Chapter XXVI

Oak Hill

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One of the largest and most beautiful plateaus in this section of the country, from which can be seen beautiful mountains, hills, valleys, and rivulets, surrounded by one of the best farming sections in the state, and having within a radius of three miles the prosperous mining towns of Scarbro, Whipple, Carlisle, Summerlee, Lochgelly and Minden, is situated the beautiful city of Oak Hill.

The history of Oak Hill dates back to 1820, when William Blake came and erected his cabin where the Jones mansion now stands. It was a humble beginning of a favored settlement that is rapidly growing into a modern city and which, because of its excellent location and general accessibility has already become one of the best cities in Fayette county.

Oak Hill is located near the center of Fayetteville magisterial district, about six miles to the south east of Fayetteville and a like distance north of the Raleigh county line. The Giles, Fayette and Kanawha turnpike serves it as "Main Street" for its entire distance through town and is for a distance the dividing line between the water shed of White Oak and Arbuckle creeks, the former joining Loop creek at Glen Jean and the latter flowing directly into New river just below Thurmond.

William Blake, the first settler, acquired a large boundary of land and followed the occupation of farming.

Peter Boyer was the next settler. His father operated a ferry across New river at a point where Sewell now stands, as early as 1798. Mr. Boyer, who in the declining years of his life was known as "Old Pete Boyer," operated a water-powered mill, erected on the waters of Arbuckle creek, just above the falls near the Newland place, and did the grinding for a large scope of the country.

The next settler was Charles Windsor. His cabin stood at what was afterward known as the old Captain Richard's place, which later gave way to the handsome pressed brick residence of W. E. Carwile. Mr. Windsor was a toll gate keeper and is remembered by the older citizens as a man hobbling about on a crippled leg.

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Some time before 1848 the Giles, Fayette, Kanawha turnpike was constructed through the town, but Blake, Boyer, and Windsor seem to have been the only settlers up to about 1850. With the completion of this road other families came to join these early settlers. Among them were the Johnson, Duncan, Bibb and Burgess families. Jonathan Johnson came from Randolph county, Indiana, and first settled somewhere on the waters of Lower Loop creek. Later he purchased a farm near the present site of the town of Summerlee and built his hoe near where L. H. Houston's store now stands. At about the same time John Duncan, grandfather of Rev. Arthur Duncan, came from Amherst county, Virginia, and bought a farm at Salem and erected a home near the present residence of William Hornsby. The descendants of these two families together with the Bibbs and Burgesses, made up a large portion of the early settlers of Oak Hill.

The name Oak Hill was first applied to a post office located at what is now Hill Top. This post office was later moved to Oak Hill and continued under that name. The first post master here was Samuel Woods, about the year 1866, the office being kept in his residence at the old Captain Richards place. He was succeeded by J. W. Slaughter, who kept the office in his log store room near his residence. This residence was later remodeled and converted into the present Oak Hill hospital. Other post masters held the office in the following order: C. T. Jones, in the Jones store building now owned by C. H. Thurmond and occupied at present by "Dad" West as a barber shop; A. G. Sevy, in the Sevy building now occupied by the Pete Joseph grocery; H. C. McLain, in the E. W. McClung store building now occupied by D. P. Holliday; Ed Harvey, in what later became the Sunshine restaurant building; J. P. Stanton, first in the Hayes and company store building and later in the J. B. Dickerson store building. J. F. Penrod succeeded Stanton who in turn was succeeded by by T. G. Burke. Mr. Burke died in February, 1921, and was succeeded fro a short time by Frank Porter. After Mr. Porter came C. M. Jarrell Nichols and Mrs. Sydney Smith. Much of the social life of every small town centers about the post office. It is this place of acquaintance and of public forum while waiting for the mail to be put up, and in all the long years

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from 1866 down to the present time the men whose names are here set down have served the people with zeal and fidelity.

