Inger Wood to Speak About Bennett Grove School

February 4, 2014

The Willow Hill Heritage and Renaissance Center is hosting a symposium “The Past, Present, and Future of the Bennett Grove School, Bulloch County’s Last One-Room African American Schoolhouse” on Saturday, February 8, beginning on Georgia Southern’s campus. This is the schoolhouse that the Anthropology Society helped clean up in November. Our very own Inger Wood will be speaking at the symposium along with Brent Tharp and Michael Van Wagenen from History who are a part of this and other efforts with Willow Hill.

There will be presentations on the history of Bennett Grove and the case to preserve it. The even will be held at Georgia Southern University’s College of Education Auditorium from 9am until 11:15am. The Guest Speaker is Jeanne Cyriaque, African American Programs Coordinator for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Historic Preservation Division.

At noon at the Willow Hill School (4235 Willow Hill Road, Portal), there will be a reception and unveiling of the Bennett Grove School Exhibit. That will be followed by a field trip to the Bennett Grove School (Harold Howell Rd., Portal).

This symposium is an effort to make the public aware of the historical significance of this disappearing American treasure and the need for funds to preserve it. The symposium and reception are free and open to the public. Future plans are to preserve the building and move it to the Willow Hill campus to serve as a schoolhouse museum for new generations of students.

This program is a partnership between the Willow Hill Heritage and Renaissance Center and Georgia Southern University, supported by the Georgia Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities and through appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly.