1B Grade-Cordele Public School, Unknown Photographer, Circa 1911

These real photo postcards, made by an itinerant traveling photographer, provide a nice portrait of South Georgia schoolchildren in the early 20th century. They were acquired through the estate of a cousin, whose husband is identified in a couple of the cards. These are important social documents as they bear witness to the early days of the concept of government-funded public schools. They were still a relatively new concept in America, especially in the rural South at this time.

2B Grade-Cordele Public School, Unknown Photographer, Circa 1912

I’m not sure why there are two different views of the second grade class; perhaps they were made in different seasons. Somewhat odd to me is that the teacher is only pictured in one of the images (below).2B Grade-Cordele Public School, Unknown Photographer, Circa 1912