Before the advent of the Chesapeake & Ohio railway, mail was carried on horseback from Cotton Hill to Raleigh county court house, now Beckley. This trips seems to have been made every twenty-four hours, thus giving Oak Hill daily mail service, something quite unusual at the time. During the term of J. W. Slaughter as post master the mail was carried from Fayetteville to Beckley by a young man by the name of Evermont Spencer. On one occasion his horse returned without its rider, still bearing the mail sacks, which showed evidence that the contents had been rifled and the registered mail was removed. Nothing was ever learned of young Spencer, but years afterwards a skeleton was found near Oak Hill, and the belief is current that this was the remains of the unfortunate man, a victim of highway robbers.

After the building of the Chesapeake & Ohio railway, the mail was carried down Arbuckle creek to Thurmond. For a long time the carrier was W. E. Bibb. There was a ferry conducted at the mouth of Arbuckle creek. At times during the winter months high water or running ice made it impossible to cross the river, in which event young Bibb would mount his horse and ride back to Oak Hill, and there would be no mail that day.

The true history of every community is reflected in its church growth. The Baptists, it appears, had the first organization here. About 1843 Bethel church was organized in a log cabin erected on a one acre lot donated by Martin T. Bibb, at what is now Salem, then known as Fancy Hill. Martin T. Bibb preached the dedicatory sermon and became its first pastor. Other succeeding pastors were J. C. Robertson and Matthew Ellison. The old log building was used until 1873, at which time the old Bethel Baptist church was erected in Oak Hill in the grove near Duncan block. The house was built by Benjamin Summerfield, contractor, for one thousand dollars ($1,000). Matthew Ellison preached the first sermon and became the pastor. Other ministers served the church in the following order: Martin Bibb, Theodore Given, S. L. Weeks, J. T. Carpenter, J. T. Tabler, G. W. Huddleston and T. H. Fitzgerald. In 1892 the congregation divided, ninety-six members of the church withdrawing their letters and organizing the Oak Hill

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Baptist church, erecting a building opposite A. G. Sevey's residence on a lot donated by C. T. Jones. The new church was dedicated the same year by W. E. Powell. Rev. T. H. Fitzgerald became the first pastor. Other pastors were: W. N. Bibb, J. B. Chambers, G. W. Adams, again T. H. Fitzgerald, and the present pastor, C. S. Donnelly. The church now has a membership of about 600, including the three missions of Minden, Meadow Fork and Red Star. A large, strictly modern church building is now being erected at a cost of $125,000. When completed it will be one of the best to be found in this section of West Virginia.

Bethel church remained in Oak Hill for several years after the congregation was divided. Then the building and organization were moved to Summerlee.

The history of the Oak Hill M. E. Church South begins about the year 1875. Prior to this time however the way for an organization had been paved by Rev. Montgomery Woolwine, who during the time of the Civil War held prayer meetings in the scattered homes of this section. Even before the Civil War Methodism had begun to take root. The old camp meeting grounds on the Hawkins farm were famous as a gathering place. Organizing themselves into a congregation about 1875 they worshiped in the Bethel Baptist church for a time, also in the log school house near the home of Rev. Woolwine, referred to elsewhere in this narrative.

The first building was erected in 1887, John Kelley, S. B. Woods, J. W. Slaughter, John Poteet, Sr., Morris Harvey and C. B. Mahood being active leaders. In 1910 this building was enlarged to its present size, under the pastorate of L. S. Cunningham. A full list of the ministers who served the church from 1875 to 1885 is as follows: E. M. Meurrill, F. P. McGhee, Adam Given, R. C. Wiseman, Q. A. Wheat, and J. M. Follansbee. William Hiner seems to have been the first minister in the new church, followed by C. H. Dowell, J. T. French, E. L. Fitch, G.W. McClung, Lee Barrett, B. F. Gosling, L. S. Cunningham, A. E. O'Dell, P. E. Thornburg, B. M. Keith, and A. H. Perkins. In September 1924 the Oak Hill church was made a separate station, and C. D. Lear became the first full time pastor. At present the church has a membership of about four hundred. A splendid new building is now under construction

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which will cost about $100,000. It is a great credit both to the church and to the city.

