bay Branch, Hilltonia, Jackson, Newington, Rocky Ford, Sylvania. Six high schools.
• Seminole (1) – Seminole County
• Spalding (1) – Spalding
• Stephens (2) – Stephens County, Toccoa
• Stewart (2) – Richland, Stewart County
• Sumter (2) – Plains, Union
• Talbot (1) – Talbot County
• Taliaferro (1) – Alexander Stephens Institute
• Tattnall (3) – Collins, Glennville, Reidsville
• Taylor (2) – Butler, Reynolds
• Telfair (5) – Lumber City, McRae-Helena, Milan, Ocmulgee, Workmore
• Terrell (1) – Terrell
• Thomas (5) – Boston, Coolidge, Meigs, Ochlocknee, Pavo
• Tift (2) – Omega, Tifton
• Toombs (3) – Lyons, Toombs Central, Vidalia
• Towns (1) – Towns County
• Treutlen (1) – Treutlen
• Troup (4) – Center, Gray Hill, Rosemont, (Hillcrest or Mountville)
• Turner (3) – Ashburn, Rebecca, Sycamore
• Twiggs (3) – Smith, Twiggs, Twiggs-Wilkinson
• Union (2) – Union County, Woody Gap
• Upson (1) – Yatesville
• Walker (6*) – Cedar Grove, Chattanooga Valley, LaFayette, Rossville, West Armuchee. Likely only five high schools.
• Walton (3) – Loganville, Monroe, Social Circle
• Ware (4) – Manor, Wacona, Waresboro, Waycross
• Warren (1) – Warrenton
• Washington (4) – Davisboro, Harrison, Sandersville, Tennille
• Wayne (3) – Odum, Screven, Wayne County
• Webster (1) – Webster County
• Wheeler (4*) – Glenwood, Shiloh, Wheeler County. Likely just three high schools.
• White (2) – Cleveland, Nacoochee
• Whitfield (7) – Cohutta, Dawnville, Pleasant Grove, Tunnel Hill, Valley Point, Varnell, Westside
• Wilcox (4) – Abbeville, Pineview, Pitts, Rochelle
• Wilkes (2) – Tignall, Washington
• Wilkinson (4) – Gordon, Irwinton, Toomsboro, Twiggs-Wilkinson
• Worth (4) – Bridgeboro, Sumner, Sylvester, Warwick
• Albany (1) – Albany
• Americus (1) – Americus
• Athens (2*) – Athens. Probably just one high school.
• Atlanta (9) – Bass, Brown, Central Night, Grady, Murphy, O’Keefe, Roosevelt, Smith, Sylvan
• Barnesville (1) – Gordon Military
• Calhoun city (1) – Calhoun
• Carrollton (1) – Carrollton
• Cartersville (1) – Cartersville
• Cedartown (1) – Cedartown
• Chickamauga (1) – Gordon Lee
• Cordele (1) – Cordele
• Dalton (1) – Dalton
• Decatur city (2) – Decatur Boys, Decatur Girls
• Elberton (1) – Elberton
• Gainesville (1) – Gainesville
• Griffin (1) – Griffin
• Hogansville (1) – Hogansville
• LaGrange (1) – LaGrange
• Marietta (1) – Marietta
• Moultrie (1) – Moultrie
• Rome (2*) – Rome. Likely one high school as Georgia School for the Deaf and Berry both called private.
• Tallulah Falls (1) – Tallulah Falls
• Thomaston (1) – R.E. Lee
• Thomasville (1) – Thomasville
• Toccoa (1) – Toccoa
• Trion (1) – Trion
• West Point (1) – West Point
• Winder (1) – Winder

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School stories: Cornelia Regional

Cooperative county education has always existed in Georgia.

Children in a border community might go across county lines for convenience of travel.

