We hope to see you around in our amazing community...Where Georgia Comes Together.
Tabitha Clark:
Welcome to the Inside Perry, Georgia podcast. It's 2024 and we're celebrating the city of Perry's 200th birthday. This year we're partnering with the Perry Area Historical Society to give an inside look at the tells of Perry's past. We're delving into the archives to uncover the stories that truly make Perry a unique and special place. Today's tell is narrated by Ms. Ellie Loudermilk, president of the Perry Area Historical Society.
Ellie Loudermilk:
Our story for today is the development of education in Perry. In 1824, the Georgia General Assembly granted a charter to Houston County Academy of Perry. And in 1825, the Justices of the Inferior Court sold one acre of land to the commissioners of the academy for one dollar. A permanent school building was built on this site, known as the Armory Site in Perry. Where Swift Street intersects Macon Road, it was a long, narrow, painted, two story framed structure with brick chimneys at each end and fireplaces above and below. Although its exterior was admired, it was considered unsafe because of its slender proportions. So whenever a storm or wind arose, school was dismissed and all students scampered home. Even without a strong wind, the school was uncomfortable in winter. The brick used for the foundations and chimneys of the academy were made in the street between the residences of Thomas Killen and William Brunson. By the end of the 1840s, Perry was a thriving town with a population of 500 and contained three churches, Two flourishing schools, one large hotel, three stores, four groceries, an apothecary shop, a small bookstore, and a post office. Many of the businessmen of Perry wanted their daughters to have an education too. So Houston Female College, a school for girls, opened in February 1854. Tuition for classes varied from autumn to spring, except for languages. Those classes were free. College courses and music cost 20 in the autumn and 30 in the spring. Other classes for the young ladies were drawing and painting and embroidery. The copy books and composition, pens, ink, slates, slate pencils, and pianos were furnished without extra cost. The Civil War took its toll upon education in Georgia. And private academies and common schools could not maintain their teachers. During this time, the state made an appropriation to supplement teachers pay, and Governor Brown requested the bonding of a treasurer from each board of education. County Ordinary William Swift was appointed in 1864. In order to qualify for this state funding, educational surveys of the county were required. Swift's report for Houston County that year recorded that there were 18 common schools in addition to the ones already mentioned. Immediately after the Civil War, education received government priority. The Constitutional Convention of 1865 urged that all schools closed by the war be reopened. The Constitution of 1868, in Article VI, Section 1, provided for a thorough system of general education. To be forever free to the children of the state. In 1869, the First State Teachers Association appointed gustavus or to work out a plan for a public school system. Plans were well laid and the first public school law was passed. However, few counties could activate the system as the funds were non-existent. A report of the county schools in 1873. revealed that many young people were unable to take advantage of an education. There were a total of 5, 908 school aged children, but only 1, 941 were attending school. There were 21 white and 15 black schools in the county. Their curriculum included script and grammar, reading, writing, geography, and arithmetic. A Houston Male Academy created by the Perry Methodist Church began operation in 1874 at the corner of 3rd and Houston Lake Drive. There were 81 male students paying tuition from 20 to 50 per year. Classical courses included English, French, Latin, Greek, Rhetoric, Composition, Declamation, and Scientific Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Surveying, and Astronomy. The curriculum for the males was way more rigorous than for the females. Another school opened in Perry during this time. Mrs. John H. Hauser and Miss Jane Thigpen opened a school for boys and girls on Ball Street in 1882, which paved the way for the merger of the Houston Male Academy and the Houston Female College in 1886. This became Perry Consolidated School, with B. J. Conyers as president. Twelve years later, this property was sold to the Board of Education for 1, 500. The legislature in 1889 provided for a system of public schools in Perry, one white and one black, supported by public taxation. The Board of Education had the power to prescribe textbooks, And the Bible was not excluded. The Consolidated School in Perry became known as Perry High School. The classwork of seven of the Perry High School students was exhibited at the Exposition Universal as part of the Georgia Exhibit. This World's Fair of 1900 was held in Paris, France to celebrate the achievements of the past century and to accelerate development into the next. The fair displayed many machines, inventions, and architecture that are now nearly universally known, including escalators, the Eiffel Tower, ferris wheels, diesel engines, and talking films. Even over 100 years ago. People could say that the education system of Houston County was exemplary. In 1904, the school year was lengthened to seven months. Prior to this time, a school year might last anywhere from three to six months, depending on the funding available from the state budget. In 1912, the Civic Improvement Club raised money for a stage in the auditorium. It seems that the noise of automobiles coming to the school would drown the voices of those taking part in programs in the auditorium. Drivers were asked to stop their machines far enough out to prevent the noise from disturbing. and the audiences. The 1915 Act of Perry provided for an election of trustees, also known as the Perry Board of Education, by the people rather than appointments by the grand jury. There were five board members and one superintendent to be elected. A school tax was required to support the schools, so one and a half mills was levied for the county. and five mills was levied for the cities of Perry and Fort Valley. According to the school survey of 1915, the Perry School had two buildings valued at 4, 000 with four classrooms, six teachers, a principal, an auditorium, and a library with 50 volumes serving 150 students In grades one through ten, other equipment included desk, blackboards, charts, framed pictures, sand tables, illustrative materials, specimens, et cetera, and water from the city waterworks. What the school did not have was maps and globes. Maintenance was provided from county and city funds for a total of 4, 150. As the population grew, so did the school. And in 1919, the large Joel Mann family home on the corner of Main and Evergreen was bought and added to Perry High School to house the upper grades. By 1924, the school was no longer large enough. And the Board of Education floated a bond of 85, 000. to build a new school. The original building, which had been built as Houston Female College, was moved across the street to become the Jordan Residence. The Joel Mann House was moved to Beckham Circle to become the Beckham Residence. The new colonial revival style school building was completed and the doors opened for the class of 1925. This is now the oldest brick school building in Houston County. and is used as offices for the Board of Education. There was a gradual consolidation of county schools in 1938 and 39, and this consolidation created a need for transportation. So in 1936 and 37, the Board of Education added 15 bus drivers who were paid about 600 each per year. About this same time, the state passed another law. That furnished free textbooks for students and state and federal governments began lunch room programs. Graduation from high school meant the completion of 11 grades compulsory school attendance. Law began functioning in 1946. This meant that all children from 6 to 16 were required to attend school in 1949. A uniform nine month school term was required, and the 12th grade was added to high school. In 1951, a 3 percent sales tax was passed by the Georgia General Assembly to help support schools. For the school year 1960 61, Houston County had 15 schools to educate over 9, 000 students. Today, Houston County has 39 schools to educate more than 30, 000 students. And that concludes our story for today.
Tabitha Clark:
Thanks for joining us for the Inside Perry, Georgia podcast. We're celebrating all year long in 2024. Visit the show notes to discover the exciting things happening this year. Special thanks again to the Perry Area Historical Society for their time, dedication, and passion for Perry's history. Visit the Perry Area Historical Museum. More information about that museum is in the show notes. If you like Inside Perry, subscribe and share the podcast with friends and family. The podcast is available on all major podcast platforms. Visit us at perry ga. gov for more information about the city of Perry. We hope to see you around in our amazing community, where Georgia comes together.
