Secondary Education in Gilmer County

Reprinted from GCHS 1969 Year Book

    Although there are some grounds for slight disagreement, it may be said that the first high school in Gilmer County was established at Sand Fork (Layopolis) in 1922.  There had been, for several years prior to this, secondary classes taught at Glenville Normal School (later Glenville State College), but this work was not accredited by the state.

    After two years as Gilmer County's only high school, Sand Fork was joined by a new school at Troy, known as Troy District High School, in 1924.  This was followed in 1925 by the establishment of Dekalb District High School at Tanner.  A high school was begun at Cedarville in 1926, from which only one twelfth-grade class actually graduated, that being in 1930.  In 1927, a fifth high school was established at Normantown and, finally, in 1929 a new high school was begun at the county seat, Glenville.

    After Cedarville's swift demise from the ranks of secondary schools, the county maintained its five high schools for thirty-one years, unchanged, except for Troy District High being known as Troy High and Dekalb District High as Tanner High.  Then in 1962, Tanner High's doors were closed.

    For a period of six years, the remaining four schools carried on high school work.  Then on January 10, 1968, the Gilmer County Board of Education voted to reorganize the county's entire school system.  This reorganization resulted in the consolidation of Glenville, Normantown, Sand Fork and Troy High Schools into Gilmer County High School, located in Glenville, which opened its doors on August 28, 1968.  The following principals were the longest serving at Glenville High School:

                                                 1935 to 1945                    1947 to 1957               1958 to 1968

                                                 Earl Boggs                       Leroy Stennett          Jesse E. Bell, Jr.