When Bridgeboro closed its high school in 1953, Worth County permitted a certain district to go to Doerun in Colquitt County, instead of making the long trek to Sylvester. A large controversy ensued a decade later when Lumber City High students refused to go to Telfair County when its doors closed, preferring to simply cross the river to go to Jeff Davis.

When entire county high school populations grew small, Georgia began the first of five multi-county high schools with Tri-County in 1975.

Tri-County, however, was not the first time a county was too small to support a high school population. Twenty years earlier, several school systems collaborated with others to educate older black students.

Cornelia Regional was the most involved of these, at one time being the high school for four counties: Habersham, White, Banks and Rabun.

Currently, it is unknown when Cornelia first became that base in northeast Georgia.

White County looks to have begun sending their older students there for 1953-54, right after its new black elementary school was completed.

Banks County announced its high school students would be attending Cornelia for the 1954-55 school year. Banks had previously sent high schoolers to Johntown, located in Commerce (and not a full high school), but when Johntown combined with Bryan in Jefferson, there wasn’t enough room.

Rabun County may have been using Cornelia even earlier.

A 1950 article in The Clayton Tribune describing each of the county’s schools had words about the single black school in the county, Ivy Hill.

“No opportunity is offered for a colored child to go above the seventh grade. It is our responsibility to send these children to high school. Last fall the County Board of Education offered to pay the expenses of two students who are away at high school, but since they were enrolled in a Church School in Athens, the State Dept. of Education ruled that payment could not be legally made. Next fall plans should be made to send these children to a school outside the County to the nearest place where facilities are offered.”

Banks moved in at a time Cornelia likely did not have much room.

Habersham County was in the midst of its school building project through the Minimum Foundation Program.

Bids were called for in March 1954 for a new complete school for what was then referred to as Cornelia Colored. The school would sit on 12 acres in the northern part of the city.

Work was completed for a September 5, 1955 opening.

Cornelia Regional, 2012

Even with so many systems together, the total black high school attendance was said to be 91. Seventy-two Habersham children were in elementary grades and eight teachers made up the entire faculty.

In 1961-62, the average daily attendance was 74.

Cornelia Regional continued as a school until 1966 when students were integrated into their respective county high schools. The building was quite possibly never used again as a regular school. In recent years, it has hosted museum exhibits about its history.

Side view of Cornelia Regional

Cornelia was too small to attempt football, but did have basketball. It mostly played area schools, including Cleveland before it consolidated with them. Cornelia made at least three appearances in the Georgia Interscholastic Association boys state tournament and at least one in the girls tourney.

Long view of Cornelia Regional. The sections possibly were the elementary and high school divisions.

Sources: Banks County Journal, Sept. 2, 1954; Northeast Georgian, Jan. 28, 1954, March 4, 1954, Sept. 15, 1955; The Cleveland Courier, July 17, 1953; The Clayton Tribune, June 1, 1950; Georgia Education Statistics: Public High School Data (1961-62).

School Stories is a series of current-to fairly current photos of school buildings. Some are long abandoned, some are still in use. Most will be rural or small town schools. Information is provided by newspaper archives and editions of the Georgia Educational Directory.

1950s high school consolidation plans that almost made it

The 1950s were a momentous time in Georgia. Thanks to the Minimum Foundation

Elberton High School, year unknown. Its burning brought about a union of school systems and changed building plans.

Program and the offers of state money to build desperately needed schools in Georgia, school systems were changing.

The state, wanting to upgrade white and black education, was trying to rid the small, rural high schools scattered throughout its borders and go with something more streamlined and cost effective.

Early days of this program were wild ones. The state had its beliefs about what should happen with the schools. School systems had others. Sometimes plans didn’t quite work out.

GORDON CENTRAL … 30 YEARS EARLIER

A pair of ideas were floated around Gordon County in the early 1950s. One was a total consolidation of Calhoun and the mostly small county high schools of Gordon into one building. The county and city both gave a stamp of approval to the idea in 1950.

