Schools In Toomsboro

The Toomsboro School was a place of learning from books and about life for children from the town of Toomsboro, Georgia and surrounding rural areas for many years after it first opened in 1927. The building in the background of the photo here is the earliest picture that I have of the main Toomsboro School Building. Most of the buildings and facilities are gone, and the number of people is dwindling who were associated with the school or who have first-hand knowledge about it. With that in mind, some thoughtful people compiled information, based largely on the recollections of towns people, into a document that they called the Toomsboro School History (TSH). I have edited and reorganized that material and added to it some of my own recollections from my eleven years at the school - to produce this on-line narrative which I call The Toomsboro School - A Brief History. It covers the period from 1927, when the Toomsboro School opened until 1954, when high school students from The Toomsboro School began attending the new Wilkinson County School near Irwinton. I have also included a photo gallery which includes photos from the days when the school was active, as well as more recent photos of former students.

I cannot vouch for the accuracy of all of the information from the TSH, and my own recollections may be flawed in some instances. However, these deficiencies do not distract from the purpose of the narrative, which is to paint a picture of the school and to recall some of the events and people associated with the school. As I put the Memories together, one point became clear - the extent to which the school was a product of the dedicated efforts of the people from Toomsboro and the surrounding areas cannot be overstated. These people obviously loved their school and invested their time, resources, and lives into making it a place for the town's children to learn, play, and grow up. The school was a very important part, if not the center, of the community's moral, educational, and social life.

Prior to 1927 Children from Toomsboro and surrounding rural areas attended six different schools - Toomsboro School near the Toomsboro Methodist Church, Salem Church School in Mingo, Shady Grove School on State Highway 112, Poplar Head School on the Old Balls Ferry Road, Poplar Springs School near Poplar Springs Church, and Old Union School off State Highway 57 and Uchee Creek Road (see left photo). The total enrollment for these six schools was about 300 students and the total annual budget was about $1700.00. Land for the Toomsboro School was procured in 1922 and was comprised of about 12 acres situated along the west side of State Highway 112 about one mile south of the center of town. The land was bounded on the south by the property of Mr. R. B. Brown and on the north by the property of Mr. Will Lord. The land was sloped parallel to the highway and was graded to form three level areas for the buildings and facilities.

The amount of information available for the different years varies widely from school year to school year. The lack of information for the early

years is understandable, but not so for that of some later years. If you have information about the school that you'd like to share, please drop me a note at Bo Weaver. In any event, I would like to have your corrections, comments, questions, and suggestions. I have very few pictures and welcome your pictures of school buildings, students, and people who were associated with the school. The photo at left is the basketball team for the 1950 - 1951 season, and the one on the right shows the combined members of the 50' and 51' classes who attended a reunion in Toomsboro a few years ago. I hope you enjoy these Memories as much as I have enjoyed putting them together on this web site.
William L. (Bo) Weaver - Class of 1951
Hampton, Virginia (757) 826-4577

The main school building was completed in 1927 and ran lengthwise parallel to and less than 100 feet from State Highway 112, which was the main thoroughfare for the town of Toomsboro. Highway 112 runs north to Milledgeville and south to Nickelsville and intersects State Highway 57, which runs west to Irwinton and east to Wrightsville, just north of the main school building. The building was on the highest and most southerly terrace of the school property. One could stand at the south end of the building and see the family house of Mr. R. B. (Burt) Brown, and from the north end, one could see the family house of Mr. Will Lord, as well the intersection of Highways 112 and 57. The building was constructed of brick and had 8 large rooms, 2 smaller rooms, and an office. It also had an auditorium with a large stage that had two side entrances and a back door that opened to the outside. The auditorium had a seating capacity between 200 and 300 and was used for school assemblies, plays, concerts, graduations, and other school and community events. It also doubled as classroom space from time to time.

A wide hall ran the length of the building with an entrance at each end. Each class room had large transom windows, at least one large blackboard, and a pot-bellied coal-burning stove. People normally entered the building at either end, but the actual front of the building was the side that faced Highway 112. That side had an impressive vestibule at it's mid point with an entrance to the office. A few feet from this entrance was a flag pole on which the United States and Georgia flags were displayed every school day. Rest room facilities were comprised of three wooden outhouses, two for boys and one for girls, located about 100 feet apart and about 200 feet from the west side of the school building. You can see these three small buildings in the photo on the Toomsboro School Home page. A shed for storing the coal burned by the pot-bellied stoves was located about equal distance from the two outhouses and a little closer than they were to the school building.

