The first school in Dixie was known as the Brannon School, but other than a name, I can’t locate any other information about it. Jim Cook writes: This school was originally grades 1-12 run by the county and was known simply as Dixie School. The basketball team was championship quality and was known as the Dixie Demons. The school had separate Home Economics, Shop, and gymnasium buildings. The gymnasium burned down some time around 1958 and the lunch room, which had been in the gym building, had to be relocated. High schools throughout the county were consolidated into one school for white students and one for black students for the 1959-1960 school year. Dixie continued as a grammar school with grades 1-8. I was in the last eighth grade class ending in June 1964. The school was closed for several years before reopening as Dixie Christian School, which was later renamed to Westbrook School. When I started first grade the rooms were heated by coal-burning pot-bellied stoves in the corners of each classroom. These were soon replaced by propane space heaters. I have many fond memories from my years there, especially singing to entertain our parents at the annual Christmas programs.
As Westbrook School in Dixie, Ga. one of its Principals was Mr. J.H. Wells, also a former principal of Brooks County High School from 1959 until 1968 and then as Superintendent of Brooks County School from 1968 until 1984.
He was my father .
Jim H. Wells
so is the school now a community center or is it privately owned? Does anyone know who if it’s private?
Old ‘ Dixie school ‘ holds many fond memories for me even though I did not attend school there . My mother , her brother and sister were ‘ alum ‘ from grade school through high school graduation . My grandmother , Mrs. Essie ( Bowen ) Powell – known fondly as ‘ Miss Essie ‘ , taught school @ ‘Dixie ‘ for many years and both of her daughters ( my mother and aunt ) returned to ‘ Dixie ‘ to teach along side their mom for a few years . My mother was born and raised in the ‘ Dixie ‘ community and we have many family members interred in the ‘ Dixie cemetery ‘ across from the Baptist church . My mom shared w/ me many stories of her ‘ school girl ‘ days @ ‘ Dixie ‘ especially during the ‘ Great Depression ‘ of the 1930’s . All of her generation are gone now but the ‘ old Dixie school ‘ still stands a ‘ silent sentinel ‘ of that log-ago time in our community history . As an aside , there was an autographed copy of a portrait of General Robert E. Lee at one time on displayed in the old school supposedly , as the ‘ story ‘ was told to me , bequeathed to the school / community by one of General Lee’s daughters by virtue of the small Brooks County location being named ‘ Dixie ‘ . I cannot confirm nor disallow the story as it was shared w / me by my mother and others of her family . I have shared another ‘ Dixie tale ‘ under the author / photographers pic of ‘ Unknown Confederate Soldier – Dixie ‘ of which I do have personal knowledge .
Mr. Brian Brown is to be commended for his affinity for preserving in photographs our ‘ Vanishing Georgia ‘ much of which is truly ‘ gone with the wind ‘ but which while there is still but one of us to ‘ remember ‘ will ‘ never be forgotten ‘ .
Jim Graham
My late grandfather’s HS diploma is from Dixie Consolidated High School in Brooks County, GA (1942). Is that this school?
It would have to be, yes.
My ex late mother in late, Mildred Adair, taught at Dixie school way back in the late 30’s or early 40’s.
Interesting story,great comments…my grandfather was born in Dixie,in the house across the street from the post office. I was raised knowing it as the Ostriker house.
I attended school at Dixie from 1953-1957 then moved to Florida returning
in 1960 school year for the 8th grade. I remember 1st grade Mrs. Willis,
2nd Mrs. Collins, 3rd Mrs. Kennedy who lived about 1 block East of the
school, 4th Mrs. Faulk, 5th Mrs. Moffett (called the battle ax), and other
teachers Mr. Price- History and Mr. Wade (?). In the early years, if you
were lucky, you got to dust the erasers on the red brick outside. You also
got to go get the coal from the coal pile next to the gym. I have many
many fond memories from those years. Most everyone was financially
poor but we didn’t know it. These memories are beyond value. All of my
siblings (5) went there with my sister graduating in 1954. We rode a bus
about 1 1/2 hours each way to attend. Mrs. John B Parrish (I believe a
teacher) rode the bus in the early 1950’s to get to school each day. Mr. Harold Barrett was principal in 1960-1961 school year. Mrs. Dorough was
also a teacher then.
John,
Dixie School did not have 12 grades until much later than 1946, when I graduated after 11 years,
If Dixie High School was ever a 1-12 grade school,t could have only been for a very few years. I, along with 7 others, graduated from that school in 1946. It was then only 1-11 grades. It c-losed some few years later and then has used as Westbrook. I have very fond memories of Miss Julia Groover and mr. J. C. Booth as teachers there. Many of that small school’s graduates did very well, proof that they received a good education. I attended Elam Elementary School,1-7, and Dixie 8-11.