However, in December 1951, Calhoun rejected the idea of straight consolidation. To do so would be for the city and county to merge school systems and Calhoun did not want to give up its independence. A contract, though, to bring the smallest of the schools to Calhoun, that was something they could get behind.

Calhoun city specifically mentioned Resaca, Sugar Valley, Oostanaula, Liberty, Belwood and Plainville. Yes, all of those were high schools in 1950s Gordon County. The county also boasted white high schools at Red Bud, Fairmount and Sonoraville. Those three were large enough to stand on their own. The state was OK with that plan, though the Minimum Foundation Program really would have liked to see the school boards merge.

In April 1952, though, the county voted to build a consolidated high school for Resaca, Sugar Valley, Oostanaula, Liberty, Belwood and Plainville. Fairmount, Red Bud and Sonoraville were still left alone. That plan might have come to fruition, if disaster had not struck in December of that year.

On December 15, 1952, Sonoraville’s school burned down. Suddenly, the county needed the money that might have gone to a county high school for a total school plant at Sonoraville. After that, the central high school dream began to fall apart.

Just as the 1952-53 school year was ending, Plainville asked to consolidate its high school with Calhoun. In July, Liberty practically begged to do the same. Despite space being scarce, Calhoun agreed to take on both.

When Calhoun’s needed space came through in 1956 via a new school, the remainder of the small county schools followed: Resaca, Sugar Valley, Oostanaula, Belwood and Sonoraville.

A real Gordon Central finally opened in 1985 for the county students. Red Bud and Fairmount lost their own high schools in 1991. Sonoraville, the school whose building loss perhaps ended the county high attempt of the 1950s, returned as a high school in 2005.

(The Gordon County News – Aug. 3, 1950; Oct. 9, 1950; Dec. 13, 1951; Apr. 22, 1952; Dec. 16, 1952; June 2, 1953; July 14, 1953; Nov. 22, 1956)

NORTH GWINNETT IN BUFORD, DACULA PART OF CENTRAL GWINNETT

There were three situations that would seem impossible now that came out of Gwinnett County’s school building and high school consolidation plans. Two didn’t happen. One did, albeit briefly.

West Gwinnett, a school that existed under that name from 1957-62 initially combined Norcross and Duluth. For a single school year, the two were together, until Duluth talked its way out of the situation. Norcross hung on to the West Gwinnett name for a few years more.

The other two major consolidations officially considered were: (1) Dacula to close its high school and join up with the bustling Central Gwinnett composed of Bethesda (by then a non-high school), Lilburn and Lawrenceville. And (2), North Gwinnett to be located at Buford, composed of Buford, Sugar Hill and Suwanee.

In December 1954, Gwinnett still had not chosen a site for North Gwinnett. Seven months later, it was announced that a contract that had been agreed upon between the county and Buford’s city system was null and void. The original plans were to alter and add on to Buford High.

No explanation was given by Lawrenceville’s News-Herald, but Buford balking on giving up its independence likely figured in, if it wasn’t the main reason.

Likewise, an exact explanation on when and how Dacula and Lilburn were dropped from Central Gwinnett has not yet been found. Both cities (and Duluth) were objecting to consolidation in 1952.

Lilburn lasted until 1966, when its students became part of Berkmar. Dacula remained small before booming into a very large school of its own.

(The News-Herald – Dec. 18, 1952; Dec. 17, 1954; July 7, 1955)

BARROW COUNTY HIGH

The state thought it was best for the county of Barrow to have a single white high school but with separate city and county boards of education, an agreement had to be made between them. The state heavily requested that these agreements be for 20 years. Full high schools existed at Statham (county) and Winder (city), with several ninth grade-level schools dotting the county.

At an impasse with the city in 1952 because of the length of the agreement, Barrow County made its own plans to maintain a high school. As late as August, the Barrow board decided to consolidate its county students into two sites.

