Old Newtown School has coming out party
1950s building razed, but older school house to be preserved


By HATCHER HURD
hatcher@northfulton.com
November 19, 2002

The bulldozers went into action Nov. 12 at the old Newtown School, but this time it was in aid of preservation.

Newtown School sits on Newtown Park property, and preservationists want to save the 1929 school house just behind the 1950s building on Old Alabama Road at the Haynes Bridge Road intersection
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The Newtown Park Community Foundation Inc. has taken on the task of preserving and restoring the old building, about a $2 million operation. The demolished building was fated to go anyway. It stood in the way of future widening of Old Alabama.

Newtown Park Foundation President Lynn Pennington said the 73-year-old red-brick schoolhouse with tongue-and-groove walls and ceilings, transom doors and hardwood floors is a jewel waiting to re-emerge from years of neglect. She envisions the school house at the least becoming a meeting place for the community. Many other uses could be contemplated.
"We plan to hold some public meetings on the school and see what the community would like see it become,” Pennington said. "It is well worth saving.”

Board member Lisa Hunsaker said it is one of the oldest buildings in the area, dating back to old Milton County. That area of the county was mostly farm land, so there really aren’t many landmark buildings in the eastern part of North Fulton.

"The school would make a fabulous meeting place for the community. The huge classrooms would let us have several things going on at one time. And it’s all still here. We just need to give it some love and attention,” Hunsaker said.

District 3 County Commissioner Bob Fulton agrees. The later addition to the school was a hazard and a nuisance, Fulton said. No county funds are available for the restoration of the old school, but Fulton said he will be searching for state or federal grant money that could help with the project.

"We [Fulton County] definitely want to be a partner in the restoration of Newtown School,” he said. "It is just amazing how long it has taken to get Newtown Park up to speed. Eight years ago, there was nothing out here but some scrubby pines.”

Today, after an initial investment of $4.5 million, the 52-acre park with its ball fields, tennis courts and open space is the busiest park in Georgia. The park has had some growing pains, most notably drainage problems that required a $260,000 fix.

But the county Parks and Recreation Department has "gotten things turned around,” Fulton said. "We wanted to do something with the school, but the community had to decide.”

With the creation of the Newtown Park Foundation, the county now has a conduit to work with the community to make more improvements to the park.

"Lynn Pennington’s leadership on this has been great,” Fulton said. "Now there is a plan. The real owners of the park are the users. They will raise the money and we will find some matching funds. It is really exciting.”

State Rep. Wendell Willard, R-44, is also a board member. He said he is anxious to get improvements started, especially with the restoration of the school. "I love this park,” he said.

He said he hopes to get some state interest in some of Newtown’s projects.

The foundation also should have a Website, newtownpark.com, up and running shortly so people can get more information. Initially, the foundation has four stated goals:

          • Development of an aquatic/gym facility.

          • Restoration of the old Newtown School as a public meeting place.

          • Enhance and preserve the park’s environment.

          • Acquire additional land to add to the park.

Any one of those goals would be ambitious. Together they are a daunting task, but Pennington is not deterred.

"It’s a multi-year agenda, that’s for sure,” Pennington said. "I don’t think the county could do all of the things we would like to see happen for this park. I do think the county owes us some equity. There are two pools in South Fulton and none in North Fulton.”
However she said she is pleased with the cooperation of new Fulton Parks and Recreation Director John Culbreth.

"It is great to see the people coming together for their park,” Culbreth said.
The demolition of the old building is just a first step.

"This paves the way for the restoration of the school,” Culbreth said.

Newtown Park at a glance

OPENED: May 1999
SIZE: 52 acres
INVESTMENT: Initial costs $4 million
FACILITIES: Baseball & softball fields; tennis courts; basketball courts; lacrosse & soccer fields; picnic shelters; playgrounds; pathways; small amphitheater.
RECREATION: The Newtown Recreation Athletic Association, a non-profit volunteer organization, provides the programming for organized sports.

November 19, 2002 News and Revue