Bridgewater High School - Aurora Yearbook (Bridgewater, VA)

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xvQllr lim if gi? l 40 ,.:.ikw1 ' , wi 'Lx Qs., AH-- -is ' 235 ,21 K Bridgewater Spirit . Words and music by . N1-:Lsox 'l'. Hurrmss, '20 ggigmfzig, , Q 1--,, MW ef-s I: A Z -' --E5 , -.,- -jzg ...A Eng I . -' 2' Mf'ee-'.Qe-- I. Bridge- wa-ter High, 'tis thee we cheer, As in the days of oldg 2. We lovethywalls and sa.-cred hallsg All in a lna.p-py throng .4-el eeee eil--di . -Jef--e W -Elia-,glgg 1 gfipwl E7Lf Vd,5P,j:1EiifgCj 1 fji :jf tml TW '-.9 -A -4--Lgii-P s e l We praise thy name which is so dear. Amlstand by the blue and gold. . We ral- ly to thy stan-dard Lrue, With mirth and joy and song. . - lee .... J--J-J: s gm. 1 - ' Je 3 .-4 !seftz1!,-.g'-...!,:: ' M -? 'I: '-l:-'-E-If 1535: .5f,1iii?f71T:f,'EE!::3-ijF:f.g4Lp::I!11':Pi:fE5:3'iF:g Cnokrs e e.L .hejuve .-... --.l1. - .L .hweege -gfilj 1:11:15 -- --.' i- 'ii' ' Hail lo the school we all an - dore, And cheerher col -ons too, ,s elmel--JM..J- il.w..aL--.. s. ,J .lem - - l l. 'W Aches- -Vw Il M -3- 0- -V 'gii :il ...'ii. 'I vii 5 jiE,.5t1,i5-V-,.1:i3-.sl53ii3e2E?.1iC,, f- .lh-A- ......, v . -.l.- . ,.es .L .-.ms 5'2f'..1::3'..:11,i3--5-El : 241.1 QQE--9-'e .4 g-ii:?...gLj,, ,.I.,.:?,-5: itffglifgg-.ig Then t,oBridge-wa-ter ev -er -more, We will for-e'er be mme. ,--.I..-l-e.J.- -- - --4-, 4- .ee.. -ig-,P 51 .gpia-Ta Mi A5 J gi iz 1-220 v ,, -' v I u v -0 3+ v ,U

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., iW '0, ,ffm -' ': ' :P 4.131101 lull ' GL - so aw Finding Ourselves in Bridgewater Public School By LINA E. SANGER HE first permanent English settlement in the United States was made at f Jamestown, Virginia in the spring of 1607. A little more than a century qs' later, 1716, Spotswood and his friends made the famous expedition across Sei!! g Rockingham county. About ten years later 1726 or '27 a settlement was E made in the eastern part of our county. The real county was created by ,xg V ,J A law in 1777. These people who settled in this county were interested in education for their children. Efforts had been made to, establish free schools in the state but even if established, usually, only the poor attended them, There were private schools in the towns of the county as early as 1794, in Harrisonburg. There were community schools COld Field Schoolsj in the rural districts but when Bridgewater was incorporated in 1835 there was no public school, as we know them in the town. It is true that some state funds were spent by county authorities as early as 1826. Rockingham's share at that time was less than Sl,000. ' Between the close of the Civil War and 1870, Bridgewater had a school, likely private, taught in the old I, O. O. F, Hall, which stood where the present School Hall is. This school may be 'considered a beginning of the Bridgewater schools. VVhen the Public School System was put into operation in Virginia in the early '70's this school became a public school. A part of the pupils were taught in this building and others in the old Town Hall. ln 1873, there began in the house now occupied by Mr. George P. Furry and his family. The Valley Normal School. The principal was Professor Reichenbach, M. A., who had received his education in Europe. He was assisted by Prof. J. D. Bucher fafterwards Dr. Bucherj who had received a regular four years normal education in Pennsylvania. Prof. A. L. Funk was the third member of this faculty. During the first ses'ion of this school, the first school building was erected on the site of the present building. This was a two story, frame structure with four rooms. The Valley Normal School moved into its new home during the school session. It has not seemed possible to fix with any degree of certainty when the elementary pupils were brought into this building, but likely not until the Normal School ceased to exist in 1878. Dr. Ruffner, first State Superintendent of Public Instruction, states that this Normal School graduated the first teachers in the state. From 1878 to 1911, this frame building served to house the public school pupils of Bridgewater. The length of the session was five months if the funds held out. During the later part of this period the school term was increased, first to six, then seven months. There were four teachers in the school from 1901 to 1909. A fifth was added in 1910. There were frequent changes of principals and teachers during this period. Among the principals were: Prof. Geo. H. Hulvey, Messrs. M. A. Good, J. N. Fries, C. H. Beery, J. D. Miller, and J. S. McLeod. Other teachers were: Mrs. Geo. B. Holsinger, Mrs. Cyrus Cline, Mrs. J. Speck Lowman, Mrs. Mary Christman Fallis. Miss Mary Bowman, Miss Bessie Peck. Miss Myrta Minninch, Mrs. I. S. Mc'eod. One entire family taught in the school at sometime,-Mr. and Mrs. J. S. McLeod, and each of their three daughters. Miss Mary Hinegardner began her long period of faithful service in the school in 1901. By the later part of this period the old building, poorly lighted, heated, and ventilated was crowded to overflowing and some of the grades were taught in the 1. O. O. F. Hall. Through the effort of the Ashby District School Board of which Mr. D. C. Graham was chairman, a new brick building was erected in 1911. Some criticized this building as too large. It had six class rooms and an auditorium. .ffxxn .ii . l es my ,L the Blue Ridge to the banks of the river within the present bounds of L .il