Statham would get Holsenbeck students. Auburn would receive Bethlehem, County Line, Matthews and Victron. A full high school would exist at both sites, but under the single name of Barrow County High School.

The dual-town school would only be temporary, until Barrow County received state funds to build a new high school.

Registration was set for Aug. 28 with school to start Sept. 1. One the very eve of registration, the city and county came to a 20-year agreement. All county high school students (but not elementary) were welcome to attend Winder tuition-free, even those at Statham.

Statham maintained its high school and the county schools stayed the same.

The city and county eventually received funds at different times from the State School Building Authority. Anticipating full high school consolidation, Winder became Winder-Barrow in 1955. Statham closed as a high school in 1957.

(The Winder News – Aug. 21, 1952; Aug. 28, 1952)

BROOKS COUNTY HIGH AND QUITMAN HIGH AS SEPARATE ENTITIES

Brooks County and Quitman city, like many others, existed as separate school districts in the 1950s. Quitman had its own white elementary and high school, Brooks County had three white high schools at Morven, Dixie and Barwick.

Brooks County planned for a consolidated high school, buying land in January 1954 to house the building just outside Quitman on the Morven highway (GA 76). Initial reports indicated that the city was willing to join in and perhaps find some land near the present Quitman High for a new high school building.

By March 1954, the plans stalled, apparently at least partially over school location. The city wanted the school in another location because of traffic concerns. Between this and the next major squabble in late 1956, the city had built the African-American Washington Street High to replace Brooks High.

Some hope towards board consolidation took place before the November 1956 struggle over board representation. Quitman thought that having just two reps from the city were too few. Any deals were now off.

The county went ahead with plans for a consolidated high school for Barwick, Morven and Dixie, calling for bids in January 1958. A year later, the new high school was finished, but was not to be occupied until the 1959-60 school year.

Another attempt was made to combine boards through a Quitman city referendum. It was defeated soundly, 385-144. Not so fast, though. The vote wasn’t what Quitman wanted. The referendum called for a merger of the systems.

A straw vote taken the next week, which came out 288-135 in favor, provided for a temporary merger until a constitutional amendment made it permanent. The merger was made official in March 1959. Quitman would be going to the new Brooks County High. School started in the new building Aug. 31.

The merger did not just affect the white schools. Brooks County had planned for its own black high school, coincidentally located right next to the Washington Street plant. The new building also in 1959. It and the 1955 Washington building served as an elementary and high school, though rural elementaries continued to exist in Brooks.

(Quitman Free Press – Feb. 11, 1954; March 18, 1954; Nov. 29, 1956; Jan. 16, 1958; Jan. 8, 1959; Jan. 15, 1959; Jan. 22, 1959; March 19, 1959. Thomasville Times-Enterprise – Jan. 22, 1954)

CONSOLIDATION OF CARROLLTON, TEMPLE AND MOUNT ZION

When Carroll County and Carrollton city asked for a survey of their school systems in 1951, the results would set off seven years of fireworks.

The survey recommended three high schools: Villa Rica, which would include students from Temple; Bowdon and a consolidated high school of Carrollton, Whitesburg, Roopville and Mount Zion.

The protests against such a plan started immediately. Meanwhile, Carrollton started on its Minimum Foundation Foundation plans to expand Carrollton High.

In March 1953, the county board unanimously agreed to go along with beliefs of the people, that all of its rural high schools be maintained. There was some bending and flexing at a school board meeting three months later. Board representatives from Whitesburg and Mount Zion both said they understood consolidation if it meant their schools were not accredited. Georgia had recently introduced a plan that in the future, any schools with an average daily attendance under 100 would lose accreditation. Temple, Whitesburg, Roopville and Mount Zion were all under that number.

Despite the seeming progress, the county school board presented a plan to the State Board of Education in August 1953 to allow them to keep all the rural high schools. The state rejected it.

