Jim Cherry School of Brookhaven

Jim Cherry Elementary School, at 3007 Hermance Drive was built in 1950 and designed by Wilfred J. Gregson, of Gregson and Ellis Architects.  Today the school is DeKalb PATH Academy in Brookhaven.

A 1950 article in the North DeKalb Record and Norcross News explains how Jim Cherry was not in favor of a school being named for him, but the community of Brookhaven wanted to honor him. He served as DeKalb County school superintendent from 1949 until 1972.

The write-up also describes the school building design. “Classrooms have bilateral lighting, using a glass block that deflects the light rays upward.  The rays of light from the sky are turned upward in the classrooms to light the ceilings and walls.  The entire end of the classrooms are glass and the corridor walls have continuous glass panels which take light from the corridor skylight and beam it onto the ceiling.”

Today’s DeKalb Path Academy was once Jim Cherry School in Brookhaven. Photo by John Dickerson, 2017.

Jim Cherry School was built on property donated by Oglethorpe University. A $1,900,000 DeKalb County School bond in 1949 allocated $157,000 for the construction of the Jim Cherry School.   Later reports indicate the cost of construction was $167,098.

The auditorium was fifty by ninety feet with a steel ceiling with an inverted trough to break up the sound waves.   It was designed to serve as cafeteria and gymnasium as well.  The library was designed at the opposite end from the auditorium stage to accommodate overflow seating for performances. 

The technically up-to-date (for 1950) public address system is described.  “Public address is provided to each classroom, library and the auditorium, using FM broadcast and phonograph records as well as two way voice control.”

The school was built at the beginning of a twenty-year building boom for schools in DeKalb County and was needed to relieve overcrowding at the Brookhaven School, which was designed by the same architects.  Jim Cherry School opened with an enrollment of 483 students.

At the time the school was built, the architect described it as “highly functional modern design acclaimed by the school personnel as an advance in educational facilities.”  The North DeKalb Record newspaper stated the school was “a symbol of DeKalb County’s new progress.”

 A program was held for the opening of the school, which included a piano solo and several speakers.  Jim Cherry spoke, as did Dr. Philip Weltner, the President of Oglethorpe University at that time. 

The Jim Cherry Elementary School closed in 1975 with 273 students attending.  A report was written on the school for the 1974-75 school year, including a few of their successful events. “One hundred students received free dental treatment. The Primary children had the opportunity to attend a live performance at the DeKalb Community College. There were many field trips to Fernbank Science Center. Cross Keys Chorus, under the direction of Mr. James MacRainey performed for the students. Many of our students participated in the ‘Walk for Mankind.’ Mr. Tom Petry was the school coordinator.”

Other sources for this article include, “Educating DeKalb: Midcentury Elementary Schools in DeKalb County,” by Amber Rhea and the Jim Cherry School/DeKalb County School files in the archives of the DeKalb History Center.

DeKalb History Center:  Jim Cherry School/DeKalb County School files.