Father and son, Benny and Abe Gibson, both educators and graduates of Franklin County High School, have documented hundreds of schools that no longer exist in Franklin County, thanks in part to a grant from Virginia Humanities. They examine the county’s impressive efforts to provide its children with an education despite challenging circumstances. Overcoming the rugged terrain, nonexistent roads, and rural poverty that made funding a school system extremely difficult, Franklin County supported hundreds of schools throughout the early twentieth century. And now, 100 years later, all these schools have closed, and most have been forgotten.
The Gibsons have spent countless hours researching, documenting and in some instances, photographing these “vanished” schools. This exhibit is a culmination of their efforts although they still are seeking the sites of some schools and more information on these schools. To contribute and learn more about the project, please go to www.TheVanishingSchools.com.
Click here to see a talk with the Gibsons about their project and their Public Humanities Fellowships in 2022-23.