I graduated from Dixie High School in 1946 with seven others. The school did nit have 12 grades, only 11. Its enrollment reduced greatly during the WWII years.There were only five on the faculty in my senior year. I never heard of the Dixie Demonds either. The only varsity team we had was basketball. The boys team, of which I was a starting member, was not very good. The girls team, playing then 6with 3 guards and 3 forwards who did6 not cross the center line, was a very good one and most years won the district titled a couple of years placed high in the state tournament. It was a very good school and those five on the faculty in the 45/46 school year were the best!
Mr. King, thank you for clarifying the sports team information. I do remember seeing trophies and photos of the boy’s team in the library. The Demons as mascot may have only been informal, but that is how I remember it. By any chance did you live in the Grooverville area?
I love this school! I went from 1st through 12th grades here (graduated in 1986). It was like your extended family! This building is definitely historical. I love the old wooden floors and the tall windows that we would put up when it was warm. Many, many wonderful memories made here!
So many memories in this building & the grass parking lot!!! It may have not been a fancy building but it was the foundation for everyone that went through those long cracking floor halls to be like family when you graduated!! I went there from 1st to 12th grades, graduated in 1985.
When the school opened as a private school in 1970-71 it was called Brooks County Christian School. I went there from 1970-1979. When I graduated in 79, it was Westbrook School.
My mother taught school at Dixie at least 1970-73. Her name was Joyce Beasley and my 2 older brothers Al and Robby went as well. It looks like the same school, but it’s this the only one in Dixie from that time?
Thank you. In my earlier comment I now see that I referred to “Dixie Christian School” when I should have referred to it as Brooks County Christian School.
I believe my brother-in-law, Carl White, played a roll in the formation/continued financial health of the private school along with others in the community.
This school was originally grades 1-12 run by the county and was known simply as Dixie School. The basketball team was championship quality and was known as the Dixie Demons. The school had separate Home Economics, Shop, and gymnasium buildings. The gymnasium burned down some time around 1958 and the lunch room, which had been in the gym building, had to be relocated. High schools throughout the county were consolidated into one school for white students and one for black students for the 1959-1960 school year. Dixie continued as a grammar school with grades 1-8. I was in the last eighth grade class ending in June 1964. The school was closed for several years before reopening as Dixie Christian School, which was later renamed to Westbrook School. When I started first grade the rooms were heated by coal-burning pot-bellied stoves in the corners of each classroom. These were soon replaced by propane space heaters. I have many fond memories from my years there, especially singing to entertain our parents at the annual Christmas programs.
A couple of corrections on my original comment. I should have said that Dixie had twelve grades when I started there in 1956. When the school reopened as a private school it was not Dixie Christian School, but rather Brooks County Christian School. As for the name of the school basketball team, I have another family member a few years my senior who also remembers referring to the team as the Dixie Demons. Whether that was formal or informal I can not confirm.
I grew up across the street from this school, and attended school there from 1st grade thru 12th grade when it was Westbrook School. In fact the land it sits on belonged to my family, and they gave it to the school. I loved this building. It had all of this warm wood floors, doors, trim, panel molding. Today’s schools seem so cold and uninviting, but this one wasn’t.
Thanks, Angela. I will change the title to Westbrook School.
I remember driving past this school every week to my piano teacher’s house for lessons. My dad graduated from here, class of ’78.
I went to the elementary portion of this school (not pictured) but my older brother graduated from here and older sister attended. To the right of the entry is the auditorium and to left is the classrooms. This was an awesome school to run around and play in!! Brings back lots of memories!! As far as there being much more to it…there is a post office, polling place, cemetary, about 4 churches, and a corner quick mart and that’s it, not much more. Nice and peaceful.
This is such a good picture, I love how serene the day looks. My grandfather was born in Dixie, he will be 92 years old this June. He and his immediate family and most of his ancestors lived in Dixie. The only thing I’ve ever seen of it is the Cemetary. I honestly didn’t know there was much more to it. We stopped one time on the drive to Quitman which is where my grandparents live now, and I asked if we could see Dixie, and I just always thought that was it. I love this. Thanks
My Grandparents lived across the narrow street from this school. My mother went to school there. My Grandmother was the PostMaster at the Dixie post office for 28 years.
Thanks for sharing a little of your family history, Lynne. I just love Dixie, especially the school and the old cemetery…very nice place.