2026 AWARD SCHOLARSHIP IN LOCAL HISTORY
Historical Society Offers Scholarships
As it has since the 1980's, the Whitfield-Murray Historical Society continues to offer scholarships to high school seniors who have been involved in local history/historic preservation. The scholarships, created by various people and entities at six area public high schools, have a two-fold purpose.
The scholarships recognize students who have been involved with local history and plan to further their educations but also to recognize leaders of the historical society who have had an affiliation or connection to a particular school and/or community. At Coahulla Creek High School, the scholarship honors trustees Mrs. Judy Alderman and the late Dr. Don Thomas, while the scholarship at Northwest Whitfield High is given in memory of Mrs. Dorothy Seaton, who helped reactivate the historical society half a century ago. At Southeast Whitfield, the scholarship honors the late I.V. Chandler and
Mr. Marvin Sowder, who is a well-known historic preservationist. Dalton High's Scholarship is named in memory of Mr. Pete Sims and his niece, Mary Gene Dykes, who were also part of the historical society's early days.
The scholarship at Murray High honors the memory of James and Nell Ruth Loughridge, MCHS alumni and leaders of the historical society for several decades, while the North Murray Scholarship honors historical society trustee and local businessman Paul Ross.
Applicants should have done some work connected to local history to qualify for these scholarships--as volunteers, academically, and/or through research. Family income and GPA are considered, but not primary criteria for selection. Applications are available at the school guidance offices, at Crown Gardens and Archives (715 Chattanooga Avenue in Dalton), and on the historical society website www.whitfieldmurrayhistoricalsociety.org.
Application deadline is April 1, 2026. Members of the WMHS Scholarship Committee are Deborah Ausmus, Jane Davis, Judy Alderman, Marvin Sowder, and Tim Howard.