About 1938 construction of a new four-room brick school building with a hall in the middle was completed on the third lowest level of the school grounds. It was used for students in the first through fourth grades. Even though this building was newer and more modern than the main building, younger students looked forward to graduating up to the larger main building when they finished their fourth year of school. In 1944 the smaller school building was destroyed by lightning and was not rebuilt. All classes were held in the main school building from 1944 until the school closed in 1954. Since I had finished the fourth grade in May of 1944, I felt disappointed when I realized in September that all eleven grades would again be meeting in the main building.

The Vocational Agriculture Building which was located some 150 yards to the south and west of the main school building was constructed in 1938, according to Mr. Perry Dominy. I attended vocational agriculture classes in that building which also served as a meeting place for the school chapter of the (FAA) Future Farmers of American. As I recall, the building or an extension to it, housed a community canning plant which Mr. Don Smith, the vocational agriculture teacher, was instrumental in setting up and operating. Construction of a new building for a lunch room was started in 1949 , and the lunch room opened for business 1950. The lunchroom building was located one level below and slightly to the northwest of the main school building.

A gymnasium was constructed between 1945 and 1947, and according to Mr. Perry Dominy, construction was financed through donations of money, materials, and labor from local people. The gym was needed primarily for the school's basketball teams (boys and girls) which prior to the gym's construction, had to practice and play their home games on the adjacent outdoor courts which were located to the south and on the same terrace as the school building. The first backboards for the gym's basketball court were wood, but eventually these were replaced by glass. Within a year after the gym was completed, Toomsboro used its new gym to host the district high school basketball tournament. The gym was also used for other school and community activities, some of which had previously been held outside or in the school auditorium.

According to Mr. Bill Dixon, class of 1934, water coolers were used to supply drinking water during his time at the school and students were responsible for keeping these coolers supplied with water from pitcher pumps that were located outside the building. From my first days at school in 1940, a motorized pump supplied water to groups of water spigots located at two or three locations on the school grounds. I remember that two groups of spigots were located on the west side (away from highway 112) of the building near the southwest corner and the other near the northwest corner.

All three terraces at the school served as playgrounds and were equipped with some type of playground equipment, usually see-saws and swings. Sets of concrete steps were installed on the slopes between the different terrace levels, but children were more likely to use the banks to go from one level to the other. Riding or jumping these banks on bicycles was a favorite sport for the boys and was a precursor to today's off-track cycle sports.

The driveway from Highway 112 onto the school grounds was about 150 feet from the south end of the building and led directly to the bus-parking area near the south end of the building. The soil of the road and parking area was mostly red clay and when it rained, the surfaces of the road and parking area became quagmires of red mud that stuck to the soles of shoes and the tires of the buses. Needless to say, the floors of the school building's hallway and the buses became muddy-red when it rained a lot..

Students who lived in town had to provide their own transportation to school, and most walked or rode bicycles while the rural students were brought to the new school in buses driven by local men. The first buses were equipped with benches that ran from the back to the font of the passenger compartment. The buses were enclosed except for opening on each side that were about the same length as the benches. Curtains, made out of canvas if I remember correctly, could be rolled down to block out rain and to provide some measure of protection from bad weather. Buses did not go onto some of the roads and lanes where some the rural students lived, and some had to walk quite a distance to get to the pick-up/drop-off points.

When temperatures dropped in late fall and early winter, the pot-bellied stoves were fired up. Teachers and students brought splinters and other kindling to light the fires in the morning and teachers supervised the business of keeping the fires stoked, as well as removing ashes. Miss Willie Mae Hall was usually the first person to arrive at school in the morning and she would start the fire in the stove in her first grade room - sometimes from kindling which she had brought from home. The stoves burned coal, and some of the boys were assigned the job of keeping the coal buckets (scuttles) filled - from the coal shed. Boys would often volunteer for this chore because it meant spending some fun time playing around in the coal shed while their classmates suffered through the drudgery of class work. Another chore which boys were normally assigned was that of keeping coolers filled with drinking water from the pitcher pumps.

