Flemington High School - Memories Yearbook (Flemington, WV)

Page 7 text:

HISTORY OF THE WEST VIRGINIA COLLEGE In 1863, Reverend Flavious Cither, a Baptist minister, formed a joint stock company for the purpose of purchasing a site, erecting a building and maintaining a school of high order at F.1 emi r.jton Seven thousand dollars were raised for the enterprise. The crag.si- pur- chased of U . Emory Fleming five acres of land, situ; ted or. a Deautiful plateau encircled by a chain of lojty hills, about thra ’ocrihs of a mile east of Flemington on the E. .‘.tinore Ohio rnilroau, Wx k was begun on the building but the funds were exhausted before t.h3 building was completed and the work had to be discontinued. 1 n 1 S- 7, 'lie Free Will Baptiste purchased the property and oontinued. the vrorJ jr. the building until it could be used fur school purposes, A charter granting full college powers was obtained by a special act of the legislature and uhe rams '.Test Virginia College was adopt 2e.„ P3 -e end 1« Bi WiO tana vas elect-ed. pre.sid-.nt Among the succeed!.ig arejr.dants ertr Professor William Oclagrove Reverend David Powell and Reverend Thomas 2- Pedeo. For nearly a quarter of a century thin school was one of the riost important educational institutions in the it'd a- but on account of lack of financial support it was discontinued : n 1192. Mr. Clark C- thor and ethers U3ed the building for subscii -ti-on schools and rummer normals from .1892 to 1899. HISTORY OF FLEMINGTON DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL In 1899 the Board of Education of Flemington district was composed of Michael Graney, president, and Jebediah D. Frum ar.d John M. Roes, commissioners. Time being a demand for additional room for pupils in sub-distri'.t No, 2, it was decided by the boaid to purchase the property known as West Virginia College, which was then offered for sale for the sum of ?2,200, It was used for the first four years as a two-room district school, Mr, Clark Cr.ther, an excounty superintendent, had charge of the advanced grades for the first two years and Mr. Dellet Ncv-ion, present county superintendent, for the next two years. At the general election in j-902, the question of establishing a district high school was submitted uo the boters of Flemington district. It carried by an ovei-vhelming majority and College High SchooJ, the first district high school in the State, was established. The Board of Education having charge of the school affairs at that time consisted of John B. Gather, president; John M. Ross and F. Baxter Haller, Commissioners, At the July meeting of the board in 19C3, Mr. J. E. Shrader was ch -ien as the first principal of the College High School. About twenty pupils were enrolled, five of whom graduated at the close of the term. Mr. Shrader was employed for the second year. The enrolLrent was about twenty-five. Four pupils graduated. Mr. Louis M. Snyder w-as chosen principal in 1905; thirty-nine pupils were enrolled, four of whom graduated. At the close of the term Mr. Snyder resigned to accept a position in a bank at Morgan- town, and as the increased number of pupils seemed to demand it, the Board of Education decided to employ two teachers for the year

Page 9 text:

 2r 1906-7. Accordingly Mr. Frank J. Tracy was elected principal and Mr. W. Edwin Tomblyn, assistant. Fifty-four pupils were enrolled; six graduated. The following year with the same teachers the enrollment reached fifty- nine, the largest in the history of the school. Eleven pupils graduated at the olose of the term. In 1908, Mr. J. N. Fries was elected principal, and Mr. E. W. Kenedy, assistant. The enrollment was somewhat less than it had been and no pupils were graduated, but substantial progress was made. In 1909, Mr, S. Orestes Bond was chosen as principal and Mr. Frank S. White, assistant. That year the course of study was made somewhat broader and the subject of Agriculture was given a prominent place. Among other innovations for the year was a District Agricultural Exhibit, which, with the aid of Professor Daniel W. Working and others from the West Virginia College of Agriculture, was made one of the most interesting and instructive features of the year. With the same teachers the following year which is the one just clos- ing, this feature assumed still larger proportions. This year the course of study was made more comprehensive, the study of music was introduced and a piano was purchased by the school. At the close of the year three young people received diplomas of graduation. It is, perhaps, only just to say that the character and attainment of the young people who have attended the High School, furnish abundant proof of the wisdom of the people in maintaining a DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOL. 1904 CLASS OF 1908 1913 1. Mabel D. Currey 1. Bessie Hadix 1. Bertha Allen 2. Gettie Cather 2. Fred A. Bradley 2. Charles Butcher 3. E. Stanley Haller • 3. Lulu I. Springer 3. Nona Batson 4. Jesse Cather 4. Byron C. Ross 4. Delbert Blake 5. Leyton Batson 5. Lillie Alltop 5. Georgia Currey 6. Walter G. Menear 6. Brocks Fleming 1905 7. Bessie Winter 7. Sheridan Frum 1. A. Bush Cather 8. Stanley Fleming 8. Fred Kelley 2. Latelle Graney 9. Kittie Clevenger 9. Jessie Lawson 3. Adah Springer . 10. Percy H. Currey 10. Hattie Smith 4. Enid Haller 11. Carey Whitehair 11. John Traxler 1906 1911 12. Russel West 1. Helen Allen 1. Morris Haller 1914 2. M. Quay Haller 2. Bessie Tomblyn 1. Carl Allen 3. Rae H, Gather 3. Dennis Cather 2. Carl Cheneweth 4. Iva Whitehair 3. Doris Coughnn 1912 4. William Garrett 1907 1. Leslie Allen 5. Grover Lawson 1. Ethid Waller 2. Smith Biggs 6. Roxie Pepper 2. Zona Lough 3. Bertha Cather 7. Ernest Finnell 3. Elsie Winter 4. Oma Springer 8. Wade Smith 4. Edith Springer 5. Leah Drainer 9. Cecil Springer 5. Mamie Dilworth 6. Harlan Kelley 10. Nellie Whitehair 6. Tracey A. Currey 7. Ralph Pepper