Alpharetta Elementary PTA

Alpharetta Elementary School

Principal: Mrs. Pat Reed
Vice Principal: Mr. Andy Allison

The Home of Alphie the Eagle

192 Mayfield Road
Alpharetta, GA 30009
Phone: 770-740-7015
Fax: 770-667-2840

Click to read the AES 2008-09 Performance Report.

Visit our AES School Website.

Alpharetta Elementary – Over Fifty Years of History

While we celebrate over 50 years in our building, the history of our city shows that there has been a school in the area for over 150 years. First known as a tiny village named New Prospect Camp Ground, the village was made up of tents, a trading post and a log school. Eventually the village became known as the Town of Milton and on December 11th, 1858 the City of Alpharetta was incorporated. The city limits were extended in a one half mile radius in all directions from City Hall. While history records, for instance, that there were two hotels here at that time (The Harris Hotal and the John James Hotel), the history of our school in those days is less clear. What IS known is that there have always been wonderful educational opportunities for the children of this city from the earliest point in our city’s history.

For example, we do know that there were not one but two schools in our town prior to the establishment of Alpharetta Elementary and Milton High School. One of the schools was named Alpharetta Academy and thus the name Academy Street. In 1992 or 1922 land was purchased for the construction of the building which would house Milton High School and Alpharetta Elementary. In 1923, on the site where Milton Center (the old Old Milton High School) is now located, a formal one room elementary school was opened and the students marched from Alpharetta Academy to the new Alpharetta Elementary in a grand parade.

Even that upstart little bump in the road to the south of us called Roswell could not boast of such an accomplishment and they sent their children to us for schooling. In the tradition of one room school houses, even grades were taught on year and odd grades were taught the next. Since we were sharing space with Milton High, the lower grades were on one floor of the two story building and the upper grades were on the other floor.

The old school served what had become a small but thriving farming community. Many times students missed school so they could help their parent’s with the farm tasks. However, the State of Georgia passed a compulsory education law and students were required to attend school. Early on, men were thought to be better teachers because they could be better disciplinarians. Female teachers were held to a higher standard and if a female teacher married, she was required to resign from teaching. Interestingly enough, teachers in need of housing were allowed to stay at the hotel located across from City Hall. The town grew and so did the school. Throughout the Depression, then the Second World War, and into the fifties Alpharetta Elementary served the community well.

In the middle 1950s the need for more space prompted the Fulton County School Board of Education to authorize the construction of yet another version of Alpharetta Elementary – the one we celebrate today. For those young enough to remember the Cold War, upon completion Alpharetta Elementary was designated as the town’s bomb shelter in case of nuclear attack. Students routinely practiced “duck and cover” drills in the name of preparedness.

There were the typical “modern” amenities in our new school. However, there were some wonderful memories formed from the simplest of things. At the eastern end of the school was a huge playground known as the primary playground. This playground had a montrous tree under which the children played. We are told the girls played house there, and if the boys claimed the spot first, they raced their Matchbox cars around the huge, gnarly roots. Playground equipment was a train and a catapillar upon which the students played.

The other end of school had a faculty parking lot (essentially where the first grade wing is now) and beyond that another large playground. At the southern end of the parking lot was the PTA paper house where the school recycled paper much as we continue to do to this day. In the large playground on this end was the play area for the upper grades. There you found “The Tower” which the children climbed on, swung on, and jumped from. At the other end of the yard, about where the paper recycling bin sits now, was the general location of Sewer Hill. Yes, it was just what you think it was – the drain field for the septic system.

The traffic patterns were quite different then. There was only one entrance to the school. As you entered the school the driveway forked and the busses and cars all went to the left. The faculty went to the right. Cares and busses shared the same drop off and pick up lanes. It wasn’t a big deal as there were only four bus routes for our school at that time. Also turning right at the fork were the delivery vehicles as the loading dock was on the western end where the faculty parked. One daily delivery was from the grocery store. For many years, the cafeteria would call in the daily food order to Bate’s Grocery which was located across the street from City Hall. Mr. Bates would then load up his truck and head for the loading dock to deliver the order. For all of his trouble and effort, Mr. Bates charged a whopping fifty cents delivery fee. Mr. Bate’s legacy extends beyond his groceries. His daughter went to school here, then returned to teach at AES (Shirley Benton).

Other teachers went to school here as well. Both Ms. Blalock (former teacher at AES ) and Mrs. Burns are alumni of Alpharetta Elementary are alumni of Alpharetta Elementary and returned to teach in their old stomping grounds. Mrs. Pam Ferguson went to school here as well and now serves as our Principal’s secretary and bookkeeper.

Over the years smalled additions were made to our school, but our school remained essentially unchanged. However, in the late eighties growth in the Alpharetta area prompted the Fulton County School Board to expand the only school in the area AES. In one fell swoop they added a media center (which is named after our first librarian and sister of our former principal Mrs. Martin, Mary Carruth Vaughn), the special education wing, the gymnasium, the administration wing, and the first grade/kindergarten wing. Teachers endured construction noise, dust, and workmen everywhere as the construction took place while school was in session. Then, due to Board policy that deemed our school as a new facility, the staff had to go through a reassignment process. Now, once again, we will see our school grow with the addition of a NEW wing.

Our school has been THE elementary school in Alpharetta for many, many years. Over 50 years we have had wonderful guidance form all our principals including Mrs. Viola Martin, Mrs. Doris Couch, Mrs. Carolyn Meeks, Ms. Jackie Littlefield and Mrs. Pat Reed. Our is a grand old school with a history that these pristine new places can only wish for. Our school’s history is what keeps our small town school feeling alive. Our roots connect us to a past that is rich and intricately woven through the fabric of a community that has been well served by a wonderful school!!