The playgrounds had equipment on which the children could play during recesses and lunch periods. See-saws were often favored by the younger children, and the older boys liked to see how high they could go on the swings by standing in the seats and pumping their legs up and down. Softball was a favorite past time, and the students made up their own rules and formats. Variations of Dodge Ball and Red Rover were also played. Both of these were rather dangerous and favored the largest and boldest students. As basketball gained favor with students , basketball goals were installed on a makeshift basketball court located south of the bus-parking area and the southern boundary of the school property. The school eventually became involved with organized high school basketball for boys and girls, but when that happened is unclear.

Discipline of students was usually at the discretion of the teachers. Sometimes a student would be punished by making him (or her) stand outside the classroom in the hallway, and paddling was not uncommon. Sometimes a teacher would send a student to the office, meaning to the principal, for serious offences, and the principle would punish the student at his discretion.

Almost everyone who ever attended a first grade class in Toomsboro was taught and influenced by Miss Willie Mae Hall. Miss Willie Mae did not drive and seldom rode in a motor vehicle. I have seen her many mornings on her way to school walking briskly along the sidewalk of Main Street (Highway 112) between the main part of town and Highway 57. She was the first to arrive at school, and on cold mornings would have the fire in her classroom going strong by the time her first graders arrived. Marlene Lord Tomkins remembers Miss Willie Mae as a miracle worker because she took children when they didn't know their right from their left, their letters, or their numbers, and in the span of nine months taught them to read and write, and to add and subtract. There was nothing Miss Willie Mae wouldn't do to help a child learn and gain a measure of self respect, but she did not tolerate laziness or insubordination.

Although Miss Willie Mae kept her students' busy in her classroom and demanded their complete obedience and attention, she went out of her way to give the children good reason to remember her with fondness. At least once every school year, she took her entire class to her home where she treated them to ice cream and other delicious refreshments. At the end of every year, she had a full-fledged graduation program to which she invited the public. And what six or seven-year old child who received a bona fide certificate of graduation at one of these programs - would ever forget the experience?

H. M. and Norma Fulbright was a couple that improved the Toomsboro community and brightened the lives of students at the Toomsboro School. They came directly to the Toomsboro after graduating from Georgia Teachers' College in Statesboro. Mr. Fulbright had done a tour of duty in the army before college, but both he and Mrs. Fulbright were quite young - and newly married - and they set up housekeeping in an apartment in the building in which Mr. Clyde Dixon ran a general merchandise store. From the beginning, the Fulbrights were an important part of the Toomsboro community, as well as the school. Their apartment was always open to students and was a second home to some of us. Years later, Mr. Fulbright would joke that the life of him and his new bride was pretty tough when they never knew who would be barging in for a visit. In his own words, "it was hard sometime for me to get a little sugar."

Mr. Fulbright taught several high school classes, was assistant to the superintendent, advisor to the senior class, and the coach of the boys' basketball team. He was a role model and a friend to me, and I remember his dedication as a teacher, coach, and advisor. I was in both stage plays presented by my senior class, and Mr. Fulbright was our very capable director. He worked closely with the class on projects to raise money for our senior class trip and went with us on our trip to Daytona Beach, Florida.

Mrs. Fulbright taught physical education classes and was coach of the girls' basketball team. Like Mr. Fulbright, she was a favorite around school and the community, and she and Mr. Fulbright were welcome almost everywhere around Toomsboro.

Mr. Don Smith and his wife Doris (click photo at left to see enlargement) were as much a part of the Toomsboro community as many who were born and raised there and they were active in school and church affairs. Mr. Smith taught agricultural classes at the school and was the sponsor of the school’s chapter of the Future Farmers of America (FFA). He also set up and began operation of a canning plant which served the community for several years. Mr. and Mrs. Smith had no children of their own, and so they became the second parents to many of the town’s teenagers. The Smiths regularly attend Toomsboro School reunions and Mr. Smith always speaks fondly of the time he spent in Toomsboro.

Miss Carolyn (Sis) Petty

Miss Petty came to the Toomsboro School right after college and she could easily have passed for one of the students. She lived in Irwinton, where she was raised but was quickly accepted as an honored member of the Toomsboro community. Miss Petty is short of physical stature, but she always set a high standard of conduct as a person, and as a dedicated teacher she taught her students to be respectful and reverent. It was she who first introduced me and many other students to the wonderful world of biology. I believe I’ve seen Miss Petty’s smiling face at every class and school reunion that I’ve attended in the last several years, and she still has a youthful face and a twinkle in her eye; maybe she's discovered the fountain of youth.

