Book Sale to Benefit Restoration of Chauncey School | Arts & Culture

Just five years after the establishment of Dodge County in 1870, the first school in the town of Chauncey was organized.

The school opened in 1875 in a building donated by a lumber company located east of the railroad. The school was a non-graded, one-room, one-teacher, school.

From 1900 to 1914, the school grew and students attended school in three different buildings.

In 1914, a two story building located at Suomi and used as a Masonic Hall was moved to Chauncey to be used as a school.  Meanwhile, the Chauncey Chamber of Commerce encouraged citizens to support a bond issue to raise ten thousand dollars for the construction of a new school.

The bond issue passed and the present central building was constructed. When the new school was completed, the Pitts School, a Dodge County community which no longer exists, was consolidated with the Chauncey District, and Chauncey became the first consolidated school district in the state of Georgia.

 After the school was consolidated with other Dodge County schools and moved to Eastman, a volunteer group raised enough money to do some much needed renovations to the building. The upstairs auditorium, which had been closed off and condemned, was opened for use and the old library downstairs was fixed up for community social functions. The auditorium has been used for presentations and pageants; while the downstairs has been used for receptions and reunions. Although the building is being used by the community, it is in need of repairs. Many attempts have been made to acquire grants; however, these attempts have been unsuccessful.

On March 9 and 10th, the old school grounds will serve as Dodge County's official site for Peaches to Beaches. This event always brings in a large number of people to the town. As a fundraiser for the purpose of renovations for the building, a group of volunteers are planning to have an old book sale on that weekend.

Please donate books of any type: new, used, fiction, non-fiction, reference, and children’s books.  Also, they will need volunteers to help set up and sell the books. If you would like to donate any books, you can drop off the books at the city hall on Wednesdays and Saturdays or call 229-868-2296 and leave a message for local pick up. Also, call Theron McCranie for more information. Help us take care of this beautiful old building. It is a Dodge County historical treasure.

For more information on participating as an official vendor during the 8th Annual Peaches Yard Sale, please contact Rebecca McWilliam at the Eastman-Dodge County Chamber of Commerce at 478-374-4723 or visit www.eastman-georgia.com.

Article written by Theron McCranie.