Woodland School History

Woodland School is located in the old Flat Rock Settlement, named for a large granite outcropping located just northwest of here on the former Kelley Sims plantation, present day site of White Acres Subdivision. Kelley Sims and his father in law John Cook, a veteran of the War of 1812, were large planters and utilized the Flat Rock as an antebellum solar grain drier for their granary. From the earliest pioneer days this area was known as Flat Rock. The Flat Rock Post Office was organized in 1837 and Flat Rock Church organized in 1883. The name of the church was changed to Hemphill in 1917. The only place the Flat Rock name survives is on nearby Flat Rock Road, which was the old road to Stockbridge before Hwy. 138 was straightened and paved.

No records have been found indicating when Flat Rock School was founded; however, we do know the school dates back to before 1894 since it is listed in the earliest records of the Henry County Board of Education. In September 1905 the people of Flat Rock petitioned the county for funds to support Flat Rock School. The petitioners represented some of the most prominent farmers in the community. The family names include: Askew, Bellah, Coker, Cook, Henry, Hinton, Morris, Moseley, Phillips and Walden.

By October 8, 1906 the school had been renamed Woodland School. In 1914, the School Board appropriated $400 to build a third classroom at Woodland School. In 1916, the county agreed to pay one half the $90 cost of a new veranda and repairs to the school; the other half to be paid by the parents. Between 1920 and 1940 the population of Henry County declined by 25 percent. Talk of closing Woodland began in 1923; however, the final consolidation of the Woodland School District did not occur until 1934. The Woodland District was split down the middle and half the students went to Stockbridge School while the other half went to Pleasant Grove School.

This area of Henry County has always been home to adventurous, honest, intelligent, hardworking people who love faith, family and country. Woodland School has a great history and a bright future.

Gene E. Morris, Jr.

Henry County Historian

The school colors are red and gray and its mascot is a wolf.