The TSH provides almost no record of school activities for the six school years between 1927 and 1933 and therefore no record of the students who graduated during those years. The table below lists the first through the eleventh grades in 1927 and the corresponding school years that the students in those grades would have graduated. It can be seen that students who graduated between 1928 and 1933 would have been in grades from the eleventh down to fifth when they came to the new Toomsboro School in 1927. Most students had attended classes in small wooden school houses before 1927, and imagine their surprise when they got off their buses and saw this long, attractive brick building located on a hill in the town limits of Toomsboro. When the students walked into the building they found themselves in a hall that ran its entire length and found themselves mixing with many more students than they were accustomed to seeing in the schools they had been attending. Imagine how excited they must have been when summoned to their first assembly in the new auditorium to hear the superintendent give them a welcome speech from the auditorium's spacious stage.

Eleventh Grade               1927 - 1928
Tenth Grade                   1928- 1929
Ninth Grade                   1929 - 1930
Eighth Grade                  1930 - 1931
Seventh Grade               1931 - 1932
Sixth Grade                    1932 - 1933
Fifth Grade                     1933-1934
Fourth Grade                  1934 - 1935
Third Grade                   1935 - 1936
Second Grade               1936 - 1937
First Grade                    1937 - 1938

The information given here was provided by Mr. Bill Dixon and is the first that includes the names of students for any school year after the school opened in 1927. The record is sparse and the only teacher mentioned is Miss Willie Mae Hall, who taught first graders for many years. Mr. Dixon named the graduating class, which he was in, as follows: Aubrey Brown, Martha Brown, Maude Criswell, William Dixon, Mae Dominy, Elizabeth Jones, Martha Jane Lord, Lillian Stanley, Alice Taylor, Bernice Spears, and Estelle Tarpley. They would have been fifth graders when the new Toomsboro School opened in 1927.

The dates in the TSH raise doubt about whether the information presented here is for the 1934 - 1935 school year or the following school year. I have studied the record and concluded it applies to the 1934 - 1935 school year. Three hundred eleven students were present when school opened on September 2, 1934, and the number was expected to increase when farm work lightened up later in the fall. In addition to the faculty and students, school board members were present on opening day. Faculty members for the term were Superintendent W. C. Siler and teachers, J. D. Watson - Science, Ruth Higginbotham - Language, Charlotte Page - seventh grade, Johnnie Miller - sixth grade, Inez Mercer - fifth grade, Ruth Lockhart - fourth grade, Mary Fountain - third grade, Helen Johnson and Doris Lindsey - second grade, and Miss Willie Mae Hall and Sarah Martha Mathis - first grade.

Students on the honor roll were listed as Morgan Dominy, Doyle Holliman, Gladys Dominy, Clara Mae Hall, Doris Kelly, Pauline Yancey, Kathryn Tarpley, Jack Miller, Joe Mills, Rufus Davis, Geraldine Brown, Jean Batson, Mary Brown, Harold Butler, Evelyn Carr, Sallie Dean, Roswell Freeman, Edwin Green, Sarah Lord, Minnie Estelle Price, Charlie Ryle, Eunice Tarpley, Etta Mae Toler, Norma Watkins, Doris Yancey, Rava Pierce, Juanita Brown, J. B. Dominy, Rosa Mae Freeman, Kate Kemp, Ruth Lord, Susan Stubbs, Clyde Ware, Jessie Williams, Mamie Wood, Billy Wynn, Ligon Cason, Kathleen Lord, Donald Butler, George Duncan, William Miller, Billie Johnson, Pauline Sanders, Ruth Kemp, Ellen Davis, Eunice, Pierce, Vandelia Williams, Braswell Wynn, Jessie Pierce, Frank Kemp, Alva Ware, Virginia Lord, Bruce Shy, Georgia Brack, Aldridge Lord, Rose Bell, and Tom Chambers.

On April 22, 1935, Ralph Lord and Alva Ware represented Toomsboro in a tennis match at Tennille. Ralph Lord, Tommy Bruner, and Frank Kemp represented Toomsboro in a track meet on the same day.

On May 24, the first grade graduated under the direction of Miss Willie Mae Hall and Ruth Lockhart in the Toomsoboro School Auditorium . The seventh grade graduation followed that of the first grade.

High School graduates were: Hilda Dixon, Alice Beall, Edna Fordham, Alma Warren, Grace Watson, Lamar Lord, Aldridge Lord, Tommy Bruner, Thomas Sanders, James Williams, Gladys Lewis, Mamie Lou McCook, Grace Hightower, Georgia Brack, Martha Stephens, and Rose Bell. Graduation services were held in the auditorium on May 27. Martha Stephens and Rose Beall were received the first and second highest honors respectively; both had grade averages above 90.

