BLECKLEY COUNTY, Ga. — Alumni of the old Bleckley County High, which was also once named Cochran High School, walked through this building one last time over the weekend as the district begins phase one of turning it into a new primary school.
"I was born and raised in Cochran. I still live here, I'm only three blocks, four blocks away from the school now," Cochran High School alum Danny Mathis said.
He passes by his old high school daily, which now serves as the Bleckley County preschool, but was formerly known as Cochran High School from 1956 to 1976.
"I was an honor graduate. It was an honor for me to graduate to tell you the truth. I wasn't a model student. I've got memories up there that I might not need to share with my grandchildren," Mathis said.
In 1977, the county and city district merged and renamed it to Bleckley High School. It's also the site of the Board Office where Superintendent Steve Smith works now.
"I attended two years at Cochran High during the midst of the change and then two years at Bleckley County High, but went to the same building for both of those," Smith said.
In 2005, they built the new Bleckley County High off highway 87, and now they're starting phase one of a highly anticipated project.
"We're going to be demolishing the old high school and building a new primary school that will serve grades pre-k through second grade, and that old building will become the home of the central office, of the board office," Smith said.
"For over 60-something years that building has been in use, and that's pretty unheard of these days. People want to build new and tear down. It's a good thing for Cochran, but it's time to move on," Mathis said.
Smith and Mathis say it's a bittersweet feeling, but they're happy to see the district's progress moving forward.
"I'm just so thankful that they're going to preserve some of it. They're going to upgrade it and make it nicer for these pre-k and these primary school students. It's going to be a good addition to our little community," Mathis said.
Smith says after the primary school finishes, they'll begin renovations to their athletic facilities.
The new primary school costs about $23 million, covered by ESPLOST money and a rural state grant.
Smith says it should be completed by Fall 2022.
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