Once again fellowship filled the walls of old Beulah school celebrating the school’s 10th annual reunion on Saturday, Sept. 30. Graduates in attendance ranged from those who graduated in 1947 when Beulah was still a high school to attendees who graduated from North Surry after attending Beulah as an elementary school.
Ricky Lawson began the ceremonies welcoming all and leading the pledge of allegiance. Francis Leonard then led the crowd in the national anthem as Randy Moore presented the colors. Bracky Rogers, a 1954 graduate, sang the Beulah alma mater. After a brief presentation on the history of the school by Travis Bunker, each graduated class present was recognized by Albert Cockerham.
Ivelyn Martin and Dorthy Hicks, who were former students who later went on to teach at Beulah treated the audience with stories of their time there both as students and teachers. Local elected officials and fellow alumni Buck Golding, Surry County commissioner and Teresa Odell, Surry County clerk of court, were also recognized.
There were lots of laughs and plenty of reminiscing as everyone enjoyed seeing old friends and re-telling stories of old school days. A special thanks to Bracky Rogers for beginning and maintaining what has become an annual event to celebrate a special time in each student’s life spent at Beulah school.
History of Beulah School
The first Beulah School was a one-room structure built in the latter part of the nineteenth century near Beulah Methodist Church. After the turn of the 20th century, a two-room building was constructed nearby.
From 1922 thru 1926, students went to Dobson to further their high school education. In 1927, W.A. York, a Surry County commissioner, and John Richards, a member of the board of education, helped to get the school built at its present location.
The new school accommodated five teachers who taught grades one through nine. Six months of the school term was state funded. However, in order for the eighth and ninth graders to receive credit for an eight-month term, the community paid teachers and bus drivers. It also furnished gas for the buses those extra months.
By the school year 1929-1930, the state fully funded all eight months of the school year. In 1931 tenth and eleventh grades were added.
Devastating the community on Jan. 18, 1938, Beulah School burned down. Children had to attend school in a community church and two other surrounding schools.
By the next school year, in the fall of 1938, a new 14-room building had been built and completed with a lunch room and a gymnasium. In 1945 an agricultural building was added. The twelfth grade was added in 1946.
By 1953, a new school building with three classrooms, a library and a home economics department was built. At this point the school had a faulty of 23 teachers, eight of whom were high school teachers.
In 1959 the Northern District of Surry County, consisting of five elementary schools, consolidated to form North Surry High School. Ninth through twelfth graders at Beulah moved to North Surry High School. In 1975, seventh and eighth graders moved to Gentry Middle school.
In 1995, Beulah school merged with Lowgap School, now housed in the Cedar Ridge facility on Flippen Road.
