Something you might want for your scrapbook, pick up a copy at the News Courier office in Athens. Great article (click HERE for link) written by Jean Cole for the News Courier, published Sept 12, 2012. Email her and let her know that you appreciate her efforts, jean@athensnews-courier.com
— Life at Elkmont school was a little simpler when Charles Compton was an elementary student in the 1930s and ‘40s.
His son, Elkmont Mayor Tracy Compton, a 1981 graduate of Elkmont High School, recalls a story his dad told that illustrates the point.
“When my dad was a child, he had a billy goat that was like a family pet,” Compton said. “The goat would follow my dad to school every day, then, when he got my dad to school, he would walk back home. In the afternoon, the goat knew when school got out and he would walk to the bottom of the hill (where the school stands) and wait for my dad so he could walk him back home.”
While time has passed, not all things have changed. Students today cherish high school games, activities and memories as much as their predecessors. They will all get to share those memories Sunday when they gather for the Elkmont High School Centennial reunion. The event, which begins at 1 p.m. at the school, will include speakers, door prizes, a video history of the school, recognition of teachers and graduates, refreshments and a chance to catch up with fellow graduates.
“It’s going to be a nice day and a good time for memories,” Compton said.
Today, the school has more than 1,000 students and more than 80 faculty members.
Elkmont High School principal Stan Davis, from the Class of 1973, will be there.
“The thing I enjoy most is that Elkmont is where I grew and went to school,” he said. “This is my home, and this 100-year anniversary is special to me. We are just excited about the opportunity that the (Elkmont High School) foundation has given us to recognize this anniversary, and I hope everyone will make time to come by.”
Alumni Chairwoman Vicky Carter Dowd is also anticipating the event.
“I am fortunate to have grown up in the small town of Elkmont and went to Elkmont High School for 12 years,” she said. “My family has three generations of graduates from EHS; my dad, Kenny Carter, graduated in 1959; I graduated in 1979, and our son graduated in 2008. I know I have fond memories of football games, being in the band and playing softball — memories that will always be remembered favorably. I have made lifelong friends that I will always cherish.”
His son, Elkmont Mayor Tracy Compton, a 1981 graduate of Elkmont High School, recalls a story his dad told that illustrates the point.
“When my dad was a child, he had a billy goat that was like a family pet,” Compton said. “The goat would follow my dad to school every day, then, when he got my dad to school, he would walk back home. In the afternoon, the goat knew when school got out and he would walk to the bottom of the hill (where the school stands) and wait for my dad so he could walk him back home.”
While time has passed, not all things have changed. Students today cherish high school games, activities and memories as much as their predecessors. They will all get to share those memories Sunday when they gather for the Elkmont High School Centennial reunion. The event, which begins at 1 p.m. at the school, will include speakers, door prizes, a video history of the school, recognition of teachers and graduates, refreshments and a chance to catch up with fellow graduates.
“It’s going to be a nice day and a good time for memories,” Compton said.
Today, the school has more than 1,000 students and more than 80 faculty members.
Elkmont High School principal Stan Davis, from the Class of 1973, will be there.
“The thing I enjoy most is that Elkmont is where I grew and went to school,” he said. “This is my home, and this 100-year anniversary is special to me. We are just excited about the opportunity that the (Elkmont High School) foundation has given us to recognize this anniversary, and I hope everyone will make time to come by.”
Alumni Chairwoman Vicky Carter Dowd is also anticipating the event.
“I am fortunate to have grown up in the small town of Elkmont and went to Elkmont High School for 12 years,” she said. “My family has three generations of graduates from EHS; my dad, Kenny Carter, graduated in 1959; I graduated in 1979, and our son graduated in 2008. I know I have fond memories of football games, being in the band and playing softball — memories that will always be remembered favorably. I have made lifelong friends that I will always cherish.”
