Clifton Forge High School - Alleghanian Yearbook (Clifton Forge, VA)

Page 12 text:

s TEE ALLEGHAXIA .v less such advancements are accompanied by efficient teachers carrying out courses of study which are continually modified and enriched so as to equip pupils accord¬ ing to their special needs. This principle has been applied in our school: First, by the State Board of Education allowing the elective system of subjects to prevail. Second, by the in¬ troduction of Commercial and Teachers ' Training Depart¬ ments. by the loc-al school offi¬ cials. Under this regime pu¬ pils may take any of the follow¬ ing four courses: Commercial, English, Teachers ' Training or Classical. The wisdom of these departures from the former curriculum is ap¬ parent. Pupils of these departments are now holding positions in this and other communities. The brief paragraph here regarding teachers might easily be expanded at great length in telling of their efficient service, but, as special attention is given them elsewhere in this issue it is enough to say here that those in the high school have departmental work as follows: TV. H. Gaver. Mathematics and Science; J. I . Dawson. History: TV. E. Gilbert. Teachers ' Training Department: Miss Hope Y. Hughes. Commercial Department: Miss-Josie M. Payne. English, and Miss Mary Gooch Anderson. Foreign Languages. In the graded school fifteen capable and faithful teachers whose names appear elsewhere look after the welfare of their pupils. The Staff hopes that these teachers both in the grades and the high school may long remain in their present positions, so that the work they are doing may continue to prosper uninterruptedly.

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Historical Note.— For complete history of city schools see article by F. W. King in 1909 edition of “Alleghanian. —Ed HE citizens of Clifton Forge have been generous in the promotion of all enterprises for the common good. Especially is this true regarding the public buildings of the city. Probably no community of equal popula¬ tion and taxable values can be found whose postoffice, city hall, churches and school buildings surpass those within our limits. Perhaps in no direction has there been such marked progress as in the construction of school buildings. In 1887 the typical one-room schoolhouses in the different parts of the city gave way to a three-room frame building of some pretensions, which was located on the site of the present graded school building on Pine Street, and in which was consolidated all the for¬ mer schools, and then and there the first graded school of the city or¬ ganized. But in less than ten years this building was replaced by an eight-room brick structure; well equipped and modern in all respects. It was not long till this building was full and several classes were being conducted in temporary quarters nearby. At the end of another de¬ cade (1907) its capacity was doubled at a cost of $20,000. Host of these rooms were immediately occupied by those who had been accommodated elsewhere; and the continual growth was such that at the be¬ ginning of the present session that the high school pupils had to withdraw from this building altogether, leaving it to the 770 grade pupils, and accept rooms equipped for them in another section of the city. But if the plans of our City Council and School Board carry, the high school will open next September (1911) in the new building as shown below. Material advancements, how¬ ever, count for but little un- Present Buildim;.

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High School Teachers Miss JosrE Mae Payne. MV. E. Gilbert, Principal. MV. H. Gavex. Miss Mary Gooch Anderson.