The Brethren church was erected in 1904, with a membership of twelve or fifteen persons. It was dedicated the same year by J. Allen Miller, of Ashland College. Rev. A. B. Duncan became the pastor. Other pastors were S. W. Wilt, A. L. Lynn, Rev. Haslett, William H. Miller, Rev. Garrison, and Freeman Ankrum, the present pastor. The membership now numbers about two hundred, and the property is valued at $17,000.

The Church of God was organized in 1904. It is located on the flat near the Virginian station. Miss Rachel Baily was the first pastor. She was followed by W. D. McGraw, Wickersham Jones, again by Miss Baily, and now Mrs. Rawlinson, and the present pastor, Rev. Kinzer. The membership is something more than one hundred. An excellent new building has recently been completed at a cost of about twenty thousand dollars.

These churches have exercised a tremendous influence in shaping the morals and habits of the people of the community, and Oak Hill points to her churches with great pride.

Reserving the next important factor, the schools, for the conclusion of this article, we will now briefly discuss the business enterprises which have had such a large share in making this one of the best of the county's towns.

While stores have existed here for many years, and it was long a center of trading activity for the surrounding communities, the real progress and growth of Oak Hill dates from the completion of the White Oak branch of the Chesapeake & Ohio railway with its attendant coal operations at Scarbro, Whipple, Carlisle, Summerlee, and Lochgelly, the development of the Minden mines, and the construction of the Virginian railway. These three factors materializing in quick succession furnished the stimulus for a healthy growth, and one visiting the town now who had not visited for twenty years would scarcely recognize it as the same place. At the southern end of town comes the first transformation. The C. T. Jones residence, the finest in the county, a mansion of brick and stone of the colonial type, occupies the spot where the old Jones residence stood. Across the street stood a large store building which for many years was occupied by J. G. McLain, but this was pur-

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chased by the Jones estate and removed. The Odd Fellows building near by was built some twenty years ago. This lodge and several others occupy the second floor, while the first floor is occupied by the Oak Hill Furniture Company. Next is the E. W. McClung store building, now occupied by D. P. Holliday as a general

store. Across the street C. P. Cobb has completed a splendid brick garage, on the lot where E. W. McClung's residence burned some years ago. The next change is in the old Slaughter residence which has been converted into the Oak Hill hospital. A large modern hospital building is now almost completed on the lot adjoining the present one, where the Baptist parsonage formerly stood. Across the street stands the first cement block building, erected for the Oak Hill cooperative store, and now occupied by the Pat Hamilton Motor Company. Opposite this are the Sevy building and the old Jones store building, but little changed from the days of old, and the giant oak inn front still stretches its fifty arms across the street and sidewalk. It is one of the old land marks of the town.

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Across the street from the Oak stands one of the city's oldest mercantile buildings, until recently owed and occupied by J. E. Lewis. Mr. Lewis was the oldest merchant here up to the time of his retirement from business in the summer of 1921. The building is now owned and operated by Phipps and Carter, general merchants.

Next on the left is the Oak Hill Hardware Company, with a large and complete line of hardware, under the efficient management of H. B. Clower. Adjacent to this is the building occupied by J. F. Penrod's grocery store. It was erected by the late Dr. C. W. Kennison and used by him for a time as a hospital, later converted into a store room and living apartments. A coat of stucco gives it the appearance of an entirely new building. The next business house on the left is that of the firm Lewis and Thomas, wideawake dealers in furniture and undertaking. A large addition and a coat of stucco make their building look like new. Across the street is the handsome stone building of the Merchant's and Miner's Bank, two stories in height, with offices

