St Johns High School - Blue Devil Yearbook (Darlington, SC)

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Blooming Idiots

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ST. JOHN'S The school was a noticeable feature of the early history of Darlington. In 1818 five anti five-tenths acres of land, on the brow of Swift Creek, were purchased for three hundred dol- lars from Mr. John Gibson for a school. The first building, which was about forty feet wide and sixty feet long, consisted of three rooms; one large room in the center, which was the class room, and a smaller one at each end. used for scientific purposes. The school was called St. John's in honor of the Mason’s patron saint. During the Confederate War the school continued its ses- sion until the Yankees came, when the building was used as a Federal hospital, and the campus as a camping ground. Sometime later this building was burned, but afterwards a two-room building was erected in its place. Here Col. R. W. Boyd was instrumental in having St. John’s made a public school, of which Professor Patterson Ward law was first super- intendent. By this time the school had been enlarged to a six- room building, and otherwise improved, due largely to the efforts of Mrs. Geo. W. Dargan. In 1902 a handsome brick building took the place of the old wooden structure. This is now the Grammar School. A little later the Sanders’ property was purchased and added to this. Mrs. Sanders’ home was converted into a school building and SCHOOL. used as an annex, but later sold and removed. In 1915 St. John s High School was erected. Of this building the school and patrons are justly proud. It is modern, well-equipped, beautifully constructed. But no one feature of St. John’s is a source of as much last- ing pleasure and pride as its grounds. Topping as they do. rounded hills, which slope to the fresh greenness of a stream, the buildings command a beautiful background view. In front the level, shaded area is of sufficient breadth to give a certain dignity of isolation and aloofness to the buildings and throw them out in strong relief against the background of green trees. Since the year of St. John's inception until now, it has tutored within its democratic walls the best of Darlington’s manhood and womanhood; and has furnished to the state some of its best thought and action. Here were nourished the ideals which led to the “Sixties” and here were trained those stalwart defenders of democracy, who have gone forth to do battle in the great world war. Surely, if beauty of situation and tradition could act as inspirations to those of us following the path of knowledge, the students of St. John’s should find that rocky ascent easy to climb. Mildred McCall. 19.

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Swift Creek cross the Diamond Our Sentinels