It is unclear to me whether the record here is for the 1936 - 1937 school year or the 1935 - 1936 school year. I've concluded, with reservation that it applies to the 1936 - 1937 school year.

In January 1937 Miss Jackson of Atlanta replaced Miss Mary Glenn who accepted a position as fifth grade teacher in Clarkesville, Georgia during the Christmas holidays, School enrollment reached 411 students. Ellen Davis, a senior, was selected as an entry in the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) Good Citizenship Pilgrimage.

Honor Roll students were announced in February as follows
First Grade - Johnnie Lee Cannon, Harold Freeman, Murray Hall, Jr. Ernest Perry, Ralph Rogers, Billy Stinson, Almeta Burke, Robie Bell, Rosa Mae Dominy, Maurine Dominy, Voncile Freeman, Carral Green, and Marion Holliman.
Second Grade - Alice Carr, Sara Jane Jackson, Anne Miller, and Lucille Wright.
Third Grade - Claude Roberts Belle, Ellie Mae Brown, Murlie June Butler, Doyle Holliman, Franky McKinney, and Hollis Stinson.
Fourth Grade - Geraldine Brown, Clara Mae Hall, Dorothy Helton, Doris Kelly, and Joe Mills.
Fifth Grade - Olin Dominy.
Sixth Grade - Ola Davis, Mary Holland, and Frances Lord.
Seventh Grade - Rava Pierce, Viola Pate, and Lamar Taylor
Eighth Grade - Elbert Davis.
Ninth Grade - Ruth Lord, Perry Dominy, Wilbur Thompson, Susan Stubbs, Clyde Ware, and Jessie Williams.
Tenth Grade - Leon Dixon and Billie Wynn.
Eleventh Grade - Kathleen Chambers, Ellen Davis, Pauline Sanders, Braswell Wynn, and Breeman Yancey.

In March, 1937, the senior class presented a play, "Better Than Gold" with an admission charge of 15 cents and 25 cents for children and adults, respectively. During March Miss Charlotte Page (Mrs. Tom Freeman) taught a YMCA study course, "Youth and the Home", to 70 students. Intramural sports were organized under the supervision of Mr. Rupert and Mr. Siler. Basketball letters were awarded to Captain Rayford Lord, J. C. Wood, James Brown, Flanders Lord, George Page, Harry Green, William Johnson, and Ligon Cason. A 4-H club was organized with students in the fourth grade and up participating. Club officers were Ligon Cason - President, Malcom Pierce - Vice President, Mary Jane Colon - Secretary/Treasurer, and Dorothy Williams - Reporter.

The First and Seventh Grades had graduation exercises on May 31 under the direction of Miss Willie Mae Hall, Sarah Martha Mathis (Mrs. O. B. Chambers, Jr.) and Mrs. Charlotte Page. Members of the High School Graduating Class were Ellen Davis - First Honor; Braswell Wynn - Second Honor; Pauline Sanders - Third Honor, Kathleen Chambers - Fourth Honor; Edna Butler, Ruth Kemp, George Page, Harry Green, Eunice Pierce, Viola Williams, Van Delia Williams, and Breeman Yancey.

Over 100 students were honored for having a perfect attendance record for the school year.

1937 - 1938 School Year

The brief entries below give the only record that seems to apply to the 1937 - 1938 school year.

Mr. W. C. Siler, Superintendent, resigned on June 25, 1937 to accept a position at Stapleton High School. During his four years as head of the Toomsboro School, it had become one of the largest and best schools in Wilkinson County. Professor Sullivan was elected in July to succeed Mr. Siler as Superintendent. Mr. Siler and Miss Ruth Higginbothan, a former teacher at the Toomsboro School, attended the Toomsboro Graduation in May, 1938.

1938 - 1939 School Year

In July, 1938, the following men were elected as bus drivers for the 1938 - 1939 school year: Sam Adams, T. A. Dixon, T. J. Holland, Robert Stubbs, Ernest Cannon, and J. A. Nesbitt. Classes opened in September, 1938 with the largest enrollment ever. It had become the largest school in Wilkinson County and was fully accredited. It had sixteen teachers, including the new agriculture teacher, W. F. Bryant. Boys in the new Agriculture program began working on projects sponsored by the FFA (Future Farmers of America). Construction of a new four-room school which would be used for the first through fourth grades was underway.

