LANDRUM – Martha Walker, author of the book “Landrum Schools Through the Decades: 1880s to 1990s,” has nearly finished placing historical marker signs at former school locations around Landrum. Walker has used the proceeds from her book sales to purchase these signs.

Walker’s book has a map of the 10 schools, past and present, located in Landrum since the late 1800s. Out of 10 known school locations in Landrum, seven are marked with signs, from the first school in Landrum near I-26 from 1880 to 1883, to the location of the first Landrum High School on Earle Street from 1926 to 1963. 

Landrum Middle School, Landrum High School and O.P. Earle Elementary do not have historical signage up, as Walker explained these schools are currently standing.

Walker worked as a math teacher for more than 20 years at Landrum High School before being approached by Landrum High School principal Brian Sherman to write a history book about Landrum’s schools in 2010.

“I wanted to have historical signs that last forever,” Walker recalled, “but that became too expensive. I never realized how expensive these signs would be.”

A donation by Spartanburg District 1 also helped Walker place signage around the city. Renovations are currently underway to the former location of Landrum School from 1883 to 1896 on Lodge Street where the Masonic Lodge is currently.

“We tried to look at the whole picture of how the Landrum schools and the educational process were affected by various school laws, finances and the world situation,” Walker said before releasing her book in April. “Assisted by former Superintendent Dr. Jimmy Littlefield and former O.P. Earle Elementary School Principal Walker Williams, we wanted to get the perspectives of people associated with the schools from the other side of the desk, so to speak.”

The book is available through the Landrum Public Library and on Amazon. To contact Walker to purchase a book, email her at majwalker@charter.net.