Atlanta Grade School Friends
YEAR IN REVIEW 2022



THANKS TO OUR GENEROUS DONORS, VOLUNTEERS, AND PARTNERS
WE ARE PLEASED TO SHARE A FEW OF THE MANY THINGS
THAT HAVE MADE THIS YEAR SO SPECIAL FOR ATLANTA GRADE SCHOOL FRIENDS
Happy New Year!
“Volunteers are the only human beings on the face of the earth who reflect this nation’s compassion, unselfish caring, patience, and just plain loving one another.”
Erma Bombeck, American writer (1927-1996)
Board of Directors 2022 | Thank You!
Jane Cook Barnhill, President
Kevin Stingley, Vice President
Danny Stanley, Treasurer
Cyndy Vaughan Chamblee, Secretary
Lee Ellen Arnold Benjamin | Camille Smith Dawn
Tammie Duncan | Gary Endsley | James Joslin
Judy Waldon Lanier | Margaret Miller-Fitts
Donna Rice | Phil Rice | Leigh Walker Stanley
Jerri Mason Steger
This year, we took the time to count our volunteer hours. Volunteers saved AtlantaMiller Grade School from destruction. They painstakingly removed debris and stabilized the building. They added important safety features, and this year, Atlanta Grade School Friends acquired the property next door to pave the way for an off-street parking lot.
Volunteers have remained active in fundraising and promoting the restoration project, for which we are forever grateful!
Stanley O. Graves, Senior Principal Architexas | architexas.com
Stan’s addition to the Atlanta Grade School Friends team means our WPAera school building will become one of the finest restoration projects of its kind in Texas.
Jim Steely, a 6th generation Texan from East Texas, shared his expertise in WPA-era architecture with us by authoring one of our enewsletter articles this year. Jim has a distinguished twenty-year long career at the Texas Historical Commission, and he is the author of several books on Texas history and architecture. Our dialogue continues.
Phase I: Restore (2001 to 2021)
• Now complete, the school was saved from destruction, cleared of debris, and stabilized
Phase II: Renovate (2022 to 2025)
• Organizational infrastructure improvements, fundraising campaign organization, groundbreaking and construction, with educational offerings planned
Phase III: Re-imagine (2026 to 2036)
• Grand opening, planning for 100th anniversary in 2036, first employee sought and hired, community activities scheduled and managed going forward
We wish to thank the following for so graciously lending their endorsement to Atlanta Grade School Friends and occasionally, an extra hand. It means more than you know!
❖ M. James Brooks IV, Mayor, City of Atlanta
❖ Donna and Tom Caver
❖ Nancy Coe and 903 Artisans
❖ Ricky Dickson, CEO and President, Blue Bell Creameries, L.P.
❖ Gary Endsley, Director, Collins Academy
❖ Jason Harris, Superintendent, Atlanta Independent School District
❖ Sidney Harrist, Retired Superintendent, Atlanta Independent School District
❖ Del Polikretis, Texas Forest Trail
❖ The Honorable R. Travis Ransom, County Judge, Cass County
❖ Lynne Spivey
❖ Carolyn Thompson, Branch Manager, 1st National Bank Atlanta
❖ Edward R. Stanley, CEO and Founder, Stanco Manufacturing, Inc.
atlantagradeschoolfriends.org
Modernized after 20 years, the new website is more secure, and it provides:
• Thanks to our supporters past and present
• History, mission, and future plans
• Historic photo gallery
• MailChimp e-newsletter sign up
• Qgiv online giving
• Contact form Thanks to Chris Wood, owner of HandsomeWeb and Atlanta-Miller Grade School alumnus
Thanks to the Cookbook Committee for its outstanding work!
o Margaret Miller-Fitts, Chair
o Cyndy Vaughan Chamblee
o Camille Smith Dawn
o Judy Waldon Lanier
o Leigh Walker Stanley
o Jerri Mason Steger
Amidst the exciting changes underway, we regret the loss of three friends: Angela Heath Barnes, Robert William
(Bob) Grabarschick and Mary Nell Tyson.
We are grateful for their friendship and support through the years.
John Barnhill and Jane Cook Barnhill
The Summerlee Foundation
AHS Class of ‘71 in memory of Terry Thompson
AHS Class of '74 in memory of Lee Ann Smith
AHS Class ‘74 Bunko Girls in memory of Angela Heath Barnes
Bobby Allday
Carolyn M. Appleton and Toni Turner in honor of Jane Cook Barnhill
Kim Babb
Susan Bedier
Lee Ellen Arnold Benjamin
Gary Boland
Julie Braddock
Michelle Brock in honor of Jane Cook Barnhill
Becky Burrows
Princess Cameron
DaWayne and Eileen Capps
Gerri Carlise
Donna and Tom Caver
Chair-ish Auction, Nancy Coe, JDT Memorial Foundation and 903 Artisans
Sarah Childress in memory of Shirley Clements
Jay Stirling Clements and Family
Debbie Cockerman
CL Collins Enterprises and Bob’s Printing
Dwain Currie in honor of Marilyn and Sonya Felkins
Tom and Peggy Currie in honor of Jane Cook Barnhill
Mary Dowd
Duncan Family in memory of Neal Peacock
Tammie Duncan in memory of Angela Heath Barnes
Mary Jane Dunnam
Amanda Ellis in memory of John Pierce Ellis
Sherry Estes
Bill and Rosalie Griffin
Sherry and Ricky Griffin
Marsha Hagin
Tresa Hall
Jan Hamilton in memory of Katherine Stubbs
Donna Hanner
Tommie Hannon in honor of the Class of 1958
Debbie and Bill Henson
Joan J. Holton
Sandra Dees Howell
George Hudspeth
Mary Garrett Jackson
Doris Johnson
Dr. A. B. Jordan, Jr.
James Joslin in honor of Katherine Stubbs
Reese Lockett
Gary Lovelace
Meg McGoogan
Margaret Miller-Fitts in memory of Angela Heath Barnes
Margaret Miller-Fitts in memory of Shirley Clements
Margaret Miller-Fitts in memory of Terry Thompson
Paul M. and Nalga Jane Mebane
Joanie Miller in memory of Martin Miller
Mary Lynn Miller-Sopher
David Nichols
David Nichols in memory of Katherine Stubbs
Mr. and Mrs. Travis Partain
Kathy Peacock in memory of Dr. John Haynes
Henry Quinn
Julie Barr Rhodes in memory of Shirley Clements
Mary Ruth Roberts-Hudson
Diane Nichols Rogers
Glenda S. Sanders
Sandra Ragsdale Sanders
Donald Sherman
Lisa Sloterdijk
Eddie Ray and Charlotte Stanley
Debra Ragsdale Venn
Walmart of Atlanta, Texas
George Welch
Dr. John C. Wilkey and Stephanie Smith-Wilkey
Chris Wood and HandsomeWeb
Kathy Wren in memory of Shirley Clements
“LET US BE GRATEFUL TO PEOPLE WHO MAKE US HAPPY, THEY ARE THE CHARMING GARDENERS WHO MAKE OUR SOULS BLOSSOM.”
MARCEL PROUST, AUTHOR (1871-1922)
Updated January 2023