The record here appears to be incomplete: Honor Roll Students, who must have an A average in all subjects were listed as follows: Sixth Grade - Geraldine Brown (later Mrs. W. Carr) Clara Mae Hall, B. C. Robinson.

Senior Class members were honored as follows: Clyde Ware and Jessie Williams - Most Popular; Juanita Brown and Flanders Lord - Best All Around, Perry Dominy and Lila Williams - Most Successful, Marguerite Lord - Most Beautiful, Flanders Lord - Most Handsome, J. B. Dominy and Kate Kemp - Cutest, Ray Lord and Lila Williams - Wittiest, Clyde 'Ware and Juanita Brown - Best Dressed, Jessie Williams and Clyde Ware - Most Conceited, William Thompson and Susan Stubbs - Biggest Flirts, Flanders Lord and Juanita Brown - Most Athletic, Ray Lord and Jesse Williams - Most Organized.

In December 1938, the first, second, and third grades began moving from the main school building to the new four-room building.

This was the school year that I entered the first grade, together with my classmates who were to make up the graduating class of 1950 - 1951. My family lived in the country about a half mile from the west end of Waterfork Road, and my sister Rebecca and I had to walk to meet out school bus. The bus driver was Mr. Joe A. Nesbitt who had several children who attended and graduated from the Toomsboro School. I remember on my first day of school that my mother packed me a lunch of banana sandwiches which I ate during our lunch break in the company of a classmate, Paul Thompson, Jr. Our classroom was the back-left room in the four-room brick school building, and our teacher was Miss Willie Mae Hall. She was a stern instructor and disciplinarian who taught us the importance of good conduct in class, as well as how to read and write.

The Toomsboro PTA met in the school auditorium on December 20, 1941 with 33 members present, and a Christmas pageant directed by Miss Janet Dekle was presented. Christmas carols were sung and Mrs. J. H. Holliman gave the scripture. A business meeting followed and it was decided that the next project would be a bingo party. Mrs. H. E. Stephens, Mrs. Robert Fordham, Mrs. O. C. Weaver, and Mrs. Eugene Lord served some delicious refreshments.

Teachers for school the year were Mr. E. B. Crawford, Miss Cooper, Miss Elvira Jackson, Miss Sarah Butler, Miss Stone, Miss Janet Dekle, Miss Mary Bargeron, Mrs. Mary Fountain, Miss Marion Chambers, Miss Willie Mae Hall, and Mrs. W. W. Solomon. The PTA gave a reception for the teachers at the Lord Hotel in September, 1941 with Dr. and Mrs. A. D. Ware, Mr. and Mrs. T. J. Lord, Mr. and Mrs. H. E. Stephens, Mr. and Mrs. Hugh Mills and Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Holliman attending. Out of town guests were Willard Rawlins and Roy Maddox of Rebecca, Georgia. Mrs. P. M. Jackson received the guests, and Florence Jackson, Mary Stephens, and Mary Barbara Cason assisted with the entertainment. PTA officers for the school year were Mrs. C. C. Thompson, Mr. J. L. Fordham, Mrs. Bill Brown, and Mrs. Rayford Lord.

School bus drivers for the school year were T. J. Manderson, Delmas Jones, T. A. Dixon, T. J. Holland, F. F. Cannon, and J. A. Nesbitt. Substitute drivers were - C. C. Thompson, S. R. Fordham, Horace Spears, Grady Sanders, Hyman Mercer, J. C. Wright, Rayford Lord, Walter Dean, Jr., Bill Brown, J. L. Fordham and Estees Myrick.

The Toomsboro 4-H club met on April 1, 1942, and Mr. Bloodworth, Mr. Daniels, and Mr. Johnson gave short interesting talks on 4-H work. Officers were elected as follows: Mary Stephens - President, Clara Mae Hall - Vice President, Allen Mills - Secretary, Carolyn Wynn - Treasurer, Geraldine Brown -Reporter.

The District Tournament for boys' basketball was held in the Toomsboro School gymnasium, between February 17 and February 22, 1947, and it gave Toomsoboro an opportunity to show off its new gymnasium. Team entries were Toomsboro, Irwinton, Gordon, Brewton, Gibson, Rentz, Stapleton, Tennille, Danville, Kite, Cedar Grove, Wilkes, and Dexter. Cedar Grove and Dexter both had good teams, and I believe that one of these teams won the tournament. If I recall correctly, this was the senior year for the legendary seven-foot Soda Pop Walker from nearby Irwinton. He could be mighty intimidating under the basket, but dunking the ball through the basket had not been invented at the time.

