Randolph Henry High School - Log Yearbook (Charlotte Court House, VA)

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Mr. Robert W. Bobbitt, Superintendent of Schools, worked enthusiastically and endlessly to make consolidation a reality in Charlotte County. Without his dream and determination Ran- dolph-Henry could not have been es- tablished in 1939. Mr. Thomas H. Williams Jr., the first principal, was tireless in his efforts to make the opening years smooth and successful. It was he who had the responsibility of proving the superior- ity of one good comprehensive high school over the many fine smaller schools that had been used in the county previously. Mr. Robert W. Bobbitt County Superintendent 1925-1957 Uowarcf Gonsoficfatn ion The building of Randolph-Henry High School was dedicated formally on the night of June 10, 1940. Dr. Archibald Shepperson, Professor of English at the University of Virginia, was the speaker. Dr. Shepperson was originally from Charlotte County. 5 ■■■

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Oar Of ' irst Sfeps For a quarter of a century the boys and girls of Charlotte County have entered the halls of Randolph-Henry High School. In September 1939 the eight high schools which were located at widely separated places in the county were con- solidated to form a county-wide comprehensive high school. The idea for consolidation started in 1927 when the State Board of Education recommended to Superintendent R. W. Bobbitt and the Charlotte County Board of Education that one big central high school would serve the county better than a number of small ones. Ten years were spent in talking and planning for a new school but when the Phenix High School building was destroyed by fire in 1937, the Charlotte County School Board decided not to replace the building but to con- struct a consolidated school building. The school was built at an approx- imate cost of $240,000. This was fi- nanced by a P.W.A. government grant of approximately $110,000, funds from the county of approximately $105,000 and a gift of $25,000. The building site includes 200 acres of land in the village of Charlotte Court House, Virginia. BOARD OF SUPERVISORS I CHARLOTTE COUNTY R-S .CHAMBER LAYNE . JR. .CHAIRMAN P.J. ADAMS T.H. CHAMBERS W. E. HAILE Y MB. RICE O.O. TUCKER COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD OF CHARLOTTE COUNTY W.H CREWS. CHAIRMAN £.B. CANADA W.D. HUNTER LEE W MORTON J.W. MYERS C.B. ROBERTSON . JR . E.S. FITZGERALD. CLERK SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS R.W. BOBBITT CONTRACTOR TJWlER- JONES CONSTRUCTION COMPAN ARCHITECT ' % DIVISION OF SCHOOL BU-IOlNGS ' ATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUcATlOf 4

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HENRY AND RANDOLPHS DEBATE HERE in MARCH 1799, TOOK PLACE THE NOTED DEBATE BETWEEN PATRICK HENRY AND JOHN RANDOLPH OF ROANOKE ON THE QUESTION OF STATES ' RIGHTS. HENRY DENIED THE RIGHT OF A STATE TO OPPOSE OPPRESSIVE FEDERAL LAWS. RANDQPLH AFFIRMED THAT RIGHT. THIS WAS HENRY’S LAST SPEECH AND RANDOLPH’S FIRST. HENRY DIED THREE MONTHS LATER. CONSERVATION DEVELOP ENT COMMISSION 1929 , Oar Oferst S eps Early in the fall of 1939 the students were given the privilege of naming the new school by the Charlotte Coun- ty School Board. The name Randolph - Henry was chosen because both John Randolph and Patrick Henry made their homes in the county and it was here in 1799 that the famous debate took place on State ' s Rights . The high school ' s name is doubly appro- priate in view of the fact that it stands as a monument to the combination of Federal and local governments work- ing together for the common good. John Randolph of Roanoke Virginia Historical Marker on the Court House Square £ t ' i V t v j- ' r -nVi m w- 6