Hart County High School - Memoir Yearbook (Hartwell, GA)

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OF GROWTH A bond election was called for a $40,000 bond issue ond was carried with so little opposition it was not noticeable. An additional building was built about 100 yards down the street and the two stood side by side until the older one burned on Christmas Eve of 1934. In a newspaper item announcing the official opening of our present high school building, among other things stated was: It has 16 class rooms, an auditorium seating 800, and has been declared by State school authorities to be one of the most modern school buildings in Georgia. In addition, there is the library, laboratory, shower bath, and every other convenience for a real school. HART COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL This building was fast outgrown. The library was converted to a class room, the auditorium was made into a library and lunch room. An auditorium-gymnasium and two elementary buildings have also been constructed to accommodate the ever-increasing school population. While our building hasn't burned, it has been condemned by the State Building Authority and during the latter part of February, 1955, the ground was broken for a modern 28 room building costing approximately $376,500. This building will soon be ready for occupancy and it will surely improve the facilities for education in Hart County.

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A CENTURY Many years ago most any person who felt qualified — or had the energy — could teach school. Records show that Hon. F. C. Stephen- son was the first teacher, beginning in 1855; he taught in a one-room log cabin that was a pri- vate dwelling. HARTWELL'S FIRST HIGH SCHOOL The first school house erected in Hartwell was a one room hulled-in frame building. The lot on which the building was originally located had been donated by the town authorities as a lot for a female academy. Later a house consisting of a long, large room with a chimney at each end was built and the school building was attached as an ell to the new part. This building was used until 1888. This building was moved from West Howell Street to Franklin Street and is still in use as a residence. In September, 1887, a movement for a new school building for the town was launched. A very suitable wood building was erected at a cost of about $7,500. This building, the Hart- well Institute, served well until Thursday, Janu- ary 24, 1907, when it was accidentally de- stroyed by fire while school was in session. HARTWELL HIGH SCHOOL This fire was a great loss, but archi- tects were employed to submit plans and soon an up-to-date structure cost- ing $20,000 was erected on the same site. It was known as Hartwell High School and would supposedly serve for many years to come, but not so; it became too crowded.

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ONE OF THE CLASSROOM WINGS THE AUDITORIUM AND A CLASS ROOM WING