Tubman High School - Maids and a Man Yearbook (Augusta, GA)

Page 15 text:

Tubman Ay.-gpgwagid A MAN Class History of Tubman HE Class of 1921 of the Tubman High School would leave as a gift to the Tubman girls of today and tomorrow, this brief historical sketch of the school. Before the Tubman High School was established by the Board of Educa- tion in 1874-, there were no public high schools for girls in Augusta. Prior to that time there were many private schools and tutors to otfer a girl a high school education. In 1874- Mrs. Emily Tubman purchased the Christian Church building at T11 Reynolds Street and presented it to the Board of Education to be used as a girls' high school. lllrs. Tubman was Miss Emily Thomas of Kentucky. In 1817 she married lllr. Richard Tubman, a rich merchant of Augusta, Georgia. At his death lNIr. Tubman left his widow a large fortune. Mrs. Tubman was interested in many community enterprises in Augusta. To some of these she gave large sums of money. Therefore, she purchased the Christian Church and its pre- sentation to the Board for the purpose above mentioned was in keeping with her deep interest in Augusta. Yvhen Mrs. Tubman presented the church building on Reynolds Street to the Board of Education, one of the conditions of the gift was, that if for any reason this site were ever abandoned as a girls' high school. it should then become the duty of the Trustees of the Academy of Richmond County to sell the p1'operty and divide the proceeds between the Academy of Richmond County and the D'Antignac Free School. This disposition of the old school lot on Reynolds Street was made after the school building was burned to the ground in the great fire of March 22, 1916. hlrs. Tubman left no endowment to the Tubman High School. The school has always been entirely supported by the public school fund of the county and state as administered by the Richmond County Board of Education. The Tubman High School has had only four principals: Mr. Ben Neely, Rev. lvilliam Beane, Mr. John Neely, and Mr. T. H. Garrett, who still holds the office after fifteen years of valuable service to this institution. x The first class, consisting of only eight girls, graduated at the Tubman in 1869. The school has grown steadily since that time and at present there are fifty-two in the graduating class. There are now six hundred and fifty in the student body and a faculty of thirty-two members. l7l

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Tubman, iMAIDSgand A B5iN Class 'JZ The building on Reynolds Street was three times enlarged by the Board of Education. On March 22, 1916, the building and entire equipment were totally destroyed by fire. Plans were immediately drawn for a new school. Two years before the fire the Board of Education purchased a tract of land on Yvalton 1Vay, known as the Sehutzen Platz. In November, 1916, the people of Augusta and Rich- mond County voted a bond issue of 361001100 for the erection of a girls' high school on the present Xvalton 1Vay site. The plans for the school were drawn by 111: G. Lloyd Preacher, architect, and the construction of the building was awarded to the Palmer-Spivey Construction Company. 1Vork on the building was begun in January, 1917, and after many interruptions due to the 1Vorld VVar, the building was completed and first occupied February 18, 1918. From ltlarch 22, 1916, until the new building was completed, the sessions of the school were held in Sunday School Building of the First l'reshyterian Church, the First Baptist Church, basement of Central Grammar School, and a resid- ence at 617 Telfair Street. This condition necessarily made it hard for the school to carry on its work, but at no time did the spirit of the school, for which the Tubman has long been famous, fail to assert itself. It was a happy day when the long talked of new Tubman school with its modern building, com- plete equipment and its beautiful grounds became at least a reality. The new Tubman ranks among the finest high schools in the country, and is the pride of Augusta. -Anna C. Eve.