College of Education

The Story of the Oak Grove School

Originally located in Tattnall County, Georgia, the Oak Grove School is typical of the many one-room schools that served most of Georgia's rural students from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century. Today, few of these buildings survive.

Through the vision and generosity of Ms. Jan Anderson, the school has been restored as a project to preserve the history of one-room school education as part of the Centennial of Georgia Southern University

As early as 1916, the University, then called the First District A&M School, offered teacher preparation courses to its students, thus establishing a nearly century long tradition of teacher education. Most of the graduates of Georgia Normal School and Georgia Teachers College would work in one-room schools across rural Georgia.

Now, Oak Grove School stands as a monument to those early educators and as inspiration to future educators.

Teacher Colin Strickland & students, Oak Grove School, 1925

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