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Ever heard of the ‘Covington School System’? Here’s how it became Newton County Schools

By TOM SPIGOLON & GABRIEL STOVALL

news@covnews.com In the same year Newton County celebrated its 200th anniversary, the county’s leading school system celebrated its 150th.

With the brunt of its presence in the city of Covington, Newton County Schools was established Feb. 7, 1871, but the county’s origin of public education has been traced back to years prior. And before 1860, public education was not a priority.

Federal, state and local governments placed little emphasis on schooling by shelling out minor funds in the early 1800s, according to “History of Newton County Georgia,” a book compiled and released by the Historical Society of Newton County in 1988. But as the 19th century came to a close, local and state leaders increased their efforts to make education available on a much larger level than ever before.

In 1867, the Georgia Teachers Association was established, which played a vital role in the creation of the state’s public education we know today. Four of its original members hailed from Newton County (Gustavus Orr, T.J. Hill, Joseph S. Stewart and Alexander Means). Another force in the creation of public education was the formation of the Freedmen’s Bureau by an act of Congress in 1865.

The object of the bureau was to protect former slaves from the development of laws that tried to limit slaves’ freedom. Between 1866 and 1870, the bureau spent nearly $5 million to pay teachers, construct and rent schools, and establish black colleges and “normal schools,” according to the historical society’s findings.

The area’s first Freedmen’s school was reported in 1866. It was located in Covington and had 25 students taught by Edward Putry. By 1867, a local Freedmen’s school was described as one with more than 100 students taught by C.A. Sprague.

In August 1870, the Freedmen’s Bureau withdrew from Georgia, which made it difficult for Black people to receive a quality education because

Happy 200th Birthday Newton County!

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