Gouldbusk School
by Ethel Bush Smith

from A History of Coleman County and Its People, 1985 
edited by Judia and Ralph Terry, and Vena Bob Gates - used by permission 

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The first school in Gouldbusk was a small 3 room school.  It had no desks.  The building was used for the Methodist Episcopal Church.  The children sat on a raised platform to study.  The first teacher was a Mr. W. Carr who came to school in a 2 wheel cart.  In 1908 the teacher was Professor Foley.

In 1909 a 30 cent special tax to build a school house was passed.  By 1920, the school building that had been built was a four room building with cloak rooms.  Later another room was located on the back for more high school subjects.  The windows were high and covered by hail screen or what is now called hardware cloth.  At first a hand bell was used to dismiss for recess, later an electric system (battery operated) was used.  In April or May of 1929 this building was burned.  Later it was thought that boys had been smoking in the coal house during the noon hour.  The coal house was a small shed-like room on the north side of the building.  The students went to school the rest of the year in churches and the tabernacle.

In 1930, a nice 5 room school and auditorium was built.  The walls were red brick.  The fifth room was in the center front of the building and an auditorium with a stage behind that.  The stage had two dressing rooms on the sides of the stage.  Many of the high school students had to attend the last year of high school at an accredited school or take entrance examinations to attend the college of their choice.

In 1935, Mrs. Sammie Harris donated land to build a school that would be known as Mozelle, which was made up of Gouldbusk and other schools.  Later, the elementary grades were moved to Mozelle and bus routes established.

A partial list of teachers: Mrs. Jewell Hinds; Mrs. Onie Brevard Edens, 1918; Miss Tina Marie Thompson, 1920; Miss Maudine Ryan, 1925; Miss Hazel Smith, 1908; Miss Ethel Harkrider, 1920-24; Miss Grace Carr, 1930; Mrs. (Foley) Brown, 1928-29; Mr. Frank Lohn, 1926-30; Miss Essie McGregor; Mrs. Eunice Johnson, 1930 to 1935; Mrs. Izzie Terrell; Mrs. Opal Copeland Couch; Mr. Jim Donaho, 1930; Mr. W. D. Bowers; Mr. Louis Love; Mr. Jack Ward, 1935; Miss Eugenia Pittard, 1940-41; Mr. Evered Veal; Miss Esther Slate; Mr. Ross Prescott.
 


 
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This page updated August 5, 2004
 
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