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