Better known as the home of J. E. Beck & Son Hardware (established 1945), the building was built by a Mr. Shannon in 1920. In the distance is the old WPA-built city gymnasium. According to Billy Humphries, it will soon be restored and used as a a theater/opry house. Jean Clements also notes that for a time after the Jeffersonville school building burned in the late 1940s, it was used as the temporary grammar school.
This was built for the school next door. It’s been restored and is now used as a community center and available for rentals. Many of these old gyms have fallen into ruin so it’s nice to see this one in good condition.
Jim Cowart writes: “My Mother played basketball in this Gym when she was in high school and she was born in 1917. There was a school building between the Gym and the brick building that is pictured here and it burned many, many years ago…My grandfather S.B. Driggers helped to build the Gym…”
Gene Wilkes adds: “(M)y brother, Bud Wilkes, played ball in this gym. He was born in 1923…I’ve heard it was built by FFA boys with lumber donated by local farmers.”
This historic school is in need of immediate stabilization but in reality will likely be lost. As you can see in the closeup below, the tile roof has already been replaced in one section and is collapsing further. The first school in the community was known as the Arlington Academy. Built in 1888, it was destroyed by a tornado on 22 March 1897. Its replacement was used until it was lost to fire in 1924. The Arlington High School was built in 1925 and used until consolidation in 1963. These buildings were used by lower grades until 1978, when they were finally abandoned.
The gymnasium (below) also survives, but is in poor condition, as well.
Update: Jessica McDaniel reports on Southwest Georgia in Photographs that the old school has been leveled, as of 2017.