Terrell Academy

This article is about the school in Dawson, Georgia. For Charles Henry Terrell Academy in Augusta, see Augusta, Georgia.
Terrell Academy
Location
Dawson, Georgia
Coordinates31°45′47″N 84°25′54″W / 31.7631142°N 84.4316996°W / 31.7631142; -84.4316996
Information
TypePrivate
NCES School ID00296492
GradesK3-12
Websitewww.terrellacademy.com

Terrell Academy is a private K3-12 school in Dawson, Georgia, seat of Terrell County. It serves 380 students. The school has a controversial history as a segregation academy.

History

Terrell was founded in 1970 as a segregation academy.[1][2] In the summer of 1970, a senior told the Atlanta Constitution she enrolled in Terrell Academy so she "didn't have to spend the rest of her life sitting next to a nigger."[3]

In 1973, headmaster Thomas Church told the Atlanta Constitution that racial situation in Terrell County School District boosted the private school’s enrollment.[4]

In 1977, Terrell Academy director W.C. Woodall acknowledged that the school was founded in response to a court order mandating the integration public school faculty. Woodall stated that although he personally supported racial segregation, black students would be welcome at Terrell.[5]

The school was however granted tax-exempt status in 1970.[6]

Alumni

In 2020, in grades PK-12, the school had a total of 351 students and 32.1 teachers on a full-time equivalent basis. The school did not report demographic information to the NCES.[9]

References

  1. ^ Equal Educational Opportunity: Hearings Before the Select Committee on Equal Educational Opportunity, Ninety-first Congress, Second Session-92nd Congress, First Session, Volume 10. Hearings before the Select Committee on Equal Educational Opportunity. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1970. p. 2034. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
  2. ^ Coleman, Terry (August 8, 1977). "The town where Carter's pledges are on trial". The Guardian. Manchester, UK. p. 11.
  3. ^ Covington, Dick; Bowler, Mike (July 19, 1970). "South Georgia on Forced Integration: Underneath the stifling quite..." Atlanta Constitution. p. 22A.
  4. ^ Stewart, Steve (July 1, 1973). "For learning or for Segregation". Atlanta Constitution. p. 20A.
  5. ^ Montgomery, Bill (August 9, 1977). "White residents are mystified by all the fuss over the Dawson Five". The Miami News. p. 12.
  6. ^ "Terrell Academy Inc Form 990 2015". ProPublica. 9 May 2013. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
  7. ^ Keating, Thomas R. (4 April 1978). "He'll Make Big Hit Here". The Indianapolis Star. p. 17. Retrieved 15 February 2024.
  8. ^ "Swindell talks wild year, Terrell Academy days". WALB. May 6, 2015. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
  9. ^ "Search for Private Schools - School Detail for TERRELL ACADEMY".