| Woodlawn High School | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Woodlawn, Virginia, 24381 United States |
|
| Information | |
| School type | private / normal institute / public secondary |
| Founded | 1878 |
| Status | consolidated into Carroll County High School (Hillsville, Virginia) in 1969 |
| Colour(s) | Maroon and White |
| Mascot | Raiders |
| Newspaper | The Reminder |
| Yearbook | Raider |
Woodlawn High School was a public secondary school located in Carroll County, Virginia, at Woodlawn, Virginia. The last academic year as a high school was 1968-1969. The school graduated one hundred seniors in the final class of 1969. The following year all tenth, eleventh and twelfth grade students became part of the new Carroll County High School, in Hillsville, Virginia. [1]
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The school was founded in 1878 by Isaac A. Minor as a private school called the Woodlawn Male and Female Academy. In 1898 the name was changed to the Woodlawn Normal Institute and later to Woodlawn High School in 1907--becoming the first public high school in Carroll County, Virginia. [2]
A dormitory was built in the 1890’s to house students from several nearby counties and states. The dormitory was destroyed by fire in 1903. A new three story dormitory followed in 1904 with a cafeteria, parlor, music room and rooms for boarders. At one time it also contained the first circulating school library in Virginia. This building was used by the high school until it too was destroyed by fire on January 27, 1960. [3]
A new, brick high school building was constructed in 1907 on twelve acres of land. Members of the Woodlawn community raised the needed funds themselves to meet state requirements. [4]
Woodlawn High School became the first public secondary school in the United States to offer agricultural education classes under the Smith-Hughes Act. J. Lee Cox, superintendent of Carroll County Schools at the time, 1917, is given much credit for seeing the need for a vocational agriculture class. He went to the state capitol and persuaded the governor to let him develop the class at Woodlawn. [5] Fred R. Kirby, the first teacher of agriculture at the school, was named Master Teacher of the South in 1933. [6] Kirby's successor, W.L. Creasy, was also named Master Teacher of the South in 1936. [7]
A new high school building was erected in 1962. The school became an intermediate school for grades K-9 beginning with the 1969-70 academic year. In 1974 the entire school was renovated. A gymnasium, new library, band room, music room, career development center and additional classrooms were added. The school was changed to house grades six and seven only in 2005. [8]
The area of present day Woodlawn, located in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, began as a land grant to James Wood of Frederick County, Virginia in 1756. His son, James Wood, served as governor of Virginia from 1796-1799. The Treaty of Lochaber, between British representatives and the Cherokee, made the land available for settlement about 1770. The original James Wood willed the land to his wife Mary who willed it to her grandsons. It is thought that none of the Wood family ever lived in Woodlawn. [9]
Students at Woodlawn High School came from four main feeder schools--from the west they came from Gladeville Elementary and from the southwest Oakland Elementary. Both schools were located near Galax, Virginia. Students also came from nearby Woodlawn Elementary and from Laurel Elementary to the north.
Professor George Ivy served as principal of the Woodlawn Male and Female Academy. Everett E. Worrell was the first principal of the Normal School, followed by F. H. Combs and C.C. Carr. Former principals of Woodlawn High School include: E.J. Cooley, S.A. McDonald, Zelma Kyle, B.M. Cox, B. M Wright, P.W. Jones, Foy E. DeHaven, R. S. Gardner, Paul Cox, James Combs and F. S. DeVault. [10]
The Woodlawn High School Marching Raiders Band was founded in 1962. The band performed in numerous area parades, at special events, concerts, festivals, WHS football games and band days at Virginia Tech and the University of Virginia. Jerry Liles served as band director until the high school was consolidated into Carroll County High School (Hillsville, Virginia).
Woodlawn Male and Female Academy had a well rounded athletic program including baseball, football, tennis and track. As a high school, Woodlawn produced some outstanding basketball teams during the mid to late 60's but it was baseball that became the Raiders most prominent sport. In 1964 the school’s baseball team began a streak of forty-one consecutive victories stretching into the 1967 season. During this streak on April 21, 1966, pitcher Harry Isom recorded a seven inning perfect game. Isom not only pitched a perfect game but also struck out all twenty-one batters he faced. [11] [12]