ATLANTA, Texas - It's rarely done, although almost everyone thinks it should be - preserving a community's abandoned elementary school building, the one with so many memories.
Atlanta's Miller Grade School restoration group is tackling the problem locally. The Miller school building, if restored, could house community nonprofit organizations and host reunions.
Former student Jane Cook Barnhill purchased the building from the Atlanta Independent School District in 1999 and established a friend's campaign. In 2006, the building received a Texas Historical Commission Medallion.
In 2017, the effort was renewed as another former student, Kevin Stingley, began working on the building individually to preserve it.
The structure had been built for $19,455 in 1936 with Federal Works Progress Administration assistance. It had six classrooms to start and four rooms were later added to the northwest side.
In 1950s, grades 5-8 were relocated to a new building on Parkview Street. And in 1963, two additional rooms were added to allow three rooms each for grades 1-4. The building had an auditorium with stage at its center but did not have a cafeteria. Students were bused to Atlanta High or ate at the Briar Patch near the school.
It closed in 1974 when the primary school was built. From 1975-80, it was used as all-purpose center for Head Start and Senior Citizens. It held storage until 1990 when closed.
Former students Cyndy Chamblee and Margaret Miller Fitts recently gave a program on restoration efforts for the reunion of the AHS Class of 1959.
Chamblee told the group one of the big tasks was the setting up of effective ways for supporters to give to the project.
"We will let the public know what the needs are and from them will come the donations to get the task done," Chamblee said. "Our contractor has told us that even working steadily the project is likely to take three years to restore the building and all of its services."
The leaders recently spent about $50,000 in taking down the first-grade wing, which had become irreparable.
Current improvements have included:
Removed of trees and stump
Replaced roof
Window and brick repair
Drainage improvement
Power-washed the front
Repair and paint eaves
Gutters added
Demolished first-grade wing utilizing local contractors.
State-mandated asbestos abatement
Members of the restoration board are Jane Barnhill president; Kevin Stingley vice president; Danny Stanley treasurer; Chamblee secretary; and members Camille Dawn, Lee Stanley, Margaret Fitts, George Jackson, Lee Ellen Benjamin, Paula Harp, Judy Lanier and Mary Nell Tyson.