Sherman High School - Walhondian Yearbook (Seth, WV)

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own Tlvzouglz flue ages By HAROLD BOWNE Sherman. High School was established by special election in June, l9l5, by authority given to the old Sherman district Board of Education. The people voted five-to-one in favor of establishing a high school at Seth. This election also authorized a bond issue of ten thou- sand dollars for the purpose of erecting a frame building in the Thompson bottom at Seth. Before this increase in the educational program could be made effective. there came a great flood on August 9, l9l6, which washed away many homes, some school buildings, and several business establishments. Some people had to live in the existing school houses. The United States entered the World War on April 6, l9l7. The high school at Seth was forgotten. By l92l the citizens began to sense a need for a high school. The Sherman district Board of Education was required to pay ten dollars a month for each student who attended high schools in other counties from Sherman district. The people in the upper end of the district wanted the high school at Whitesville: people in the lower part of the district wanted it at Seth. In July, l923, the attorney general of West Virginia ruled that a high school had been established at Seth by vote of the people in 1915. The only thing necessary was that the Board of Education provide the necessary teachers, buildings, and equipment. A new grade school building was completed at Seth in the spring of 1924. In the fall of 1924 Sherman High School began its first year of instruction under the excellent direction of Olin C. Nutter as principal, and Miss Dora Atkinson as teacher. The enrollment numbered between 40 and 50 students. Classes were held in the building vacated by the grade school. In 1925, Miss Zela Moore joined the faculty, A. D. Bradford and J. R. Shaw came in 1926. This stands as quite a contrast to the 25 teachers now employed by the high school. On March 16, l928. Sherman High School moved into a new building which had been erected at a cost of Sl30,000. Many citizens shook their heads and complained that the 'new building was too large, was a waste of money, and would never be completely needed. But the school grew by leaps and bounds. By I933 the enrollment had increased to such an extent that the old graded school rooms had to be reoccupied as annex rooms. Now, six annex rooms are in use, some of them a mile away from the main building. Since the first year in l924, new courses such as chemistry, typing, bookkeeping. shorthand, journalism, manual training. and music have been added to the curriculum. During the first year of its existence the high school consisted of seventh. eighth and ninth grades. Each year thereafter another grade was added until it became a six-year, first- class high school in l929. In 1937 it became a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools. The students who attended Sherm'an High School from Racine and Whitesville in 1925 and l926 had to furnish their own transportation. The roads were bad and many of the stu- dents boarded at Seth. The transportation system began in the fall of l926 when two fifty- passenger busses were purchased by the Board of Education. Twelve busses now bring stu- dents to the high school. , Sherman High School has had only four principals-Olin C. Nutter, l924-283 Emmett Stine. 1928-37: M L. Mackey, I937-40: and John P. Jarrell. The growth of Sherman High School has been phenomenal. The first graduating class of l927 consisted of seven members. The class of l94l numbers 94. The graduates of Sherman are acquitting themselves creditably in life. The speaker of the West Virginia House of Delegates during the l94l ses- sionlwas a member of the first graduating class. The I-Vllfllllllfffllllfpllfll' If

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I N-I X4 xx HAROLD BOWNIE. AB., A.M.7New River State College. Vx'esl Virginia Universirx CATI-IHRINI2 BROOKS. AB.--Marshall College VIVIAN COI.I2. B.S.-New River Stale College CLIFFORD Ii. COON, AJS.-Concord College ROY JIlI3I?RI2YS, Ali.-Concord College CHARl.O'I I'E KOIQN. A,B,fI5AirmonL Slate 'I'eneI1erS'CoIleg: CLARENCE MASON, B,S.-Morris Harvey College AIITRED IVICCLUNG, AB.. NIA.--New River Stale College. XVesl Virginia University ZlQI.l.A MAIL IVIOORIQ. BS.-IVI.irsI1.1Il College CLARENCIQ W. RAIDALEIQ. IS,S.A-Bradley Polytechnic Institute IIIIRIVIAN H. SIVIITH. AB., NIA.-XVest Virginia Universiiv MARY NVII.l.IANlS 'I'AX'Il3I.lN. B.S.+GIenviIIe Stale 'I-eacliers' College, XV. Ya, University' of I 1,

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