History
Elkmont school, built in 1912 and named Limestone County High School, was the first public school in the county. The following is a chronological timeline of Limestone County High School and Elkmont High School:
• The Lewis Morris home place had been the site for an Elkmont public school with three rooms, and the sale of this property was a part of the funding for the first county high school in 1912. D.J. Moore was principal;
• The next elementary school building, located north of the present football field, was a white, frame building with two rooms on each side of a long hallway. The rooms had wide folding doors that could be opened to make a large gathering place. This building was torn down in 1936 after a new building was constructed;
• Construction began in 1935 on a new, brick, elementary building with an attached auditorium using money given to the Limestone County Board of Education by the Public Works Administration, a New Deal program. This building also stood north of the present football field. However, part of this structure was on the present football field. This building burned in 1942. The 1930s football field was located at the north end of the present high school building;
• For the last month of the 1938-39 year, the high school students had classes in the auditorium of the elementary school while the second story, the auditorium, of the original two-story high school building was being removed. The building had to be remodeled after a tornado damaged the second story, and the structure was deemed unsafe;
• The fall of 1939 saw a remodeled, single-story high school building with two new wings. The Home Economics Department was the south wing of this new structure;
• In January 1942, Elkmont suffered a great loss when the elementary school and attached auditorium were destroyed by fire. Senior parties and graduation ceremonies had to be held elsewhere. (Notes from Loeita Compton Locke, class historian, class of 1942);
• Elementary classes were held in the local churches for about a year and a half, and graduations for classes 1942-1946 were held in the Elkmont Methodist Church;
• In the fall of 1943, a brick elementary school building with a fully functioning lunchroom for elementary students opened its doors. (Lunches for high school students were served in the Home Economic Department.) This 1943 elementary building —situated north of the present football field where the 1997 gymnasium is located — burned in1968;
• In 1947, a new brick, non-attached, gymnasium was built, and the class of 1948 held the first graduation exercise in this structure. (The class of 1947 had but one graduate and no graduation exercise was held);
• In 1949, a new, non-attached lunchroom was built. The same year, the first EHS yearbook — titled “Our Memories” — was published and sold for $2.50;
• In 1955, the present vocational building was built;
• In 1962, a non-attached, new addition was added to the high school containing several classrooms, a library and the principal’s office. These rooms are still in use. At this time, the original single-story building was still being used;
• In the spring of 1965, a new gym (now the old gym) was built;
• The 1966-67 school year saw the end of the “split session.” An EHS band was started in 1966 and a band room built in 1967, which has since been remodeled;
• In 1967, the old original, single-story building was removed and a new high school building constructed;
• An elementary building was constructed on the west side of Highland Avenue in 1968, with additions in 1977, 1982 and 1996. The 1996 addition was built on Highland Avenue after its closing by the town of Elkmont;
• A new lunchroom was built in 1972, which replaced the 1949 building and connected the high school with the elementary school;
• In 1982, a special education building was constructed, which is now used for kindergarten classes;
• In 1988, a new science wing was added to the north end of the high school building;
• In 1990, the Southern Association accredited the school;
• In 1994, the 1972 lunchroom was turned into a library, and a new lunchroom was constructed;
• In 1997, a new gymnasium was built north of the football field;
• Renovation and expansion of administrative offices and improvements to the entrance of the building were completed in 2003.
