Rocky Mount High School - Hi Noc Ar Yearbook (Rocky Mount, NC)

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THE SCHUOL ii. The Graded Schools of Rocky Mount came into existence in 1902. when a special charter, granting to the city the right to own and operate public schools, was obtained from the State. Mr. T. H. Battle was made Cliairman of the first Board ot' Trustees, and he has served in that capacity ever since. The hrst official act of the Board was to purchase the old University Schoolw building for the sum of 7ii3,000. The building was equipped for the use of the white school children. The school soon outgrew the first building and a modern concrete structure-West School-was erected. The older building was moved and adopted for the use of the negro pupils. Again, in 1908, higher grades having been added, and the enrollment of the school con- tinuing to grow, the need of more room was felt, and the East School was built. This second building was quickly outgrown. and in 191-L the Edgemont building, one of the hand- somest school structures in the State. was opened for the High School and other grades. There has been nothing phenomenal in the history of the school. but its record has been one of rapid growth. In 1912 an eleventh grade was added, making a full fourvyear course for the High School. And in 1915 the school was accred- ited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Preparatory Schools. This standing has VIII!

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been maintained ever since, despite the fact that the requirements for accredited schools have been raised year after year. Rocky Mount's distinction, as one of the few schools in the State to be so recognized, has been a source of gratihcation to our com- munity. The high standing of the school has en- couraged and enabled large numbers of its graduates to be admitted to the different col- leges and universities of the country. Since 1914- students have gone from Rocky Mount to Johns Hopkins University. Virginia Mili- tary Institute. Randolph-Macon Womanis Col- lege, Randolph-Macon College for Men, Hollins Institute, Georgia School of Technol- ogy, Baltimore University, and Jefferson Med- ical College, and to practically every institu- tion in the State, especially to the University, the North Carolina College for Women, and A. K E. No school in the State was more loyal during the war. The pupils were 100 per cent Junior Red Cross members and they invested more than 5525.000 in Liberty Bonds and War Savings Stamps. At present every pupil is a member of a thrift society. In no single year of its history has the High School better justified its claim to be numbered among the foremost secondary in- stitutions of the State than in the one just past. Relief from the strain of the long and t. it l . . ,I I z lf tt 3 1 I Ninclccn.