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up stairs. Here for years has been the local exchange of the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone Company. Adjoining this is the pressed-brick residence of the cashier. Both buildings were erected in 1907. Next is another of the early landmarks of the community, the old Kelley home, built by John Kelley about the year 1868, and occupied by him until his death, and long after by his widow, Mrs. Sallie Kelley. Adjacent to it is the Oak Hill Garage Company's new building, the local home of Buick cars. Then comes the Lewis block, containing three large store rooms, one occupied by the Oak Hill Pharmacy, and the others by the M. Wender stores, with a full line of most everything. Across the street stood the hall of Oak Hill Lodge No. 120, A. F. & A. M., with the first floor used by the Royal Theater. This building was burned in 1922. Next to the Wender stores is a the new Huddleston building, occupied by the Kelley Drug Store, Abel's Department Store and Neal Brothers' Grocery and Meat Market, recently destroyed by fire.

On the east side of the street is the new brick block erected by W. R. Hayes, housing the attractive jewelry establishment of J. C. Wooddell and five and ten cent store.

On the opposite corner where the Huddleston building formerly stood is the new Oak Hill National Bank. This building is a splendid three-story structure of buff brick. On the first floor is the banking room; on the second floor are the offices of Dr. Hamilton, Dr. Byrnside, and the Mountain State Insurance Company, managed by W. O. Thompson; and on the third floor the large lodge room, occupied by the Masonic lodge.

At the head of Central Avenue is the Midland Stores Company, with a full line of ladies and gents furnishings, millinery, etc., splendidly housed in the new block owned b L. W. Boley. Adjoining this is another new block erected by Lewis and Thomas, housing the post office, R. Murry's Ladies' Furnishings, the Rose Tea Room and the office of the Oak Hill Enterprise; beyond which is a new brick building containing Level's Meat Market, with everything to eat. Opposite these and on the site of the old Bethel Baptist church stands a handsome business block erected by Dr. H. A. Duncan. His dental offices and other offices and apartments are on the second floor, the first floor

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being occupied by the Thompson Music House, with everything musical, and the G. J. Fleshman barber shop and pool room. Next to this is the Ellsworth hotel, owned and operated by E. E. Watkins, and recently enlarged and improved. The new five and ten cent store operated by B. W. Blake is next, adjoining which is the Law barber shop and the McCoy Drug Store. Directly opposite these is the handsome residence of J. S. Lewis, with its broad lawns and fine shade trees. Adjacent to the Lewis home is the splendid property and residence of Frank Butler. The next business houses are J. B. Dickerson's general store and People's Hardware Store, located on the property formerly occupied by B. C. Peters as a general store, now remodeled and greatly improved. Next stood the Oak Hill bakery, recently burned. A few feet further on the local lodge of the Knights Of Pythias have erected one of the finest lodge homes in the state, an immense structure of native stone, the pride of every member of that noble order. On the first floor are the oak Hill Theater, the James Cash Grocery, Reiland's Auto Accessory Shop and a soft drink and lunch stand. The entire second floor is taken up by an immense lodge room and an excellent dining room and kitchen. Where the old road turns to Minden is another new store, operated by W. R. Dickerson; while opposite it, where the old Captain Richards house stood, now stands the elegant pressed-brick residence erected by the late W. E. Carwile. Other handsome new residences of this section of the city are those of J. W. Thomas, J. B. Dickerson, T. B. Martin, H. D. Harvey. J. R. Moore, and Squire Woods. L. E. Wilmer operates a garage at Arbuckle creek, and R. E. Roberts a general store where the brand new road from Minden intersects Main street. Oak Hill is growing rapidly toward the north. The Ingram addition is being rapidly built up. Already to garages and a number of excellent new residences have been erected here. New buildings of many types are being erected almost continually in every section, showing the constant and rapid growth of the city.