Senior class graduation was held in the school gymnasium on May 19 with Mr. Clay Peacock in charge of the program and decorations. Speakers were Marion Holliman who received top class honors and Ray Orr who was class president. Mr. Bloodworth presented the diplomas, Reverent Albert Hall delivered the commencement sermon, and Mrs. Byrd Richey and Mrs. Earl Gray were in charge of music. The class went on a trip to Jacksonville, Florida under the supervision of Superintendent Miller.

Bernice Tanner Sanford, who now lives in Dublin, provided the following list of students in the 1948 - 1949 graduating class. Bernice was on the team that won the Regional Basketball championship that took two championship games to decide.

Irene Bloodworth, Gladys Montgomery, Peggy Smith, Frances Connell, Bernice Tanner, Jeanette Brantley, Louise Freeman, Virgil Lord, and Charlie Bloodworth.

Members of the graduating class included Mary Ivey Dominy, Sadie Tanner, Virginia Jones, Bobby Rozar, Clarence Bowdon, Billy Boone, Julian Helton, C. B. Eubanks, L. F. Horne, and Marvin Ezell.

Teachers for the term were Mr. Clyde Herndon - Principal, Mr. H. M. Fulbright, Mr. Don Smith, Miss Carolyn Petty, Mrs. H. C. Cathy, Miss Sybil Smith, Mrs. H. M. Fulbright, Mrs. Wendell Hardie, Mrs. Lois Boone, Miss Willie Mae Hall. Mrs. Adkins, and Mrs. Asdell were visiting teachers. Parents and friends of the Toomsboro School were invited to an informal tea on September 12 to honor the faculty.

Members of the 1949 - 1950 boys' basketball team was coached by Mr. H. M. Fulbright and included Clarence Bowdon, Harris Bowdon, Billy Boone, Julian Helton, Buford Helton, C. B. Eubanks, L. F. Horne, Marvin Ezell, Richard Montgomery, Gene Weaver, William (Bo) Weaver, Marion Sanders, Jimmy Bloodworth, Jerry Miller, and Billy Dent.

Members of the Girls' basketball team, which was coached by Mrs. H. M. Fulbright, were Mary Ivey Dominy, Sadie Tanner, Virginia Jones, Gussie Dominy, Joyce Thompson, Sue Miller, Dot Fordham, Patty Travis, Edna Mercer, Reba Nesbitt, Elizabeth Nesbitt, Doris Connell, Lennie Hartley, and Bobbie Rozar.

A quartet made up of Toomsboro FFA members Guy Thompson - first tenor, Billy Bloodworth - second tenor, Jimmy Lord - first baritone, and Guyton Thompson - bass, won top prize in the District Two, Area Five Singing Contest. They were accompanied on the piano by Miss Evelyn Butler. The FFA chapter sponsored a workshop where it displayed about forty useful household articles. The proceeds raised helped pay for their trip to Washington, D. C. and other points of interest. Mr. Don Smith was the club's advisor.

In April, 1950 the Toomsboro PTA met with 85 members present; Mr. H. M. Fulbright was guest speaker. Mrs. Lois Boone reported that the Toomsboro School is the only school in the county without a lunchroom and that a drive is underway to construct one. A building committee was formed and construction was scheduled to begin in May. Mrs. Clarence Thompson and Gladys Rogers were appointed to receive donations for the lunchroom. Mrs. S. R. Fordham and Mrs. Claude Orr were elected to run the lunchroom and Mr. Cleon Eubanks will be the alternate.

Guyton Lord, a member of the Toomsboro FFA Club, won first place in the District Two Georgia Power Farm Electrification Program.

Baccalaureate services for the graduating class were held in the Toomsboro Baptist Church with the Reverent Joe Fulbright as the speaker. Graduation was held in the school auditorium on May 22 and Dr. Ralph Newton of Mercer addressed the class. Marlene Lord was Valedictorian, Bobbie Rozar was Salutatorian, C. B. Eubanks read the Class Prophesy, and Sadie Tanner read the Last Will and Testament.

