Pieces of Savannah’s educational and architectural history have resurfaced after years of sitting in storage in the attic of the Savannah-Chatham County Public School System’s Central Office Building at 208 Bull Street.

Two small-scale sculptures created by renowned Savannah sculptor John Walz were retrieved from the building recently, where they had been stored since 1901.  They needed to be moved as the building is currently in the design stages of a major renovation.  The sculptures are maquettes, or models, that Walz used in developing the much larger figures that still overlook Oglethorpe Street from the building’s portico.

Now, after more than a century, the historic pieces are beginning a new chapter in a local classroom.

The maquettes have been carefully relocated to Savannah Technical College (Savannah Tech), where students in the Historic Preservation Program, led by Department Head Connie Pinkerton, will undertake the delicate work of repairing and stabilizing them. Specialty Moving Co. of Savannah handled the complex removal and transportation of the fragile artifacts.

For Savannah Tech students, the project serves as a rare, real-world training opportunity to apply traditional conservation techniques to century-old local artifacts.

One of the maquettes depicts Demeter, the Greek goddess of fertility and abundance, while the other represents Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom. Their larger counterparts remain prominent architectural features of the historic Bull Street building. Demeter holds a cornucopia of fruit, symbolizing abundance, while Athena is portrayed deep in thought, pen in hand as she studies a tablet.

The building itself has deep roots in the history of public education in Savannah. Designed by architect Henry Urban and constructed in 1901, it replaced the former Chatham Academy building, which was destroyed by fire in 1899.

The restoration project will help preserve not only the physical sculptures but also the connection between Savannah’s educational, artistic, and architectural history. Once the student-led restoration is complete, the maquettes are expected to be placed on public display in Massie’s Historic Preservation Gallery, allowing a piece of history that spent generations tucked away in an attic to be seen and appreciated once again.

To learn more about the Historic Preservation Program at Savannah Tech, visit savannahtech.edu/all-programs/historic-preservation/.