Springhill School
Historic Springhill School opened in January, 1905 with Miss Marilu Wellons as teacher. After the school closed in 1925 the property was sold to H.G. Gordy and J.J. Rogers. Mr. Rogers was a former student. He converted the schoolhouse to living quarters, adding a front porch and bathroom. Mr. Rogers built a store beside the schoolhouse in 1926 or 1927. When he died in 1945, his widow sold the store and schoolhouse to her brother, Felix G. Daniel. Mr. Daniel kept the store open until his death in 1981. When the property was sold in 1983, the store was moved to the Houston County Fairgrounds, and the schoolhouse became Rehoboth Baptist Church.
In September 2008, Perry High School teacher Ellie Loudermilk presented a proposal to the Board of Education to move Springhill School to the grounds of the central office. On July 29, 2009, Springhill School was relocated to the site of the legendary 1926 Perry Panther gym on Beckham Circle at the Board’s central office. Perry Area Historical Society members, Board of Education personnel, and community sponsors worked diligently to make the relocation and subsequent renovation a great success, preserving the school as a Houston County landmark.
Springhill School is once again used for educational purposes such as school fieldtrips, storytelling, lectures andstudent recognition programs. The facility is managed by the Perry Area Historical Society. To request a tour, please call the Perry Museum at 478-224-4442.
Information below is from the 1915 Education Survey of Houston County Georgia:
Teacher: Miss Laura Talton, Perry, Ga.
Location: 3 miles east of Lakeside; 3 miles south to Perry.
Grounds: Area, one acre; titles in board of education; oak grove, but little improved, fairly well kept; small school gardens; two toilets, condition fair.
Building: Value, $700; one class room, 24x30x12; no cloak rooms; small veranda' insufficiently lighted; floors oiled and well kept; painted.
Equipment: Good home-made double desks; medium black-boards; one U.S. history map; good charts; no globe; reference dictionary; framed pictures; library in good case; small decorative flags; illustrative materials, etc.; water from nearby neighbor's well; covered cooler; individual cups.
Organization: One teacher; 6 grades; 28 pupils; 32 weeks continuous term; program posted; 23 periods; sewing club; no community clubs.
Maintenance: $400
Sources of Information:
Perry Area Historical Museum: Check for current events that take place at the Springhill School House.
Shutterfly: Click for pictures of when Springhill School was moved to the Board of Education back in July 2009.