Science Hill High School - Wataugan Yearbook (Johnson City, TN)

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-'Ig ,.. , 4--5 F? 0 . .4 0-r nam' ff' Q 1, A -. I A ' r . 4 . fa A J I I N I u ' l .' ' - '3q.':.'2- HISTORY OF SCIENCE HILL flirt' rrrrwifirit lufilr zawliriril ririrruril lin-ciririq the nnrne uf The Arqorintitw carries the irrlurrrtcrtiori that tlr.- first irirti i-rrliriri :fl r-rilturrfil yt trrriiriqs iri this reqirvn us well Us the first titln, 'Scierice Hill carrie into evicicrrfsi in the tiwrrir pt fl ttf-tiritirrcr sr-vifity, which in i860 urrcter the ncirne of Science Hill Delicrtiriq Scuciety, wns rirncrriizeri nt Ocrk Grrivv, twfi fiiiil ririf lifrlf rrulvs trririr lnhrrsrin City. ln l86l, scrys the Arqorrmrt , the society urentiriqs were cliirrici-wi lrririi Ofik Clrrivfi tw the fSclir:rvl lifllISQH, which stonfl ut Brush Creek Cc1riipC3rnr1rrri ut whcit wars their Irrlirixstirfs Dfwwt. lTl1Illlf'I It'St'I'Itf'll tlisclrises the fnct that the Iohnson City puhlic school systnrn first lieqan in l8t3li when n lucy :avlrtittl tiririzsri wits liuilt nrt lttirirv- llill, rinw ccrlleri Rnnrr flill. fn 1866 lnergririse, it is snitl, uf the iofusul tif tr tvw whilst liriyss tri qw tri this liuilrlinq lwnqcr liecrluse it wcrs usod us Cr negro church uri Suriclciy, the schcuil was rntivccl 'lwwri uivfri Brush ffrf ii'i k. This ltuilciirrq nlso wcrs huilt of rude loqs. The sclrciol wus just G wire'-roorrr liuiltfliriq with :zix steps lf-cirliriq up tr: it. Thc Prirrcipcrl crnd only tecrclrer of the school was Professor Lenoir, The stuclerits vv-irc irrrlrrt-tl try tliriir rrirrrit rrriri nut hy their qrcldes. No qrode Cards were used Ut this tirne. The stucicrits snt nn lttnct lirirrulifrs thrrt wttrc plricrwtl rilorrq the wcrlls. The boys snt on one side und the qirls on the other. 'lllinir rtesks VVOII' rrrtiflf- fit rfiurrli plfxriks thcrt slopml at the top. The drawers of the desks were used for the pupils' htitiks and lunch. Thi' lil-ivklirirrrrls usmt were lump pieces of slnte that hunq ut the front of the room. Cliurcnnl wus used fur chcilk. Thr' :siitiiswts tlitit were tnuqht were: Dictionary, Oucrckenbos' Rhetoric, History of the United States, Astronmrriy, Writt's On this Mirifl, Smiths Grrirrirricrr, Arithrrretic, which was tcruqht for lioys only, Lcrtin, uricl Writiriq, Tliri prritesswr ttf viflv'-rl tht- sritirr-cts vrrr'h pupil shnulri take. The sulciry of thc teacher was pnicl hy the Poulmtly Fund. This school Mink up fit t-ifrlit rfclcick urrrl wus out at four ffclock, after which the students went homo :incl tiiri their ciriily 'lrcirf-s ftir their prirt-irrts. The stutlents started to school when they were very younq and were C'OIilttUll45ti to quit when tlifiy wr-re t'-iqlrtrt-'fri years old, The old time spelling bees were trequoritly eriiriyeri lsy thc olrler pupils. 'Tlimti wfrs riri :wt tirrrti frir the classes to heqiri rind end. The tecrcher took enciuqli time for each pupil tn recite his lcsstiri. Nu tr-sts wfirf- qivr-rr on thc lessons Grrfl the suliiect WGS trluqht Us the lessons ccrrne in the hook. One nf the lfrws wt Ihr- srflifirrl wfis that the girls shoulrl not wcrlk with the boys nfter or hetore sclinnl hours, cornincr tri or cmiriq frcirrr svlificnl. This lrrw wus very strictly enforced. Srirrrf-tirrrrl lietwwerr I867 and 1869, when Mr, Tipton lobe donated some two and Une-hnlf or three acres for this lftlllfllllll sitri, ci huilrlirrq wus lvuilt where Hiqh School now stflrrtis and was known GS Science Hill Schntil nr Sci-'rricv llrll Afwrflr-rrry, This liuilrlirrq was pcrrtly paid for hy privcrte subscriptions. It contcrinecl two morris tlowrrstciirs anti fi lfrrfrf- tiriflitriririrri tipstfiirs, This liuilclinq was inside of hcrncl-rnnrie liricks, and nll the fixtures wcrc rncirlc hy hrrriri. Thr rtirirrira wr-rw liiicrtf'-rl try wriml stoves. The students qfxtlfierecl the wrvod upon the hill trevor the scliuol. Thr-2 w rtcr

