Jefferson in Jackson County, Georgia — The American South (South Atlantic)

Bachelors' Academy

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, October 8, 2021

1. Bachelors' Academy Marker

Inscription.
Construction of this schoolhouse in 1909 was supervised by Ira Ethridge who had been a teacher before he married Susan Ella Shields. Alex and Emory Shields, grandsons of James Shields, donated two acres of land and the school was named Bachelors' Academy in their honor. Harvey R. Carruth built it at a cost of $361.00, which included $18.00 for a bell installed in the bell-tower. Mr. Ira took a close interest in the running of this school and in the early years the teacher who was employed by the county stayed at the Ethridge home during school terms.

In 1915 an 'Educational Survey of Jackson County' reported 26 children at the school distributed through seven grades. The school year was divided into two terms — one lasting 16 weeks and the other 8 weeks. In the early years all of the schoolchildren were white, but in 1938 when the county consolidated its schools Bachelors' Academy became a school for African American children. Thereafter a house was provided for the African American teacher at the Shields-Ethridge farmstead.

Children walked to school along paths through surrounding woods and fields, each child bringing

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a lunch from home in a bucket and most days sitting outside to eat. Drinking water came from the well in the yard. The 1915 Survey reported that the building was well kept, but described its setting as "unimproved grove; grounds neglected; no school-garden; no toilets." Toilets for girls were added later, but boys continued to go into the woods when they needed to relieve themselves. There was no electricity supplied to the school, illumination of the interior depended on daylight. The main schoolroom was heated by a potbellied stove. The 1915 Survey reported the following school equipment: "double patent desks; cloth blackboard; one chart; one globe; no maps; no pictures." A slate blackboard replaced the cloth blackboard at a later date.

The Schoolhouse remained in use till 1950; a Georgia Heritage grant funded its restoration in 1996. Shields-Ethridge Heritage Farm Foundation is gathering oral histories from former students at the Academy to preserve a record of their experiences.

[photo captions]
• Bachelors’ Academy school books, 1927 and 1928.
• List of building materials for schoolhouse, 1909.
• Spelling book belonging to Lanis Ethridge, ca. 1906.
• Bachelors’ Academy students and teacher, ca. 1915.
• Schoolhouse before restoration, ca. 1994.
• Community gathering at schoolhouse.
• Jewel Alexander’s scrap book, started January 3, 1918.
• Listing of Bachelors’ Academy 1915 Educational Survey Booklet for Jackson County.
• Bachelors’ Academy students and teacher, 1955.
• Ira Ethridge’s contract to teach at Galilee School in 1902.
• Receipt for school bell, 1904.
• Class Roll book with comments on students’ behavior.
• During the schoolyear, children missed classes to help with farming.

Erected by Shields-Ethridge

Bachelors' Academy image. Click for more information.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, October 8, 2021

2. Bachelors' Academy

Vanishing Georgia website entry:
Click for more information.

Heritage Farm; and Appalachian Regional Commission.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Charity & Public Work • Education. In addition, it is included in the If You've Got to Go... series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1909.

Location. 34° 4.036′ N, 83° 35.377′ W. Marker is in Jefferson, Georgia, in Jackson County. It is on Etheridge Road ¼ mile north of Johnson Mill Road, on the left when traveling north. Marker is located near the northeast corner of the subject building. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Jefferson GA 30549, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Georgia’s Piedmont.

It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Deep South.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the original Thirteen Colonies,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least

Bachelors' Academy Preservation Project image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, October 8, 2021

3. Bachelors' Academy Preservation Project

(sign located near marker)“This project has been funded with the assistance of a matching grant-in-aid from the State of Georgia, Department of Natural Resources, through the Division of Historic Preservation, under the provisions of the Georgia Heritage 2000 Program of 1994.”

8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Preacher Riley's Place (approx. ¼ mile away); Tractor Shed (approx. ¼ mile away); Gin Office (approx. ¼ mile away); Cotton Gin (approx. ¼ mile away); Seed House (approx. ¼ mile away); Blacksmith's Shop and Carpenter's Shop (approx. 0.3 miles away); Commissary (approx. 0.3 miles away); Teacher's House (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Jefferson.

Also see . . . Bachelor’s Academy. Shields-Ethridge Heritage Farm website entry:
After visiting the Bachelors’ Academy, read the description below, written in 1915 by the Superintendent of the Jackson County Schools.
———
BACHELOR’S. 1928. Teacher: Miss Omie Dunagan.
Grounds: Area. 2 acres: titles in county board; unimproved grove; grounds neglected; no school garden; no toilets.
Building’s Value: $1,400.00; two class rooms, each 30x30x1-1;
Cloak rooms: painted and well kept; insufficiently, but properly lighted.
Equipment: Double patent desks; cloth blackboard; one chart: one globe; no maps; no pictures; well on lot; common dippers.
Organization: One reader: 7 grades: 26 pupils; 23 recitation

Bachelors' Academy (<i>east/front elevation</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, October 8, 2021

4. Bachelors' Academy (east/front elevation)

periods: no industrial or club work; school year 24 weeks, divided into terms of 16 and 8 weeks.
Maintenance: From State fund $190.00. From tuition fees (about) $60.00. (Submitted on July 1, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Bachelors' Academy (<i>southeast elevation</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, October 8, 2021

5. Bachelors' Academy (southeast elevation)

Bachelors' Academy (<i>north elevation</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, October 8, 2021

6. Bachelors' Academy (north elevation)

Credits. This page was last revised on August 17, 2022. It was originally submitted on June 30, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 347 times since then and 22 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 30, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 4, 5, 6. submitted on July 1, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.