Central avenue, extending from Main street to the Virginian railway station, is rapidly growing and developing as a business section. The street has been paved, and it is proving an exceedingly important arterial of traffic. The offices of the Mankin Lumber Company, the

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planning mill, the Oak Hill Feed Mill, the garage building of J. H. Duncan, the O'Dell building, the hotel of G. W. Boyles, the brick garage building of P. S. Burkholder, the Fayette Wholesale Furniture Company, in their fine, new, three-story home, King's Theater, and the new post office give an air of business prosperity an importance.

Another factor contributing to the growth of Oak Hill was the Fayette County Fair. The fair ground was located on the south-side of Central avenue, opposite the buildings above mentioned. Owing to the rapid growth of this section, the fair ground was sold for building sites.

No attempt has been made in this narrative to mention all of the residences erected. They are too numerous to mention and cover a territory too wide to be described in this chapter such as this, but all combine to make Oak Hill a city noted for its pretty and modern homes, fine lawns with flowers, shade and sunshine, a "city set upon a hill," progressive and growing.

The new water and sewage systems are modern in every respect and adequate to all the needs of the city. In fact few cities the

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size of Oak Hill can boast of anything of the kind half so good. The big tank on the hill is the most conspicuous object of the entire countryside.

Oak Hill is easily accessible to the rest of the county. Aside from its railroad connections it is on the Giles, Fayette and Kanawha turnpike, which through this section of the state constitutes an important link in the great A. P Highway, which extends across the entire continent, from Los Angeles to Norfolk, and this main thoroughfare of travel is joined here by other important roads coming in from every direction. At Duncan's crossing, a road enters the city from Lower Loop creek and the towns of Summerlee and Lochgelly. On the northwest is a lateral highway from Kingston, Mossy, and Dothan, joining the turnpike near the west end of town. On the east near the Jones mansion, a road intersects from Hill Top, which is linked with roads from Meadow Park and Sanger section. To the northeast a road branches off to Minden, and further on, at the Hawkins place, a road connects the Salem and Gatewood neighborhoods with the turnpike. All these branch roads bring the people of other communities into close touch with Oak Hill and contribute to its importance as a trading, banking, and educational center.

Commensurate with the growth and development of Oak Hill as a commercial and religious center has been the growth of her public school system, until today her schools stand second to none in the county and have an enrollment greater than that of any other town in the county. The history of education in Oak Hill carries us back to the year 1850, when the first school was established. The "pay school," as it was called, was started in a log structure near the present site of the Merchant's and Miner's Bank. It was a subscription school, and its success is evidenced by the interest which early settlers took in the education of their children, which has been handed down from generation to generation until today Oak Hill probably has more students in the state university than any other town of its size in the entire southern tier of West Virginia counties. This log building had first been used as a dwelling. Later school was "kept" in an old log building first used as a church, on the Hawkins farm, a short distance north of town, then known as the "Old Camp Ground."

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Another school building of the early days stood near the present residence of Harlow Rhodes and was erected by the citizens working on it when they were not otherwise employed. It too was a log structure similar to the first. John Hendrickson taught the first school in this building in the fall of 1865. This was before the present free school system was adopted and the county paid only a part of tuition, the patrons paying the rest and the teacher "boarded around" at the homes of the various pupils. Many walked long distances to school, and their zeal in obtaining an education would put to shame many who ride in autos a much shorter distance to the seat of learning. Other teachers who taught after Mr. Hendrickson were William Beckley, Kenny Cassady, Mary Miles, John Hendrickson again, and John Shreves.

The branches taught in those days were the old elementary spelling book, first and second reader, arithmetic and grammar, the latter from the back of the spelling book. Spelling was considered the most important subject and consequently received the most attention. Reading seldom advanced farther than the second reader. Arithmetic was taught to "long division." The grammar consisted of comparison, punctuation, etc., and was not nearly so elaborate as the course now prescribed. The teacher of social etiquette was not neglected, and many of the early teachers would stand at the door in the morning and give the pupil a hearty hand shake and a pleasant bow. If corporal punishment had been administered the day previous it was rather trying to wish the teacher "Good Morning," but if one failed to do this it was considered quite an offense.

