Boonville High School - Spotlight Yearbook (Boonville, NC)

Page 9 text:

Men close to the soil are close to God. The principal industry has always been farming. The people of the community today follow the example set by their ancestors in leading a quiet and unas- suming life, and in taking pride in their homes, churches, and their school. Miss Mary Lynn Coram, Class of 1964, is pictured with a cow from the herd of her father, Ralph Coram. There are many modern dairies in our community and Boonville boys and girls are always to be found among the winners at cattle shows. The growing of tobacco is still one of the chief means of income of the community. Here mem- bers of the Woodruff family are shown harvesting tobacco. The Boonville Motor Company, operated by H. J. Steelman, was the first Ford dealer in Yadkin County. Tobacco has always been a leading money-maker in Yadkin County. Jim Speer operated a sizeable tobacco factory duringthe 1890's. Employing about ten persons, he manufactured plug tobacco. He delivered it while traveling over the country with horse and buggy. Abner Davis and Isaac Shugart also manufactured tobacco in the early 1880’s. Today Yadkin County tobacco is taken to market in Winston-Salem, where many of our citizens are employed. 5

Page 8 text:

A Search For Our Heritage According to legend, Daniel Boone once camped at a spring about 300 feet west of the present Baptist Church. The c r o s s r o ad s settlement established here was known as Leonora. A post office was established under the name of Boon- ville on November 20, 1857. Perhaps the rea- son Boonville grew up just where it did was due to the fact that two main roads crossed here. One of these roads led from Mt. Nebo to Jones- ville, and the other one led from the ford of the Yadkin River at Crutchfield to Yadkinville.” This house, opposite Boonville Farm Equipment Company, is the oldest house in town. It was built by Dr. N. B. Dozier, the town's first doctor. It was later occupied for many years by Jacob Spencer. The oldest continuously-operated firm in town is Day's Dry Goods Store. It was started in 1894 by Foard W. Day, and inherited by his son, R. Carlyle Day in 1939. The Commercial and Savings Bank opened here in 1911. 4

Page 10 text:

“Good, the more communicated, Not too much is known concerning the very early days of the first secondary school here. It was the year 1887 according to the best records avail- able that the Academy opened for business in Boonville at the present site. Prior to that time a free school was operated about one-half mile west of what has since been Boonville High School. In 1891 the school took the name of Yadkin Valley Institute under the direction of Mr. R. B. Bob Horn. His chief assistant was Mr. John Allen, a Boonville native. The Institute was a boarding school for boys and girls. At one time, more than 100 students from many different parts of North Carolina were enrolled. The original building, which housed the Yadkin Valley Institute was built of wood. Additions were made from time to time as facilities became in- adequate due to an ever increasing number of pupils. In 1898 Boonville citizens donated 700 logs toward an addition to the original structure. From the beginning of the school in 1887 until 1918 the operation of the school was strictly on a private basis. All expenses were borne by funds derived from tuition fees paid by the student body. In 1918, however, the local people formed a school district, which consisted mainly of the town of Boonville with some nearby outlying areas attached and voted a local tax for the purpose of financing the operation of the school. It became a public high school as well as an elementary school with public money being used for operation. This system was supplemented, however, by students from other areas, who continued to pay a tuition fee. 6