Georgia State High School

Plains High School

Adopted on April 22, 1997

The 1997 Georgia General Assembly passed a bill which named Plains High School the State School of Georgia. The legislation recognized educators Julia Coleman and Y.T. Sheffield for their outstanding leadership at the school. It also noted that President Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Smith Carter were graduates of Plains High School and that President Carter served on the Sumter County School board as his first political office.


Governor Zell Miller signed the bill into law on April 22, 1997. At this time, Plains High School was officially designated the State School of Georgia.

Plains, Georgia is one of the three National Historic Sites in the state of Georgia. In recognition of its historical significance, Plains High School was restored with the help of the people of Plains, the National Park Service and the United States Department of the Interior. The current building, which originally housed both elementary and high schools, was erected in 1921 at a cost of $50,000.00 and replaced an earlier frame structure. Plains High School was known for its model curriculum, its outstanding facilities and its dedicated faculty. The auditorium and library of Plains High School were the only non-denominational meeting facilities in Plains and were used for plays, Chautauqua performances and other community events. President James Earl Carter, Jr. and Rosalyn Carter are graduates of Plains High School and membership on its board was the first political office in which the President served.