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OUR SOUTHERN MOUNTAINS f'laze-shrouded, the Great Smoky Mountains dominate the horizon of eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina. A portion of these mountains have been set off in a reservation known as the Great Smoky National Park. The park runs east and west for about fifty-four miles, covering around 445,000 acres. More than 200,000 acres of this reservation are in virgin forests including the finest and largest bark-wood trees in this country and the largest vir- gin forest of red spruce. Mount Le Conte is the best known peak in the Smokies and rises in austere majesty at the entrance ro the national park. With an elevation of 6,593 feet, it is the second highest peak from the base to snmrnit east of the Mississippi River. The Smokies are among the oldest mountains existing, both in substance and contour! Unlike most westr-in mountains, whose rocky summits are bare of vegetation, all the highest peaks of these southern mountains are covered with dense forests. Others are carpeted with hardwood trees, shrubs or grass. On account of this rich vegetation, numerous rivulets and streams tumble down steep, narrow valleys causing frequent waterfalls and cascades. Among these are the celebrated Rainbow Falls and Ramsey Cascades. ln fart no matter where one goes in the Great Smokies, one is never beyond the murmur of streams, the splash of cascades, or the roar of falls, as the mountain waters flow toward the Tennessee River and thence to the Ohio, the Mississiiipi, and on to the Gulf of Mexico. The Scenic Circle comprises another area of the Southern Mountains rich in scenic beauty. Thru western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee, a road has been mapped out which covers about two hundred miles of the most beautiful mountain scenery in America. Roan Mountain, 6,313 feet above sea level, boasts the worlds largest purple rhododendron gardens, These gardens alone make the Scenic Circle a place worthy of being visited. Grand- father Mountain is supposed to be the world's oldest mountain while Chimneyrock Mountain is noted for its striking resemblance to a chimney. Blowing Rock boasts two great attractions. The first is Cone Lake one of the most beautiful lakes in the South. The second attraction is the blowing rock itself. lf a person stands on this rock and drops a handkerchief over the edge, a freak of nature causing continued upward air currents will guide the handker- chief back into his waiting hands. Best known of the mountains within this area is Mt. Mitchell which is 6,7ll feet above sea level. This rnonnttiin peak is known as the highest mountain east of the Rockies, and, seen, as it often is, with the clonrls mst irtyirrliiiry from its snrnmit, it presents a veritable fairyland of delight.

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1 1 l- 4. I was carried from ci spring located where the lohn Sevier Hotel now stands, Pol.fica1 meetings, plays and all sorts ot coirmiunity gatherings were held in the auclitoriurn on the second floor. At this building the Debating Societyw raain flourished. Ref-ftieird 1. B. Pence was the first principal of this school. Mr. and Mrs, Evans, initials unknown, were among the first teachers and other professors were Mr. Barker, Mr. Lusk, and Mr. Templiny among the women teachers who taught here during the early years were Miss Lelia Gentry and Miss Delia Buckley. Mrs. lohn Templin, neo Miss Sue McNoece, won the first medal in scholarship to be offered at Science Hill, which was awarded in 1885. The first student body was not so large that you couldn't count them on your fingers and toes, Por a numl-er of years the teachers were paid by a tuition fee paid by the students. There was no city or state inonety received by the teachers. The tuition was twelve dollars a term. Sometimes the students gave the teachers notes for their tuition to be paid after they had gotten work. About 1892, the city took over the building and fur- nished the teachers, thereby making it a public school. The students studied what they pleased because there were no grades. As timer passed on, the number of students increased and it became necessary to add two rooms to the build- ing. ln 12107, one room downstairs and one upstairs was added, each facing Roan Street. One of these rooms was a music rooni and Miss Ida Bough of Virginia was the first music teacher. Professor 1. E. Crouch was the prin- at this time and the tenth grade teacher, the grades now continuing from the fifth to the tenth inclusive. The teachers were as follows: fifth-grade Miss Moore: sixth grade Miss Brown: eighth grade Professor Will Hrrtclier, ninth and tenth grades Professor 1. E. Crouch. City water was installed at this time and coal stoves 'ii'-al of the school were used for heating purposes. During the years 1909 and 1910 Science Hill had one hundred and forty-tour pupils enrolled. Mr, Meadows was principal, but he served only one year when he was followed by Mr, Byrd. Among the teachers were: Miss Willie Reeves, langauge teacher and Miss Elizabeth Carr, history teacher. The building then had four large rooms mid a large Study Hall: usually there was a class taught in the Study Hall. Part of the building standing in IQIU was much older than the rest. Some of the students are well-known business men of todayg for instance, Burr liarri son, Lt-e Hair, Gunnar Teihnan and Adam Bowman.