54 S G M A G A Z I N E | W I N T E R 2 0 1 7 - 2 0 1 8 Generations of students, families, teachers, alumni, and members of the community are taking a walk down memory lane as they celebrate the 50th anniversary of Valwood School. As part of honoring the school’s history, Emily Anderson, a former teacher, dean, and director of Valwood, has written a book titled “Celebrating the Past, Envisioning the Future.” “It is an interesting story,” said Anderson, who has a more than 30- year association with Valwood School. “Writing the book has been very nostalgic, and Valwood is a dream that has become a reality.” The book, which contains accounts from historical documents, correspondence, and five decades of photos, is divided into four sections: Humble Beginnings; Debts, Challenges, and New Era; Dream Campus Becomes a Reality; and Growth and Endless Possibilities. “John Peeples helped me brainstorm on how to organize the book,” Anderson said. “We looked at the history and noticed that about every 12 years the school had a turning point.” The concept of Valwood School is credited to Henry Turner Brice Jr., a Valdosta attorney who wanted to establish an independent school to serve students from South Georgia and North Florida. With a few interested parents and business leaders, the group officially submitted a request for incorporation on May 29, 1968. “At the time the school was incorporated they had no name, no facility, and no headmaster,” Anderson said. “What they did have was a vision.” H. Ferrell Singleton was hired as the school’s first headmaster, and the board leased a building in downtown Valdosta for four years. “The beginning was very humble,” Anderson said. “It was a struggle, but enrollment continued to increase.” In 1973, after receiving donated land, purchasing additional land, and securing assistance with construction financing, Valwood moved into a new facility on Gornto Road, where the school remained for 29 years. Anderson began teaching history at Valwood in the early 1980s, and then also served as dean of the Middle School. In 1987, she became the school’s sixth headmaster, though she selected the title of director, and helped lead the school through its first successful capital campaign, which retired the school’s mortgage and paid off outstanding debt. “Once we were in the Gornto Road facility and stability was restored, there was the issue of the school’s debt,” Anderson said. “Everyone was leaving the problems to the next board or headmaster. Finally, push came to shove, and it was time to do something about the school’s debt.” Anderson said accepting the position was a tough decision. “There were a lot of prayers and I knew this was a serious responsibility, but because I believed in Valwood, I accepted the position.” Five Decades and Counting Valwood Remembers Its Past, Celebrates Its Present, Looks Forward to the Future Susanna Dover, director of development and alumni relations at Valwood School, and Emily Anderson, former teacher, dean, and director of Valwood School, review documents detailing the school’s 50-year history. 54 S G M A G A Z I N E | W I N T E R 2 0 1 7 - 2 0 1 8