Schools

Before the arrival of modern transportation, education in Towns County was truly local. Small, close-knit communities established their schools—some nestled within church buildings, others standing alone as dedicated structures. These rural schools were more than just classrooms; they were central to community life. By 1917, the county board of education began consolidating some of these community schools to save funding, but only if they were nearby to each other. 

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Everything began to change with the construction of Lake Chatuge Dam in 1942. As the landscape shifted and population patterns changed, smaller schools saw a decline in attendance. This sparked a wave of consolidation. Three primary elementary schools emerged—Hiawassee, Young Harris, and Macedonia—bringing students together from across the county.

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By the 1970s, a new chapter began. With the help of federal grant funding, Towns County launched plans for a centralized school system. Hiawassee and Macedonia Elementary Schools merged to form Towns County Elementary, and Towns County High School merged with Young Harris Institute to form the county high school, all located in one building. The final milestone came in the early 2000s with the construction of a new elementary school building. This led to the closure of Young Harris Elementary and completed the vision of a unified educational campus. Today, all of Towns County’s youth attend school on a single campus—an enduring symbol of progress and community unity.

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More info from the early days of education can be found in the 1917 Educational Survey of Towns County, Georgia