Heath High School - Pirata Yearbook (West Paducah, KY)

Page 9 text:

OUR NEW PRINCIPAL it MR. WILLARD BAGWELL Mr. Willard Bagwell, a former graduate of Heath High School in the class of 1929, has just completed his first successful year as principal of his Alma Mater. We are certain he needs no introduction, but We wish to express our appreciation for his unfailing interest in student Welfare. Having led his teammates to the highest in state and national honors in basketball, he entered Murray College in 1929, and was acclaimed the best bas- ketball player of all time to ever represent Western Kentucky and Murray College. Since graduating from Murray College, he has held the principalship of two Missouri schools, coached basketball and taught school. And now, with his past record of achievements behind him, he is back at Heath to lead it further into the limelight of this district and state. His inspiration, vitality and interest in us and our school will live in the hearts of our graduates.

Page 8 text:

5 icafion ik We, the Senior Class of '46, dedicate this the tenth volume of the HEATH PIRATA to our beloved parents, Whose loyalty and high ideals have inspired us thus far. May their understanding cornradeship continue with us in order that We may reach our ultimate goal.

Page 10 text:

History of Heath High School fa? September 25, 1910, was a red letter day in a little country hamlet ten miles west of Pa- ducah. That day marked the beginning of one of the most progressive steps McCracken County has ever made in behalf of its rural boys and girls. The McCracken County High School of- fered to the students of the county, who had completed the eighth grade, a four year high school course. This event was more important and more far reaching than even those respon- sible for bringing it about realized. In 1909, the McCracken County Board of Education under the progressive leadership of County Superintendent W. A. Middleton, decided to establish a rural high school for county pupils. The members of the board were: Mr. Davis, Mr. Straub, Mr. Sexton, Squire Herbert Anderson, and Ferd Gholson. All of these members are now deceased, but they lived to see the educa- tional progress which resulted from their action. Land for the building and campus was donated by Messrs. A. P. Hill and Henry Harting. They and other interested citizens donated money to help finance the building and thus from the start it has been a community school. The contract, calling for a S2S0,000 structure, was let to Mr. James Rouse. The corner stone was laid in 1909, but as no building funds were available, school was held that year at Lone Oak with Professor S. Rags- dale as principal and his wife as assistant. These two comprised the entire teaching force when school began at Heath in September 1910. Twenty-four pupils entered for instruction that first year, most of them driving from near- by farms. Professor Joe S. Ragsdale was prin- cipal of the school for twelve years and since that time there have been eight more: Professor Ivan C. Baucom, Floy Hooks, C. O. Warren, Frank Irwin, D. D. Crisp, Henry Chamber, and Willard Bagwell, the present head. The corps of teachers increased slowly and today instead of the original two, there are twenty teachers. In 1929, a new gymnasium was built at the back of the original building. This helped to relieve the crowded condition and provided an indoor court for the basketball teams. In this eventful year we won the K. H. S. A. A. state basketball championship and did well in the national tournament. The school was rapidly growing and the es- tablishment of bus routes, providing free trans- portation for all high school pupils, gave it added impetus. The need for a new building was evi- dent, but nothing was done until 1934, when Miles Meredith, our County Superintendent, took the first step in securing financial assistance for a new building. Every citizen of the community had an op- portunity to help with the school. Farmers brought their teams and wagons and hauled gravel, the P. T. A. sponsored che planting of shrubs on the grounds and the children worked at cleaning the campus. Thus, our present build- ing was completed in 1938. There has been five hundred and seventy-one graduates during the thirty-seven years of its ex- istence and graduates are found in every field. There are doctors, lawyers, ministers, teachers, business men, nurses, farmers, and house wives. At the beginning of World War II, a large area of the Heath community was taken over by