Teachers for the 1951 - 1952 school year were Clyde Herndon, Principal, Mr. H. M. Fulbright, Mr. Don Smith, Ms. Carolyn Petty, Mr. H. C. Cathy, Mrs. Sybil Smith, Mrs. H. M. Fulbright, Mrs. G. C. Cox, Mrs. Windell Hardie, Mrs. Lois Boone, and Miss Willie Mae Hall.

Mrs. Joe Boone entered the Toomsboro PTA in the Georgia Hometown Champion contest in November, 1951 and the school won honorable mention. In January, 1952 the school received $100.00 for improvements to the town and school, and Mrs. Joe Boone gave credit to all the citizens for helping to get these improvements done.

More notes for January - The third grade was studying geography and poetry, the sixth grade got permission to use the gymnasium one period each day, the seventh grade sold seeds to pay expenses for a trip to Atlanta, the tenth and eleventh grade students were planning a to sell chicken supper plates which they would deliver at $1.00 per plate.

The following students were in the vocal group at a music recital that was held in May, 1952 - Jean Brantley, Joyce Helton, Lillie Maude Ashley, David Ashley, Sharon Boone, Betty Rose Dominy, Fern Spears, Elaine Holliman, Shirley Helton, Raynelle Holland Lillie Montgomery, Gail Boone, Edna Allen, Don Cannon, and Vance Lord.

The FFA boys presented a play," Aunt Samantha Rules the Roost" which Mr. Don Smith directed. Characters in the play were - Lantz Rogers, Guy Thompson, W. L. Helton, Kenneth Day, Gene Weaver, Evelyn Butler, Rosa Lee Colson, Shirley Helton, Elaine Holliman, Mint Waters, and Eloise Davis.

There was no graduation for the 1951 - 1952 school year, because a twelfth grade curriculum was added to the school at the end of that school year. Students who were in the eleventh grade in the 1951 - 1952 school year attended another year and graduated from the twelfth grade at the end of the 1952 - 1953 school year. See the 1952 - 1953 section below for a list of students..

Mr. Don Smith announced the opening of the canning plant on June 10. The plant was equipped to process meats, vegetables, and fruits and Mr. Smith said he expected a pea sheller would be installed in about two weeks. He said he would be on hand to supervise canning operations and urged people to take advantage of the canning facility.

The PTA made final plans for Halloween carnival at a meeting in October and a progress report was given on the Toomsboro Home Town Contest. Mrs. Waldo Baxley is the PTA President for the year.

Reba and Elizabeth Nesbitt, Doris Connell, Dorothy Butler, Jonnie Bailey, Ruby Mercer, Gene Weaver, Vance Lord, Kenneth Day,
Wendell Connell, Buford Helton, Abbott Allen, Gerald Couey, and Marion Sanders.

Mr. Arthur Montgomery a Toomsboro School bus driver was one of five county school bus drivers who had more than 15 years of outstanding safe driving and received a safety award from the Blue Bird Body Company. The Toomsoboro FFA (Future Farmers of America) chapter won eleven ribbons and over one hundred dollars in prize money in various pig-raising contests during the school year. Winning members were: Ray and Clyde Brown, J. M. Howell and Buford and W. L. Helton. Two FFA members, Lantz Rogers and W. L. Helton received the Georgia Planters Degree, the highest honor bestowed by the state association.

The senior class for this school year was the smallest on record with only six students and it was the last high school class to graduate from the Toomsboro School. They did not take a class trip because they had taken a trip with the class of 1953, and they did not present a senior play. The Baccalaureate service was held in the auditorium on May 23, 1954, and the sermon was preached by Dr. G. M. Bryan of Mercer University. The class graduated on May 25 in the school auditorium with Mr. Joseph Moore of Milledgeville delivering the address. Members of the graduating class were Gail Boone - Valedictorian, Shirley Day - Salutatorian, Shirley Dent who read the Class Prophecy, W. L. Helton who read the Class History, Guy Thompson who read the Last Will and Testament, and Vance Lord.

Other school programs during commencement week included a first grade graduation program presented under the direction of Miss Willie Mae Hall. The first graders wore white caps and gowns in a program similar to that presented by the high school graduation class. Mrs. Lucy Stanley McArthur presented her music pupils in a recital in the auditorium. Students participating were Sadie Kay Montgomery, Joyce Helton, Beverly Brown, Betty Rose Dominy, Jean Hightower, Slyvia Butler, Sharon Boone, Evelyn Butler, Totsy Ashley, and Anthony Butler.