Schoolhouse Restoration

The inside of the Good Shepherd School in 1930.

A project is underway in 2023 to raise the needed funds to restore the schoolhouse and establish the St. Anna Alexander Center for Racial Healing and Reconciliation at the school.

About the Good Shepherd School
Anna taught briefly in the public school, but felt the lack of religious education hindered her efforts to build up her students. She began teaching at the Mann School at St. Cyprian’s Episcopal Church in Darien with two of her sisters, Mary and Dora. After completing her studies at St. Paul’s College in Virginia from 1897-1900, Anna began teaching students in her home. In 1902, she bought the property on Pennick Road as well as the lumber for a schoolhouse, which was built by volunteers. Between 1902 and 1914 the Deaconess averaged forty day students and more than sixty Sunday School enrollments. She supplemented meager school fees with sewing during the school year and working at the Diocese of Georgia’s summer camp, Camp Reese, when school was out of session. She also gained support with grants from the national Episcopal Church Women and support from other philanthropists. This allowed her to take students whether they could pay for school or not. In 1934, for example, only 2 of the 30 students could pay the nickel per week school fee. The school closed with her retirement in 1945. Deaconess Alexander had served until she physically could not do so any more and died on September 24, 1947.

For groups arranged in advance, visitors can tour two downstairs rooms in the schoolhouse.

An Historic Place in Peril
The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation added the schoolhouse to its list of Places in Peril in 2022. See more at their website here: Good Shepherd Episcopal School.