History Paden City High School

1 history

1.1 establishment
1.2 1975 fire destroys pchs
1.3 new building (1977)
1.4 areas of pchs named in honor of notable people
1.5 paden city high school saved in 2010

history
establishment

educational opportunity first offered in paden city in proverbial little red schoolhouse. one-room brick building located in wetzel county part of town, across highway wesleyan methodist church. second school built on of present school site. four-room building of wood frame construction. 1916 school population had increased such extent four-room building inadequate, , j.r. henthorne building on main street secured school purposes. few years later kannan building on fourth avenue rented since afforded more space henthorne building.

the temporary building being unsatisfactory created strong sentiment favoring construction of new school building. since similar crowding conditions existed in schools of other magnolia district communities, bond issue financing district building program laid on december 14, 1922. building erected , interior partially completed @ cost of less $70,000. further completed need space arose. during period of expansion state department of education authorized establishment of junior high school, special permission being granted include tenth grade. because tyler/wetzel county line divides paden city, juniors , seniors living on tyler side of line had travel sistersville , attend sistersville high school, , juniors , seniors living on wetzel side of line had travel magnolia high school in new martinsville. paden city found friends competing against friends , brothers against brothers in athletic competitions.

during years junior high school served educational needs of community, parents , students envisioned time when change @ eleventh grade level not have made. in 1949 concerted effort vision of formation of four-year high school @ paden city made. effort led ray berger, owen mckay, jess brown, guy nichols, , dr. r.f. miller. state superintendent of schools approved plan, , after 3 appearances paden city had high school had long sought. wetzel county board of education approved measure 3-2 vote. measure approved wetzel county board of education after paden city lions club volunteered purchase typewriters , office equipment; , owen mckay, speaking community, told board of education citizens of paden city buy athletic field school. beginning, high school , athletic field became community project brought city , people in single purpose.

the annual labor day celebration started raise money facilities @ new school. workers @ paden city pottery , paden city glass gave money through payroll deduction plans support school. amount workers gave may have been $2 per week, @ salary of $15 per week, sacrifice. did because paden city kids needed school @ paden city. no state or county tax dollars used purchase or build athletic field. there approximately four-foot drop 1 end of property, used athletic field, other, field had leveled off. fence measuring 1,830 feet installed, field house built, , bleachers put up. estimated take 80 months pay $17,300 cost of land. in actuality citizens of paden city made final loan payment in 24 months. light towers field arrived in unusual way. after raising $25,000 lights , towers, came rail car south end of paden city. general call went out, , 400 people carried equipment, hand, field. men work 8 ten hours day @ local industries , work 6 hours @ field build bleachers.

in fall of 1951, paden city high school opened doors first time. in ray berger, 1 of moving forces behind formation of high school, became first principal. townspeople took fierce pride in fact had own high school , high school students in paden city continue education in own community. citizens concerned education students in paden city. in 1952, more year before 1954 u.s. supreme court ruling brown vs. board of education, integrated southern schools, paden city high school integrated educational institution.

paden city high school exists because of measure of support education demonstrated in paden city. people, couldn t afford give, sacrificed in name of community education. - owen mckay, former pchs educator.

1975 fire destroys pchs

january 8, 1975, marked dreadful day in paden city history. fire destroyed 53-year-old high school building. however, while body of building lay cremated, determination of paden city s citizens again came forefront. churches , other institutions rallied once again , provided space classrooms. classes held in pchs gymnasium, not destroyed fire, paden city christian church, paden city church of nazarene, st. paul s methodist church, , mater dolorosa catholic church. portable classroom trailers brought in , placed behind berger football field. less 1 week of classes missed due fire.

new building (1977)

rumor school not rebuilt after fire brought such public outcry construction of new school began immediately.

on may 1, 1977, dedication of present paden city high school held. ceremony featured various guests, including jack dulany, superintendent of wetzel county schools; ira satterfield, current principal of pchs; board member tim miller; rev. john negley; , featured speaker, james jeffers of class of 1964. new building definite modern style shows no resemblance of predecessor has nonetheless become landmark in paden city , school continues source community pride in paden city.

the new building departed then-popular open classroom design of 1970s era. building features spacious hall on ground floor two-story open ceiling giving view of classrooms on both floors @ once. second floor consists of 4 major classrooms 4 down hall. gymnasium, band room, , shop rooms not destroyed, although damaged, protected firewall. school featured wall-to-wall carpeting, unheard of in public schools until 1970s. in short time trophy cases installed on first floor various parents , paden city boosters association. later, sprouse family donated trophy cases second floor commons area athletic awards , paden city band patrons along family of john nail (former band director) , paden city boosters association installed more cases on second floor , in band room house trophies of paden city high school band.

later in 1986, bond levy in wetzel county passed giving money re-build other 3 county high schools , add addition of multi-purpose building paden city high school along many other upgrades , remodeling projects within main building. multi-purpose building complete cafeteria, common area , auditorium completed , opened in 1988.

areas of pchs named in honor of notable people

band room- john nail band room, paden city band director 1982-1990

fine arts wing- r. e. ed hood fine arts wing, paden city band director 1959-1982

field house (area gymnasium)- (ray) berger field house, first pchs principal

football field- (ray) berger field, first pchs principal

gymnasium- bob burton gymnasium, long-time paden city basketball coach captured 2 state championships (1973 , 1987)

multi-purpose building- jess brown hall, former principal

paden city high school saved in 2010

in spring of 2009, rumors started paden city high school merged high school in wetzel county school system. every 10 years, west virginia school districts must submit continued education facilities plan (cefp). plan constructed cefp committee, made of selected individuals within wetzel county. paden city high school , city of paden city had no representation on committee recommended closure of pchs fall of 2012. when rumors started, paden city foundation formed project cornerstone made of community members, pchs alumni, , pchs supporters. several months project worked on fact finding , advertisement reasons keep paden city high school open , operational 7-12 high school. (the name cornerstone chosen because group believes pchs cornerstone of paden city community.) public hearing held in march 2010 wetzel county board of education purposes of getting idea of how community felt possible closure of paden city high. 35 individuals spoke on issue. 35 expressed wanted see paden city high school remain open , operational. on 1,000 individuals packed pchs gymnasium, including paden city citizens, pchs alumni, pchs parents, pchs supporters, political officials, in attendance on 99% of paden city high school student body many students paden city elementary school. paden city high school band in attendance , played pchs alma mater , fight song before hearing began. on april 19, 2010 wetzel county board of education voted 5-0 in favor of keeping pchs open , operational, , have cefp re-written state paden city high school remain open , not consolidate high school in county district.

the paden city foundation s project cornerstone has remained group after vote of confidence board of education. project cornerstone continues work raise funds , support recognize importance of , ensure future of paden city high school , paden city elementary school.