The present St. Paul High School site (editor's note: this reference is to the present elementary school site) is composed of ten lots purchased from the St. Paul Land Company on November 1, 1922. The sum of $55 was paid and the deed acknowledged and recorded in November 1922. This land once belonged to Dr. J. N. Greear and Mr. J. E. Duff. Each of the school lots is 25' x 140', or a total of 250' x 140'.

Work was immediately begun on a two story brick building with concrete basement. A furnace was installed for steam heat and two drinking fountains in each hall. At first there were ten classrooms in use, a principal's office, a ladies' lounge, a library, an auditorium, boys' and girls' toilets in basement, also science and chemistry laboratory in a basement room and large halls on every floor.

This building was opened for school in September, 1924 with Mr. T. C. Harrison as principal. The teachers were Miss Olga Horton. Miss Leona Addington. Miss Gladys Kennedy. Miss Cordia Everage, Miss Virginia Williams, Mrs. J. T. McNeil and Miss Ruth Moon (now deceased) and Mr. T. C. Harrison in high school. The school was not accredited because of an insufficient number of pupils, teachers and classes. I entered this school in seventh grade in January, 1925 with Mrs. McNeil of Lee County as the sixth and seventh grade teacher. In September 1926. Mr. J. J. Brewbaker of Buchanan. Virginia became principal of our school. He was a fine man with a sincere interest in school and in boys and girls. He succeeded in getting boys and girls from Virginia City and Dwina to enroll in eighth grade and thus greatly increased the enrollment. Therefore Supt. Kelly sent more teachers and the school became an accredited high school with the first seniors being graduated in June 1927. Mr. Brewbaker stayed only one year because Norfolk City School Board offered him a greater salary than Wise County School Board was paying him. so we lost him to Norfolk City, where he later became city superintendent. French, Latin. English IV, History IV and Algebra II were added to the curriculum that year. One of the new high school teachers that year was Miss Elizabeth Fitch, sister-in-law of Mr. Brewbaker, and now Mrs. Fred Greear of Norton, Virginia. Other new teachers were Misses Ruby Kilgore, Lillian Hartsock, Nannie Lou Meade, Sue Cawood, Virginia Meade, Music. (now Mrs. Willard Counts of St. Paul) and Mr. Roy Cox and Mr. Earl Cochran. Many of these teachers remained in the St. Paul School for several years.

In September 1927 we were fortunate to secure as our new principal Mr. W. D. Richmond of Jonesville. Virginia. He, too, was a very capable and interested person in the education of boys and girls. He worked hard to develop a well rounded school program with extracurricular activities and some spiritual guidance too. He held this position for eighteen years, or until the summer of 1945.  During this time I was graduated from St. Paul High School. Later I was employed as a teacher in this school from September 1936 to June 1943 with Mr. Richmond as my principal. Under the guidance of Mr. Richmond the school made much progress, the enrollment increased, and new teachers and classes were added. Home Economics was added to the curriculum in 1928. Expression (at the pupils' expense) in 1929 and Commercial in 1936. The first Commercial teacher was Miss Evelyn Suttle of Jonesville, Virginia.

Much improvement has been made from time to time in the basement rooms used as classrooms. The library and home economics department have nicely polished hardwood floors, with fine equipment.In 1941 the Wise County School Board purchased the Fleenor property adjoining the school lots. This consisted of a good house and five lots for the sum of $3900. (It is now occupied by the principal Mr. W. H. Bowman and his wife).

I wish to add another little bit of information about Mr. Richmond. In 1932 he married Miss Julia Shackleton. who was the first grade teacher. (She is also a member of the present St. Paul faculty, having returned to the teaching profession about three or four years ago.)

Mr. Richmond was succeeded by Mr. Earl Hilton of Coeburn. Virginia. He remained for only one year and then went into private business. He is at present the School Board member from Lipps District.

In September 1946 Mr. W. H. Bowman became principal of the St. Paul High School and still holds this position. His wife is still a member of the high school faculty. Under Mr. Bowman's guidance, a fine athletic field,"Bowman Field", has been made. Due to the overcrowded conditions existing, Mr. Bowman has made new athletic dressing rooms in the basement, The previous ones have been converted into classroom space. Last school session, the auditorium served as classrooms for the two sections of seventh grade. In recent years the rural schools of Lick Creek and Bull Hill (this school house having burned in spring of 1950) have been brought by school buses to St. Paul, thus adding to the already overcrowded classrooms.

Nevertheless the school has a fine library with numerous books, magazines and newspapers. There are moving picture projectors and many films to aid the teachers and pupils. There are many clubs, athletics and various extracurricular activities for the pupils' enjoyment.

In 1948, Mr. Bowman secured over $400 of playground equipment, consisting of swings, slides. seesaws and handwalkers. This was paid for by donations from Miss Myles of Myles Manufacturing Co., the various St. Paul Clubs and the remainder by the local school (the school paid only a small amount).There are eighteen teachers, eight of them being high school teachers, plus music and expression teachers in the present system. The greatest need now is for a new building for the high school students.

This report would not be complete without mentioning our very popular and efficient Superintendent of Wise County Schools, Mr. J. J. Kelly, Jr., of Big Stone Gap. Virginia. He succeeded Dr. James N. Hillman in 1917 and still occupies this position. Through his able guidance. the program of education in Wise County has made great strides. He is aided by Mr. W. D. Richmond as Director of Instruction. Mr. Richmond has served in this capacity since 1945, when he ceased to be principal of St. Paul High School. (Editor's note: Mr. Richmond, of course, became Wise County Superintendent on Mr. Kelly's retirement.) Last session's enrollment was 657 students, 175 of these being high school students.

In footnotes, Miss Kilgore credits the following as references for information used in this History:Mrs. Myrtle Harris, St. PaulJohnson's History of Wise CountyRecord of school deeds in Supt. Kelly's officeF. D. MolinaryMrs. Cecil TalbertMrs. Gilmer FieldsH. E. MorrisMrs. Lincoln Kiser, Big Stone GapMiss Hazel HolbrookSupt. J. J. Kelly, Jr.W. D. RichmondW. H. Bowman