Soon, it seemed that the county was resigned to an agreement to make the three high schools plan work. Sites were examined for a new school site. But State Representative C.C. Perkins got involved with the school situation and began pushing the county to resist consolidation.

The situation grew dramatically worse in March 1955.

At a meeting with the State Board of Education in Atlanta, Perkins got into a fistfight with Dorsey Duffey, a Carroll County resident who supported consolidation.

Perkins began focusing on saving Mount Zion and building up the school. He was even able to get funds to start a football program in late 1955.

The county continued to fight against consolidation, resolving to keep all high schools in March 1957. Then in July 1957, Temple’s school burned.

How exactly the county came around to support the dissolution of the Roopville and Whitesburg schools is unknown at this time. Temple had gotten a bit of industry in the town, helping push its attendance. The football efforts at Mount Zion possibly saved it.

Central High School was finished in the fall of 1958, but with equipment not scheduled to arrive until the end of the calendar year, the county decided to wait until the 1959-60 school year to move in.

(Carroll County Georgian – March 22, 1951; Sept. 6, 1951; May 8, 1952; March 5, 1953; June 18, 1953; Aug. 20, 1953; Nov. 5, 1953; Feb. 11, 1954; March 17, 1955; Dec. 15, 1955; March 7, 1957. Carroll Times-Free Press – July 30, 1957; Sept. 16, 1958)

ELBERT COUNTY AND ELBERTON

Separate county and city school boards were not uncommon in the early 1950s. Many that did have separate boards also had rural towns with their own high schools. When trying to modernize education in the state and cut some waste, Georgia asked many of these separate systems to combine.

Some were fine with this idea, realizing that it really was for the best. Some were stubborn, hating that they would have to give up their independence. Some were Elberton and Elbert County.

Georgia wanted Elberton and Elbert to become one with their schools, but neither side was willing to agree.

In October 1952, the county announced plans for county-wide white and black high schools. Sites had already been purchased. Unlike in the cases of most other systems, Georgia refused to listen to the Elbert County requests until Elberton submitted theirs. The problem was, the city had no immediate needs and had no plans to file anytime soon.

Elbert County started negotiating with the city for a merger. After a year of talks, it seemed like they had hammered out their differences on picking board members and a superintendent. Elberton also apparently found some needs and submitted plans to the state. More than $1 million was approved for both systems. High schools were still separate.

No work had started on either system in 1954 when there was perhaps an omen of things to come.

Elberton High, formal name Central High, was severely damaged in a fire Oct. 2. Because of airtight doors, classrooms held, but repairs were extensive: plaster on all three floors had to be replaced, a new stairwell had to be constructed, there was damage to the roof, all windows (save for one) and doorways had to be replaced and the building needed to be rewired. Work was completed in a week.

Would the fire convince the systems to combine? It was a put to a vote in the general election a month later. City voters favored consolidation, but the county did not. Approval by both was needed, though the overall tally favored consolidation.

In October 1955, construction was on the immediate horizon, with bids for projects up. Then on November 7, Elberton High burned again, this time completely.

A high school had not been planned by the Elberton city system. Now one was desperately needed as students were being taught in several churches. On January 4, 1956, city citizens voted to abolish Elberton’s city school system. Elbert County and Elberton became one in July 1956.

The county high school was now a reality, but not as originally planned. Instead of being built in the county, a new school would go up on the site of the old Elberton High. Both systems had preferred that location. Similarly, the black high school site was moved to the city in June 1956, near Blackwell Memorial.

Bids were soon taken for construction and Elbert County High opened in 1957.

(The Elberton Star – Oct. 14, 1952; Nov. 14, 1952; Oct. 30, 1953; Dec. 22, 1953; Oct. 5, 1954; Oct. 29, 1954; Nov. 5, 1954; Nov. 10, 1955; Jan. 6, 1956; June 19, 1956)

The Georgia High School Basketball Project blog is a companion to the Georgia High School Basketball Project.