Powell Academy Schoolhouse

Powell Academy Schoolhouse. DeKalb County, Georgia. The Powell Academy was built around 1875, when Ulysses S. Grant was president. It was one of about 100 small community schools located in DeKalb County and served students in the Klondike Community until they reached Grade 6. The money for these schools was raised by families in the community and they usually cost around $200-$300. George Washington Powell donated the land for the school. It closed in 1915 when Woodrow Wilson was president. The structure then was moved 150 yards away so the new Klondike school could be built in the same location., Children only would attend school in the fall and winter months to accommodate for the growing season, as it was often essential for them to help on the farm. When school was in session, children often would walk great distances to attend. All grades would share the same classroom and older children would help younger ones with their lessons. The students had a recess where they would eat their lunch and play games like tag, jump rope, and hoop-and-stick. Lessons would be conducted verbally or on a slate with a piece of chalk and children mainly studied the three "r's": reading, 'riting, and 'rithmetic., Teachers often were young, unmarried woman who either would live with their pupils or with the preacher's family in town. These women attended a 'finishing school' after completing the grades in a school house like this. They earned around $16.00 a year and stopped teaching once they had their own families to take care of., (caption) Klondike Community, ca. 1880's. Eugenia Powell, wife of George Washington Powell, stands in front of Powell Academy in its original location. Image from Vashining Georgia, Georgia Archives, University System of Georgia.