Another of the early school houses stood within a stone's throw of the present site of the Whipple coal mines. It is still standing, but has been remodeled. Its architectural construction was so different from the present school house that a description of it may not be amiss. It was built almost entirely of first-class hardwood material, principally logs rough hewn on two sides, with the bark left on two sides. These hewn logs were set on edge, lapping at four corners, where notches were cut with a pole-ax. Its several parts fitted so that it was said one could throw a cat through the crevices between the logs. The roof was covered with

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clapboards, and those who attended the school are positive that the roof did not leak a drop in dry weather.

In this school reading was taught through the fifth reader, arithmetic complete, grammar as a separate subject, with geography and history added. Teachers in this building were Major Parks and Captain Mosley, two ex-confederate soldiers; Felix Bragg, Mike Bragg, Robert Shreves, Drew Easley, Mr. Feazell, Kate Deegan, Thomas Thornton, Joseph Hughart, and M. Van Pelt, who taught the last school in this building, early in the 80's. Close by the side of this edifice lived that prince of good citizens, Montgomery Woolwine, many years secretary of the board of education, who sang his merry songs, made saddles, bridles, harness, and issued school drafts, all from the same shop, all of the best quality, and of face value; and who always vowed by the fact of the pale moon that "Titia," or Letitia, the good wife, should never see the bottom of the flour barrel, and she never did. Mr. Woolwine was as good a speller as he was provider, and it is said that no boy or girl of that time ever "spelled him down."

This brings us down to the construction of the first frame school house here. It was built by C. B. Mahood, on the present site of the Frank Butler residence. The white pine of which it was constructed was hauled from Raleigh county court house, a distance of twenty miles, on an ox wagon, by Captain Wm. Richards. A Mr. Fishback was the first to teach in this building. He was followed by Miss Jennie Walker, Jim Dillon, and Miss Bettie Coleman. In 1889 this building was torn down and a two-room frame structure erected on the same site. The school was graded, and W. G. Brown, now the state prohibition commissioner, and Miss Groves were the first teachers.

During the summer of 1890 a summer normal was held here, presided over by B. H. White and S. E. Duncan. Later teachers who officiated in this building were Miss Hortense Cologne and Miss Maria Dews.

In the fall of 1892 A. G. Sevy opened a school of which he still relates many interesting reminiscences and experiences. During the several succeeding years the teachers were as follows: 1893, Miss Lottie Cooper and Miss Ella Mahood; 1894, W. H. Duncan and wife; 1895, W. H. Duncan and Miss Ella Mahood; 1896, Miss Ma-

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hood and Mrs. Broyles; 1897, Sam Hutchinson and C. L. Phipps; 1898, John R. Ford and Miss Mary Mahood; 1899, Mr. Skaggs and Mr. Hardway; 1900, A. B. Withers, now state Sunday school director for the Baptist church, and John T. Simms, now of the state tax commissioner's office; 1901, Mr. Whitlock and Naaman Jackson.

This building was removed in 1901 and a six-room building was erected in its stead. J. W. Eary, now judge of the circuit court, was chosen principal. Mr. Eary was assisted by Mrs. W. S. Johnson and Miss Sadie Kincaid, who had charge of the primary department. After a few months she was lost to the profession her marriage to M. C. Bibb and was succeeded in the department by Miss Lydia Hutchison. Mr. Eary did not complete the term and was succeeded by Miss Maude Brenneman. A. C. Harford was the next principal, assisted by Miss Lydia Hutchison and Miss Maria Dews.

