GIA Heritage
Tracing the history of the Georgia Interscholastic Association
Email
Home
GHSBP Home
Profile: Telfair County

Year Minimum Foundation building program completed
1958-1959.

Elementary and high school Central (McRae), an elementary at Milan, an elementary at Rock Hill (Workmore) and an addition to the elementary at Lumber City were new schools in a massive building project for white and Black schools for Telfair.

Year of total integration
1970.

Telfair schools superintendent Gwen Flanders was happy in the Sept. 3, 1970 Telfair Enterprise at how well total integration went, though she begged patrons to contact principals instead of gossip with neighbors over issues.

"School personnel are indeed grateful for the cooperation and patience you have exhibited as we have worked to make the greatest change which has occurred within our memory," said Flanders in a story she penned for the paper.

Telfair's changes saw a federal judge draw up four attendance zones for elementary children. Flanders, again writing the article in the April 16, 1970, issue, said Telfair was mandated to follow these boundaries.

Before total integration, Telfair had already been mandated to increase its efforts.

Kindergarten and 1st grade were totally integrated for 1969-70, according to the Sept. 4, 1969 Telfair Enterprise. Freedom of Choice was still allowed for grades 2-12.

Flanders said in the Jan. 29, 1970 Telfair Enterprise that most children, over the span of the last few months of school, would make a visit to where they would be attending the next year. Central High had an ag class at Telfair County High.

Teachers were to teach at a school of the opposite race four days per month in Judge Lawrence's ruling. In addition, a biracial student committee met periodically in 1969-70.

Flanders was nervous about all of this. Her Jan. 29 article begged, "Please do nothing to cause the Judge to order 'instant integration.'"

The 1970-71 school year saw Central High become Central Middle, grades 5-8. Lumber City's students all moved to River Street, the other school in the city and it appears that both Rock Hill's and Milan's schools were abandoned completely, after barely a decade of use.

Known high schools
  • Central (McRae)
  • Lumber City
  • Milan
  • Rock Hill (Workmore)
  • Twin City (McRae)

Central replaced all of the high schools in 1959.

Known schools
  • 1935-36: 25 schools (03/21/1936 Macon Telegraph)
  • 1955-56: Lumber City High, Milan High, Rock Hill High, Twin City
The Georgia Department of Education begins publishing a list of schools in 1956-57.
  • 1956-57: Lumber City (grades 1-12), Milan (1-12), Rock Hill (1-12), Twin City (1-12). Not a complete list?
  • 1957-58: Lumber City (grades 1-12), Milan (1-12), Rock Hill (1-12), Twin City (1-12)
  • 1958-59: Lumber City (grades 1-12), Milan (1-12), Rock Hill (1-12), Twin City (1-12)
  • 1959-60: Central High (grades 1-12), Lumber City (1-7), Milan (1-7), Rock Hill (1-7)
  • 1960-61: Central High & Elementary (grades 1-12), Lumber City (1-7), Milan (1-7), Rock Hill (1-7)
  • 1961-62: Central High & Elementary (grades 1-12), Lumber City (1-7), Milan (1-7), Rock Hill (1-7)
  • 1962-63: Central High & Elementary (grades 1-12), Lumber City (1-7), Milan (1-7), Rock Hill (1-7)
  • 1963-64: Central High & Elementary (grades 1-12), Lumber City (1-7), Milan (1-7), Rock Hill (1-7)
  • 1964-65: Central High & Elementary (grades 1-12), Lumber City (1-7), Milan (1-7), Rock Hill (1-7)
  • 1965-66: Central High & Elementary (grades 1-12), Lumber City (1-7), Milan (1-7), Rock Hill (1-7)
  • 1966-67: Central High & Elementary (grades 1-12), Lumber City (1-7), Milan (1-7), Rock Hill (1-7)
  • 1967-68: Central High & Elementary (grades 1-12), Lumber City (1-7), Milan (1-7), Rock Hill (1-7)
  • 1968-69: Central High & Elementary (grades 1-12), Lumber City (1-7), Milan (1-7), Rock Hill (1-7)
  • 1969-70: Central High & Elementary (grades 2-12), Lumber City (2-7), Milan (K-7), Rock Hill (2-7)
Additional notes