Marlinton High School - Marlintonian Yearbook (Marlinton, WV)

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HISTORY OF THE SCHOOLS IN MARLINTON So far as history records, Henry Baker of Richmond, Virginia, was the first teacher to cross the Alleghanies, and the school taught in the Drinnen cabin was the pioneer of pioneer schools. A few schools were established by the State of Virginia for the people ' ‘ beyond the mountains”, but because of the distance and the danger from the Indians the people of the community established what were known as sub- sc ription schools. Each family paid according to the number of children they had enrolled. Following the Drinnen raid and the death of Henry Baker, the school was moved to a point near the Stony Creek bridge near Marlinton. The school term was never over three or four months usually held during the summer. The teachers were local citizens, and the qualifications were that they could “read, write, and be able to cipher” and be respected citizens of good moral character”. These teachers were paid the equivalent of five or ten dollars a month in furs or grain and were boarded by the patrons. Some of the early teachers were Isaac Moore and Samuel Bussard. Isaac Moore was one of the first teachers to advocate the silent method of study in contrast to studying aloud. About 1880 a school was established in a one room building in Price Hollow, Marlinton. The land was given by Andrew McLaughlin and it was called the Marlin Bottom School. Everything was taught from first grade to college work. One of the most interesting of early teachers was Charles Cookof Boston, who was a graduate of Brown University. He came South during the Civil War and after the war settled near Edray. Dr. Cook taught school for about twenty years. The story is told of him that upon one occasion they were having a community meeting and a “question box ” was being conducted. The idea was that certain questions should be asked and someone called up¬ on to answer the question with a speech. Dr. Cook drew the question ” What can be done to improve this communi¬ ty?”. He arose and said, “Eight or ten first class funer¬ als”, and sat down. Needless to say, the meeting broke up. Miss Anna Wallace ran a private school about 1886. The old school house was given to the colored people soon after the Court House was moved to Marlinton. The new two room school house was built on the banks of Knapps Creek near the present site of the Methodist Chur ch. The building is still standing and is now used as an apartment house. It was used as a school house for about fifteen years. In 1890-91 A. M. Byrd of Virginia established a school to teach more advanced subjects to boys and girls. The following year he reorganized it into a military school for boys, which ran for about two years. The boys wore Confederate grey uniforms and drilled with old discarded army muskets. The school was held in the Harlow Waugh building on Main Street near the river bridge. In 1906 while Andrew Price was president of the Board of Education the present brick building was erected at a cost of about ten thousand dollars. The citizens voted for an eight months school in this building. It was over one hundred and twenty years from the time Henry Baker taught the first school until Mr. L. W. Burns established the first high school in Marlinton in the fall of 1907. At first the school offered a two year course, and it was taught in the auditorium of the grade school. The courses taught were entirely college preparatory. During the first five years of its existence the term of the high school was eight months, and since that time it has been for nine month terms. Prior to 1916 two classes had been graduated from the high school, one at the completion of a two year course- - the other at the completion of a three year course. In 1911 Mr. Burns re signed and Mr. A . D. Givens of Parkersburg served for one year. He was succeeded by M. C. B. Cornwell. In 1914 Mr. T.M. Martin became the new principal. Starting this year the high school was organized as a four year high school. In 1916 Miss Minnie Jane Merrells became the first woman principal of the high school. In 1916 the new high school building was built. While it was being built high school classes were held in the Court House. In 1917 the first classes were held in the new building, and the first four-year class was graduated. In 1918 Mr. Victor Emery was the principal. In 1 9 20 C . J. Ramsey was elected and served for three years. From 1923 to 1941 Mr. G. D. McNeill was principal. He was the first native son to hold this position. During his term the school increased in enrollment and its service to the community. The gymnasium addition to the building was built in 1 926 . Mr. McNeill resigned in 1941 and was succeeded by Mr. H. A. Yeager. In 1947 a new building was constructed. In this building the Vo-Ag Department and grades seven and eight were housed as part of the high school. In 1 9 5 5 an addition to the athletic dressing rooms was constructed. Since the first pupils graduated in 1917 until the last class graduated this spring there have been 1569 graduates. These graduates have established themselves in the community and the state. 6

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Typists-Martha Vandevender, Mary Godwin, Dotty Mullens, Robert Cross. Photography - P a t Sharp, Ruth Sharp, Don Ware, Ronnie Evans. Sports - Ernie Friel, Gatha Gibson, Don Van Reenan, Dwain Wilcox. CONTENTS INTRODUCTION Business and Advertising - Marilyn Harper, Polly Astin, Don Ware, W inf r e d Fertig, Tom Burns , Don VanReenan, Barbara Brummage , Jerry Thomas. ADMINISTRATION ACTIVITIES ADVERTISING

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FOREWORD With great pride and sense of achievement on the part of the class of 1957, we dedicate this annual to the task of recording very precious hours of o u r high school years. In years to come, our school mates will be scattered all over the world, and the only contact we will have will be through our annual. We hope that in the future your annual will bring back memories of all your high school days--memories filled with victory and defeat, happiness and sorrow, ecstasy and depression, memories of the first day of enrollment; the chants and yells of cheer¬ leaders at pep meetings; band rehearsals; Forest Festival parade; State inaugural at the capitol; initiation ceremonies in assembly; junior and senior plays; foot¬ ball, basketball, baseball; juke box dancing at noon; the Christian Youth Week; ordering rings and announcements; Junior-Senior banquet and prom; Class Night and presentation o f the Marlintonian; Com¬ mencement sermon; graduation exercises; our last class party--oh, so many activi- ties--these are just a few to remind us that THIS IS MARLINTON HIGH 7