The Oak Hill high school first opened its doors on February 29, 1904, with O. O. Crawford as principal and Clyde Gwinn as assistant. In September 1904, Mr. Gwinn was succeeded by G. E. Rhodes. The school did well from the beginning, in spite of the fact that on Wednesday night, October 18, 1905, between ten and eleven o'clock, the building burned, probably by an incendiary. An arrest was made, but for lack of evidence the suspect was never brought to trial. It was insured for $3500, and the money was used in the building of the present graded school building, which is located on a four-and-one-half acre lot on Central avenue, adjoining the Fayette county fair grounds.

After the burning of this building school was conducted in several buildings here and there about town. The people rallied so loyally to the help of the pupils and teachers that not a single day was lost because of fire. The next building was completed in the fall of 1907. R. Stuart was the principal that year, assisted by a Mr. Gerard. On September 9, 1908, the high school began its fifth term, with S. M. Archer as superintendent, assisted by R. C. Givler. The growth of the school necessitated the erection of a new building in 1911 which is used exclusively for high school purposes. It is a frame structure located on the same lot as the graded school.

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The first high school for Fayetteville district was made possible by a vote of the people on November 4, 1902. A. G. Sevy, who was then president of the board of education did much to secure the location for Oak Hill.

Mr. Crawford served as head of the school until June, 1907, when he was succeeded by Mr. Stuart, who held the position for one year. S. M. Archer continued as superintendent until June, 1915, when he was succeeded by G. E. Rhodes, the present superintendent.

There has been a consistent growth in both the high and graded schools. The schools are now organized on what is known as the six-three-three-plan - a six year graded school, three year junior high, and three year senior high. During the term of 1924-'25, there was an enrollment of 178 in the senior high, two hundred and twelve in the junior high, and six hundred thirty-seven in the graded school, making a total of 1027. In the senior high school, three courses of study were offered: a general high school; the Academic course, which prepares one for entrance to college; and the short

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normal course, which prepares one for teaching. Strong courses are offered in cooking, sewing, manual training, music, drawing, and other practical subjects. During the period from 1906 to 1925 a total of 295 young men and young women have been graduated from high school. These young people are making good in many fields of endeavor. Among them are doctors, teachers, engineers, lawyers, and representatives of other professions. At present one third of all the white teachers in Fayetteville district are from this high school.

The building of the gymnasium deserves special mention. Athletics were formerly organized during the fall of 1915. During that year the exposition hall on the Fayette county fairgrounds was used for the gymnasium. This, however, was not satisfactory. So in the fall of 1916 the members of the high school conceived the idea of building a "Gym" for themselves. Committees were organized and plans made. Contributions were solicited from teachers, pupils and friends of the school. In this way sufficient funds were raised to buy the necessary materials. The work of the construction was done by the boys, assisted by Mr. Frank Porter, who was then serving as janitor, and by Mr. Rhodes, the superintendent. In order that Mr. Porter might be free to give his time to the work, the girls of both schools volunteered to do the cleaning and sweeping of the two buildings. Thus for almost three months pupils, teachers, janitors, and superintendent gave their leisure hours to the building of the gymnasium. It has been pronounced, by those competent to speak, one of the best pieces of cooperative work ever carried out by any high school in the state.

The Oak Hill schools have a record not surpassed by any in the county. In addition to the two buildings already mentioned two temporary buildings were provided two years ago, one of four rooms and the other of two. During the year just passed three other rooms were rented. The schools have far outgrown their quarters, including the temporary and rented buildings. It is expected that the board will in the very near future erect a good modern building which will amply meet the needs of more than thirty teachers and more than one thousand students.

The future of Oak Hill is very promising, and it offers many attractions and advantages for both business and residence.

The foregoing text was taken directly, verbatim, from The History Of Fayette County, West Virginia as it was originally written. This book was written by J. T. Peters and H. B. Carden. It was published in 1926 by the Fayette County Historical Society, Inc., Fayetteville, West Virginia, and printed by Jarrett Printing Company, Charleston, West Virginia. All rights reserved.

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