From the Powder Springs Enterprise 1983 Article – “Education Gets Back to Basics”
“Education has been a part of the development of Powder Springs since the opening of the Springville Academy in December of 1840. In 1859 the Powder Springs High School was incorporated and occupied several buildings in the town until it was moved in 1920 to the present site of the elementary school (Atlanta Street, now location of Cobb County Public Library).In 1893, education for black students was formally established with New Hope and Liberty Hills Schools.
Until the opening of South Cobb High School in 1952 and the subsequent integration of all Cobb County schools, these schools served the needs of students living in Powder Springs.
One of the most important educational institutions in the history of Powder Springs, however, was the Seventh District Agricultural and Mechanical School, which opened in 1908. Although private schools were available, the majority of the families of rural Georgia could not afford either the cost of the school or the loss of the labor contributions of their high school age children to boarding schools.
At the urging of educational officials in the State, the Georgia General Assembly passed legislation in 1906 establishing one high school in each of the Congressional Districts of Georgia. In the Seventh Congressional District, Cobb County provided funding and private citizens (John Newton McEachern, Sr) donated land for establishing a public high school. The school would be located 2½ miles north of Powder Springs and 9 miles from Marietta. Powder Springs offered all the necessary amenities to support the school and its students.”
NOTE: Article and documentation on the history and time line of the schools are on file at the museum in the Research Room.
Education time line:
1840 – Springville Academy was incorporated and stood on the site now occupied by the Baptist Cemetery and moved to Atlanta Street in 1870’s.
1859 – Springville Academy became Powder Springs High School.
1870 – Powder Springs High School moved to a location on Atlanta Street. It was sometimes referred to as Powder Springs Academy.
1891 (Dec 3rd ) – Schools were established for white and black students. Schools for whites were Powder Springs, Corner, Pleasant Hill and Sunny Side. Schools for blacks were Liberty Hill and New Hope Missionary.
1893 – Another school for blacks was established along the railroad tracks on Old Lost Mountain Road and what is now the Richard D. Sailors Parkway. (about where the Happy Valley Trailer Park is located)
1895 – There were three private schools: Miss Ella Hunter’s on the corner of Old Austell Road and Atlanta Street; a girls school on the corner of North Avenue and Marietta Street; and Bernard Academy, a boarding school on Marietta Street owned and operated by Reverend and Mr. Jesse S. Bookhardt. (or corner of Powder Springs Rd & Siniard}.
1900 – Rehoboth School was established on Hiram Lithia Springs Road at Angham Road.
1908 – Seventh District Agricultural and Mechanical School established on New Macland Road.
1920 – 1930 – Powder Springs High School built a new building on Atlanta Street for grades 1 – 11.
1928 or 1931 – records show five area schools were combined to make Powder Springs School. Cooper School off Hiram Lithia Springs Rd near Holloman Rd: Flint Hill off Ewing Rd: Pleasant Hill by Pleasant Hill Baptist Church; Rehoboth near Morris Cemetery on Hiram Powder Springs Rd. and Powder Springs School on Atlanta St.
1932 – The Seventh District A & M School closed.
1933 – The John McEachern High School was established and opened on the campus left vacant by the closing of the A & M School.
1952 – South Cobb High School in Austell opened. Students from Powder Springs High School finished high school at South Cobb. Powder Springs High School became an elementary school with grades one through eight. Eighth grade students graduated and went to South Cobb High School.
1953 – South Cobb High School held its first class graduation with only thirteen students. These were students who were held over from the
Austell School so they could play football.
1954 – South Cobb High School graduated its first full Senior Class.
1963 – Last graduating Eighth Grade Class at Powder Springs Elementary School. These students and those students in sixth, seventh, and eighth grades went to McEachern High School. Powder Springs Elementary School then consisted of grades one through six.
1969 – Compton Elementary School opened on New Macland Road.
1975 – Tapp Middle School opened on Macedonia Road.
1979 – Still Elementary School opened on Casteel Road.
1988 – The new Powder Springs Elementary School was opened on Grady Grier Road. The Old Powder Springs School building was closed. The Primary Building became the home of the Powder Springs Senior Center. In 2006, the old buildings were torn down.
1993 – Varner Elementary School opened on Gaydon Road behind the McEachern High School buildings.
2006 – Hillgrove High School opened on Luther Ward Road.
2007 – The new Cobb County Library and Ford Center opened on the site
of the old Powder Springs School buildings on Atlanta Street.