By JENNIFER MOONSONG
Glasgow News 1
In the mid 1960s, one room schools were closing across Kentucky. At that time there were four high schools: Austin Tracy, Temple Hill, Park City and Hiseville. All were old and in need of much renovation.
Twelve different sights were considered for new consolidated high school. The property where the high school sits was purchased long before the consolidation. Jimmy Lowe of the Glasgow Daily Times noted that on the day the land was examined, they had to “run cows” from the hillside to see the land.
From 1967 to 1975, the consolidation took place.
“This was not an easy process. There were struggles, trials, bitterness and hurt feeling,” said Helen Russell, who recorded the history of the consolidation, and was a teacher for Barren County Schools for more than three decades.
“To understand that, you have to realize how desperately the people in the four communities… clung to their community schools. For anyone to convince the people of these communities to vote for a consolidated high school, close to Glasgow of all places, away from their communities, was very difficult,” she said.
Land for the school, picked from 12 possible sites, was purchased prior to the consolidation. This photo taken by Jimmy Lowe of the Glasgow Daily Times, shows school board officials walking the land.
Submitted
During the November election of 1968, the vote for the new bond issue to finance the school was placed on the ballot. A few weeks before the election, the Glasgow Daily Times ran a picture of an architect’s sketch depicting what the new centralized high school would look like. When Tuesday, Nov. 5, 1968 came, it was vetoed by a large margin.
“A year and a half later, our board had not given up,” said Russell, in a video made to tell the history of the school. It was placed on the ballot again in 1970. The design had changed, and a new image was printed prior to the election.
This image ran in the Glasgow Daily Times prior to the first vote. It was the initial idea regarding how the new school would appear.
Submitted
It was a 2.5 million dollar bond issue, and the sentiment was that it would pass. However, once again, it did not pas. This time, it lost by only 227 voted.
From November of 1970 to 1971, the area was canvased to create a petition of 1,500 names, and asked for a special-called election to take place March 30, 1971. Superintendent Ed Hickey presented the issue to Barren County Fiscal Court, but because of costs, it denied the special election. The group returned on March 2, 1971. The fiscal court relented and agreed, at last, to a special election.
This was a heated time full of controversy.
Groups for and against the consolidation rose up with strong opinions.
Mothers for Education supported it because of the new curriculum, the advances, and opportunities for extra-curricular actives and sports.
Concerned Citizens for Community Schools were against it. The complaints extended to discipline, loss of identity and a fear the children would be “ a number and not a name.”
“I have to tell you both groups had good arguments,” Russell said.
In May of 1971, the building of the new high school was at last approved. This was decided in part because Gov. Louie Nunn, a Barren County native, worked with the school system to also bring a vocational school to Barren County. It was close to a year before the details were in place. Bids were taken, and construction began in late Summer of 1972. Bids were also taken for the vocational school.
“We got the school through a quarter back sneak, consolidating two high schools at a time,” Russell said.
Feelings remained bitter for many.
Mr. Hickey set up a student committee to determine the school colors, mascot and design of a class ring. The students were from all four schools. After having lead the board through a very tumultuous time, Hickey resigned as the new school opened for the 1973-74 school year.
It was not smooth sailing. The interim superintendent, Bill Hildreth, had to immediately address the issue of a road to access the school only weeks before the doors opened. The issue was resolved, and the school opened Sept. 4, 1973. Construction was not complete, but they refused to delay the start of school again. Thus, Barren County High School came to be.
Information for this article was gathered from a video provided by BCHS, narrated by Helen Russell.
Temple Hill High School later became Temple Hill Elementary School. It was one of the four high schools in the school system prior to the consolidation.
Submitted
Park City High School was one of the four high schools in the school system prior to the consolidation.
Submitted
Hiseville High School was one of the four high schools in the school system prior to the consolidation.
Submitted
This is a drawing of Austin Tracy High School. It was one of the four high schools in the school system prior to the consolidation
Submitted
This is a paid advertorial on behalf of the Barren County School System and its celebration!
Comments