Early Chipley Schools
The town of Chipley received a Charter from the State of Georgia Legislature and Governor Alexander Stephens on December 9, 1882.
At first there were only 2 schools, the Chipley Academy and the Chipley High School. The Academy was located at the end of McDougal Avenue in a 2 story building, close to where the Women’s Club is located.
According to the January 12th 1884 Chipley Leader: ”Reverend S.D. Clements and Mr. T.L. Thompson we hear will open a school in the academy of the later gentleman. We trust that their efforts to get up a school will be encouraged. they now have a promising outlook.” reverend Clements was a pastor at the Chipley Methodist episcopal Church South 1882-1884. Mr. Thomas L. Thompson lived in Hood and had been a school teacher there. He later became the Harris County School Commissioner.
According to the Chipley Leader on February 16, 1884: ”We learn that the school at this place numbers 70 students and that an additional room is to be put to the academy to accommodate the growing necessities of the school. No features so permanently builds up as well as sustaining a town as a good school.”
According to the Hamilton Journal in January 1886: ”Chipley Academy with S.W. Rogers principal. It has a Classical Department of 1 – 3rd grades. Intermediate Department of 4 – 7th grades. Primary Department of 8 – 9th grades.”
According to Lillian Barfield from the “History of Harris County Georgia 1827 – 1962 “Teachers contracted to teach public schools in 1886. Chipley District, E.W. Rodgers, Mrs. Vic Bussey.
Barfield also quotes “District Trustees of Public Schools in 1886. Chipley District, H.A. Goodman, John B. Hastey, J.H. Whitehead
She goes on to say: ” The people of the Chipley Community have completed this summer a large and commodious academy which has been furnished with the most improved furniture. The building is situated in a beautiful grove and is of proportions ample for all present needs. Professor Walter E. Murphy, a younf=g man well known in Harris County, has charge of the institution and is backed by the good people of Chipley, will make it one of the finest academies of learning to be found in the State. He is a graduate of the Normal Department of Vanderbilt University and has successfully taught for several years, The music department is in the charge of Mrs. L.E. Murphy…”
In December of 1888 Reverend W.A. Farley was a supervisor of Chipley High School. Citizens bought a beautiful oak and hickory grove and erected a building of one large, long room. Tuition was charged.
By 1889 Professor W.O. Johnson was at Chipley High again. By 1893 Professor L.D.L. Harmon was the principal with 3 – -4 teachers. He eventually bought the building and added an East Wing. He paid yearly on it.
According to the Deed Book 5, page 14 of Harris County: ”Written 14 January 1898, Recorded 6 July 1898. Between W.L. Harmon and Mayor and Council of the Town of Chipley and their successors for $1,000. Lot #212 and #218. Bounded on the South by Blevin Street. On West by Williams Avenue. On North by #211 and #219. On East by Columbus Ave.
In 1889 Barfield states that “Chipley School District incorporated. In 1905 the Chipley Stock Company was organized and a West wing was added to the building. In 1906 the State of Georgia declared that bonds could be issued for the school. T. L. Thomason was the County School Commissioner.
The above photo was taken with in 1906 or 1908. The 8th, 9th and 10th grade students on the steps of the old wooden school building at Chipley High. Professor Albert A. Bell and Mrs. Albert Dunn are supervising the students.
According to Barfield on October 1, 1907 the citizens of Chipley voted for a referendum for public schools. Out of 78 registered voters, 76 voted for the schools and 2 voted against the schools and school bonds.
At 1:00 am a tornado hit the town of Chipley, causing a lot of destruction including the school. Barfield states that on August 28, 1908 the “Fall term of Chipley High School will begin first Monday in September. Exercise will be held in the old house until completion of the new one. Professor Bell is putting every effort in the new school. On September 11, 1980 “The walls of the new school building are going up right fast, work has been delayed this week for lack of material.”
They laid a new cornerstone in the building which stated” 1908, J.W. Caldwell, Chairman, J.H. Hogan H.A. Middlebrooks O.D. Tucker R.E. Hartley, Contractors Hastley and Cox.
According to Bessie Smith, a longtime 1st grade teacher, they taught school that fall in an old wooden building in from of the construction site. After the holidays they moved to the new building and outgrew the 4 classrooms.
In January 1909 the new school held an open house. The building was steam heated, gas lighted and well ventilated. It was 2 stories tall, had a 450 seat auditorium and a music room upstairs. There were 8 students.
In the school year 1911/12 the school had 8 teachers which included the Superintendent (O.H. Hinton) , Principal (J.W. Adams) , Music Teacher, elocution teacher, drama teacher, and 4 grade level teachers. There were 233 students, 105 were male and 128 female. By 1919 they added 11th grade.
According to the Harris County Journal on October 19, 1939: ”Our school is greatly pleased to know that the building of a Gymnasium is soon to be underway. We hope that it will be completed by Christmas. The building committee is: Meters Reid Mullins, J.B. Patrick and Charles Pitman.
1949 New Black Elementary School
The new school operated under the Harris County School Superintendent and was the largest colored school in the area.
They added a new school bus which ran twice a day. This is the first time the county offered transportation to the black children.
They added 2 new teachers in 1949 making a total of 7 teachers. 4 of the teachers had a college degree, 1 had attended 3 years of college and 2 had 1 year of college.
The number of students increased and overflowed the building. Some classes were relocated to the Community Center built by the Bethany Missionary Baptist Church.
In 1952 12th grade was added to the white schools. In 1955 the Chipley High School was consolidated with the white county high school in Hamilton. There was only 1 school bus.
In 1970 the white Chipley Elementary and the black Dunbar Elementary were consolidated into Pine Mountain Elementary. In 1980 this elementary was consolidated into the county schools and everyone was bussed into Hamilton.
The majority of the research for this section was done by Frankie Mabry.
Chipley Historical Center 