The following was reprinted from a Savannah Morning Newspaper article dated January 1940:

The Springfield School is Burned
Blaze Believed to have started in the Boiler Room
Pupils out of Building
$40,000 Academy Structure is Totally Destroyed

Springfield, Ga January 29 (1940) – Effingham Academy.  $40,000 school building completed in 1937 was destroyed by fire this afternoon.

Fire was discovered in the handsome brick building about half an hour after 275 school children had been dismissed for the day.  The fire apparently originated in the boiler room.  

Hundreds of volunteer firemen gathered at the scene but they could do nothing to combat the flames since the cold weather had frozen all of the water pipes and no water was available.  

The fire spread throughout the fourteen room structure rapidly and tonight only the walls of the building were left standing.  The fire was burning itself out tonight.  

A $15,000 gymnasium building which is just being completed and which is adjacent to the school building was not damaged.
Except for two pianos and some typewriters no equipment was saved from the school.  The loss in equipment was placed at $2,250.
The loss of the school will be a severe blow to this community.  School affiliates said no school will be held for two or three weeks since there is no building immediately available which could be used.

The Board of Trustees of which J. W. Tebeau is chairman met tonight to consider the situation.  Also meeting with them was School Superintentdent E. M. Mingledorff.

Fourteen teachers are on the faculty of Effingham Academy.  R. B. Eleazer is Principal.  

Thanks to Betty R. Waller for sharing this article on the 70th anniversary of this sad event. This article was compiled by Susan Exley of Historic Effingham Society.

If you have comments, photos or information to share contact her at 754-6681 or email: susanexley@historiceffinghamsociety.org