W.C. Abney Elementary School is located in the New Hope community of Paulding County, approximately 45 miles northwest of Atlanta. The New Hope community has historically been small and rural but, in the past three decades, has become a fast growing suburban area. Abney Elementary School is named for Walter Clemmons Abney.  Mr. Abney was born in 1914 to a poor farming family.  He dropped out of school to help his family and tutor his younger brothers.  He eventually returned to Dallas High School and graduated Valedictorian.  He borrowed a suit from his uncle for graduation and the faculty denied him a Valedictorian speech because his suit was too short.  He raised sugarcane and made sorghum syrup to pay his tuition at West Georgia College. He played football and was captain of the WGC football team.  He also attended Oglethorpe University and received his master’s degree from UGA with a Thesis on the health of the New Hope Community.  He served as principal of the New Hope School and had a goal of vaccinating all 1-9 grade students.  He served as superintendent from 1957 to 1965 and again in 1972.  He had a stroke and passed in 1976 while in office.  In 2009 the board voted to move the name W. C. Abney from its existing facility to the new elementary #11. 

 

Abney began as a one-room school known as New Hope School in the late 1800s. For fifty- four years, Abney was located along Dallas-Acworth Highway. During this time, in 2001, Abney was awarded the Georgia School of Excellence Award. With the opening of our current school building in 2010, student enrollment has increased from 554 students to our present 2024-25 enrollment of 1320 students. At 61 pre-kindergarten through fifth grade home rooms/classrooms, we are currently the second largest elementary school in Paulding County.  Despite this growth, we still pride ourselves on the loving, family atmosphere that sets our school apart from others.