We have an elementary school in our little community, Oakland Elementary, that has been here for a long time. It was originally the Oakland Academy built in 1867. There used to be elementary schools in all of the communities of the county, as many as 25 at one time. They were closed one by one in order to consolidate all the kids into one school in town. All but Oakland. This is a big community and all the locals protested it, enough so that Oakland could stay open. (Reprint from the school house, Oct 19,2005)
Not any more.
Oakland Elementary School closed at the end of May of this year due to budget cuts.
No amount of protest worked this time, the Board of Education apparently had a master plan and nothing would change it.
The kids and teachers were disbursed to other schools in the county. The bus schedules are a mess and the seat time for kids on the buses is long, even making the Atlanta news. Adding fuel to the fire, the Board of Education just purchased an empty bank building in town for over half a million dollars, headlines in the local papers.
The logistic chaos is not the tragedy here, though. Oakland was not just another school in the system, not just a number on a spreadsheet in the budget. Oakland was a small community school, a family really, where generations of families were taught by the same teachers over the years. The loss to this community is great, the grief felt every time the school is passed by on the highway.
Just the other day on the way to town I automatically slowed down for the school zone and noticed an impatient driver behind me, then the school came into view around the curve and I thought, "Oh, I forgot, I don't have to slow down any more..." The flashing 'school zone' lights are dark, the school bells are silent. It is sad to see the school empty this time of year, the weeds growing up around the playground equipment.
When Kyle was here in Kindergarten in 2000, they painted this mural and all the kids put their hand prints in paint. One day I picked him up after school from Ms. Pat and he was so excited to show me his hand print on the wall.
The only silver lining in this story is the formation of the Oakland Academy Charter School, a work in progress by local residents to try to bring back the community school.
Well, maybe not the only silver lining - our family was fortunate to have ALL of our kids and grandkids all benefit from the Oakland experience.
They say it takes a village to raise a child, and this village has raised many lucky children over the years. Even though the school stands empty, the friends made there are friends for life, the lessons learned there are remembered, the teachers are still being quoted, and the memories made will last forever.
The staff and I trust that your tour at Oakland has been a pleasure.
We know the memories will always be a treasure.
We have been here to offer you our best.
We now present to you the ultimate test…
To perform as well or better at Gilmer Middle School.
We feel we have offered you an efficient learning tool.
To continue your success each and every day.
To learn more and develop new paths along the way.
Do not always stick to the "tried and true"
Because our future will depend on you!
It is my desire that when I see you at Wal-Mart on any given day…
That you will remember Oakland and say hey.
~excerpt from of 'Love is More Than a Word' by Jim Parmer, former Oakland principal (see full poem here)
the school house
no more pencils
