Publisher's Synopsis
In the early 1900s, Franklin County, Virginia, was a rural, backward and sparsely populated area. The school system reflected these poor conditions, with over 150 schools that were predominately one-room buildings with no indoor plumbing. The opportunity to obtain a high school diploma was limited to a few small high schools that had very few course offerings. County leaders and educators knew that if Franklin County were to prosper and grow, the school system needed dramatic change. Improvement would require a consolidated high school that offered not only rigorous academics, but also practical vocational courses. This history follows the long and sometimes contentious journey of proposing and building Franklin County High School. It includes the growth of the school and the significant events that helped to mold its unique characteristics. Franklin County High School remains the only public high school in the seventh-largest county in the state, and it is constantly evolving to effectively serve the youth of Franklin County as it has for over seven decades.
