High School Days





South Charleston High School opened in the fall of 1926 in a distinctive five-sided building on Third Avenue and E Street. Miss Clara Smith served as principal for the first school year. As the only senior that year, Kathleen (Harless) Hamilton became the first and only graduate of the Class of 1927.

 

In 1931, the school (grades 7-12) became Loudon District High School and moved to a new building at Third Avenue and C Street. Two years later, the West Virginia Legislature terminated district boards. During the 1933-34 school year, the Kanawha County Board of Education assumed the administration of the high school and changed the name back to South Charleston High School. However, the name on the front of the building remained unchanged for another 26 years. Over the next four decades, SCHS changed to grades 9-12 and then to grades 10-12. Enrollment peaked with the “baby boomer” classes of ’64-’65-’66.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
1926-27
  • School opened at Third Avenue & E Street
  • First football game coached by Roy Price
  • First basketball game coached by Elma Stover
 
1927-28
  • First girls’ basketball game
  • First yearbook, The Loudspeaker
  • Original class ring design
 
1928-29
  • Yearbook renamed The Pentagon
 
1929-30 Logo designed by Kenneth Means
 
1930-31
  • First baseball game
 
1931-32
  • School became Loudon District High School and moved to Third Avenue & C Street
  • First issue of school newspaper, The X-Ray
 
1932-33
  • Charles Gorby organized the first band
 
1933-34
  • School renamed South Charleston High School
  • Orange and black selected as school colors
  • The Black Eagle adopted as school mascot
  • “Stand Up and Cheer” became the fight song
 
1938-39
  • Oakes Field Gymnasium opened
  • Carolyn (Hoover) Miller chosen as first Miss Black Eagle
 
1940-41
  • First undefeated (6-0-1) football team coached by John Worth
 
1941-42
  • First football game played at Oakes Field
 
1944-45
  • Bill Weber name West Virginia Coach of the Year
 
1945-46
  • School’s only perfect football season (11-0)
  • West Virginia State High School Football Champs
 
1947-48
  • Dolores (Thompson) Blackwell chosen as first Miss Kanawha Majorette
 
1953-54
  • Alma Mater first performed at school assembly
  • First night football game played at Oakes Field
 
1958-59
  • West Virginia State High School Basketball Champs coached by Jack Surrette
 
1960-61
  • Welcomed first foreign exchange student, Jan Ivar Koksvic of Norway
 
1965-66
  • N. David Stern direction first show choir
 
1966-67
  • Cindy (Faulkes) Lawson election Governor of Rhododendron Girls State
  • Mike Akers elected Governor of Mountaineer Boys State
 
1971-72
  • School moved to site of former Southmoor Country Club
 
1975-76
  • Dedication of Robert L. Bryan Baseball Field
  • Robert Alexander received Kennedy Award as West Virginia’s Top Football Player
 
1976-77
  • Robert Alexander received his second Kennedy Award
  • West Virginia State Baseball Champs coached by Jim Fout
 
1977-78
  • West Virginia State AAA Baseball Champs coached by Steve Stoffel
 
1981-82
  • KVC Basketball Champs coached by Bill Walton
  • Gay Elmore named West Virginia Player of the Year
 
1982-83
  • Home basketball court moved to the new South Charleston Community Center
  • KVC Basketball Champs coached by Bill Walton
 
1983-84
  • KVC Basketball Champs coached by Bill Walton
 
1985-86
  • First Project Graduation
  • Named West Virginia Exemplary School
 
1990-91
  • Consolidation of Dunbar High School and South Charleston High School
  • Home football moved to Lions Field in Dunbar
 
1991-92
  • “Catch the Spirit” initiative
 
1992-93
  • First night baseball game at Bryan Field
 
1993-94
  • Multipurpose physical fitness facility
 
1994-95
  • West Virginia State AAA Football Champs coached by Bryce Casto
  • Bryce Casto named West Virginia Coach of the Year
 
1995-96
  • Air Force ROTC
  • Girls’ softball field opens at Bryan-McIlwain Baseball Complex
 
1996-97
  • Multimedia internet lab
  • South Charleston Alumni Association organized
 
1997-98
  • SCHS Alumni Association published first alumni directory
 
1999
  • First Grand Reunion
 
1999-2000
  • International Baccalaureate Program implemented
 
2001-2002
  • Carl Tully Auxiliary Gymnasium added as part of major construction project
  • SCHS becomes grades 9-12
  • Dedication of Alumni Memorial Fountain
 
2002
  • Grand Reunion II
 
2002-2003
  • West Virginia State AAA Girls Basketball Champs
  • 68 graduates awarded first Promise Scholarships
 
2003-2004
  • West Virginia State AAA Girls Basketball Champs
  • Alexis Hornbuckle named Youth Basketball Magazine Player of the Year, WBCA MVP, McDonald’s Player of the Year, Gatorade Player of the Year and Adidas Player of the Year 2006
 
2004-2005
  • Named West Virginia School of Excellence
 
2006
  • Live on the web www.schsalumni.org
  • Grand Reunion III
 
 

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