• The next elementary school building, located north of the present football field, was a white, frame building with two rooms on each side of a long hallway. The rooms had wide folding doors that could be opened to make a large gathering place. This building was torn down in 1936 after a new building was constructed;
• Construction began in 1935 on a new, brick, elementary building with an attached auditorium using money given to the Limestone County Board of Education by the Public Works Administration, a New Deal program. This building also stood north of the present football field. However, part of this structure was on the present football field. This building burned in 1942. The 1930s football field was located at the north end of the present high school building;
• For the last month of the 1938-39 year, the high school students had classes in the auditorium of the elementary school while the second story, the auditorium, of the original two-story high school building was being removed. The building had to be remodeled after a tornado damaged the second story, and the structure was deemed unsafe;
• The fall of 1939 saw a remodeled, single-story high school building with two new wings. The Home Economics Department was the south wing of this new structure;
• In January 1942, Elkmont suffered a great loss when the elementary school and attached auditorium were destroyed by fire. Senior parties and graduation ceremonies had to be held elsewhere. (Notes from Loeita Compton Locke, class historian, class of 1942);
• Elementary classes were held in the local churches for about a year and a half, and graduations for classes 1942-1946 were held in the Elkmont Methodist Church;
• In the fall of 1943, a brick elementary school building with a fully functioning lunchroom for elementary students opened its doors. (Lunches for high school students were served in the Home Economic Department.) This 1943 elementary building —situated north of the present football field where the 1997 gymnasium is located — burned in1968;
• In 1947, a new brick, non-attached, gymnasium was built, and the class of 1948 held the first graduation exercise in this structure. (The class of 1947 had but one graduate and no graduation exercise was held);
• In 1949, a new, non-attached lunchroom was built. The same year, the first EHS yearbook — titled “Our Memories” — was published and sold for $2.50;
• In 1955, the present vocational building was built;
• In 1962, a non-attached, new addition was added to the high school containing several classrooms, a library and the principal’s office. These rooms are still in use. At this time, the original single-story building was still being used;
• In the spring of 1965, a new gym (now the old gym) was built;
• The 1966-67 school year saw the end of the “split session.” An EHS band was started in 1966 and a band room built in 1967, which has since been remodeled;
• In 1967, the old original, single-story building was removed and a new high school building constructed;
• An elementary building was constructed on the west side of Highland Avenue in 1968, with additions in 1977, 1982 and 1996. The 1996 addition was built on Highland Avenue after its closing by the town of Elkmont;
• A new lunchroom was built in 1972, which replaced the 1949 building and connected the high school with the elementary school;
• In 1982, a special education building was constructed, which is now used for kindergarten classes;
• In 1988, a new science wing was added to the north end of the high school building;
• In 1990, the Southern Association accredited the school;
• In 1994, the 1972 lunchroom was turned into a library, and a new lunchroom was constructed;
• In 1997, a new gymnasium was built north of the football field;
• Renovation and expansion of administrative offices and improvements to the entrance of the building were completed in 2003.
Timeline compiled by Elkmont’s 2000 History Brochure Committee and updated by Betty Taylor in 2011.
Elkmont High School 100-year celebration agenda
For more information about the upcoming centennial, call Alumni Chairwoman Vicky Carter Dowd at 256-233-8730.
• 1-2 p.m. Sunday — Registration
• 2 p.m. – Welcome
Master of ceremonies John Carter Sr., Class of 1983
Prayer by Kenneth Davis, Class of 1976
Pledge of Allegiance by Elkmont Cub Scout Pack 248
Speech by Congressman Mo Brooks
East Limestone High School Principal Stan Davis, Class of 1973
Elkmont Mayor Tracy Compton, Class of 1981
Limestone County Schools Superintendent Thomas Sisk
State Rep. Dan Williams, R-Athens
Master of ceremonies John Carter Sr., Class of 1983
Prayer by Kenneth Davis, Class of 1976
Pledge of Allegiance by Elkmont Cub Scout Pack 248
Speech by Congressman Mo Brooks
East Limestone High School Principal Stan Davis, Class of 1973
Elkmont Mayor Tracy Compton, Class of 1981
Limestone County Schools Superintendent Thomas Sisk
State Rep. Dan Williams, R-Athens
• Recognition
Retired teachers, current teachers, oldest graduate, farthest traveling grad
• Door prizes
• Find class members in high school classrooms (map enclosed)
• EHS history video in library
• Town of Elkmont historical display in lobby
• Refreshments
Retired teachers, current teachers, oldest graduate, farthest traveling grad
• Door prizes
• Find class members in high school classrooms (map enclosed)
• EHS history video in library
• Town of Elkmont historical display in lobby
• Refreshments
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