As the first county high school, Central High School of Chattanooga opened its doors in September of 1907 on Dodds Avenue. In the first year Central enrolled 269 students. Of the 22 members of the first senior class, 19 graduated. The first high school in Hamilton County to offer a full four-year academic program, Central has continued to be a fully accredited member of the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools since 1919.
I attended and graduated from Chattanooga Central High School in 1959. There were 300+ in my graduating class. At that period of time, there were only two high schools in Chattanooga and they were both large in number and in competition!
My school colors were purple and gold and our nickname was the "Purple Pounders" and pound we did. We were a football team to be reckoned with in the State of Tennessee. We had the 'choice' football coach and team. We were big deals back then.
The school was old, but there was a feeling when you entered that building, that none could compare then, and today. However, eventually the school was torn down and moved to another area of town and it was never the same. I am thankful that happened after I left.
My title picture today is of the 'rotunda' as you entered, and it was 3 stories high. Everyone met and hung out before school started at the rotunda. Being able to look down and see was coming or going was fun. Whatever floor your locker happened to be on is the floor you stood and looked for friends to come in.
We had two gyms, ROTC, social clubs for girls, a band and choir out of this world, pep rallies that out-did the other school 200%. There was a big rivalry of course. We were the county school and the other one was the city school. If you lived in the city limits you had to go to City, which was the name of the other school, and of course in the county it was Central.
Social Clubs had uniforms and wore on a certain day of the week.
I was in the Twixteens social club and my senior year, I was President. There were approximately 10 of those social clubs. At the big dances after football games or spring formals, the clubs really tried to out-do one another.
My senior class trip was to Washington, D. C., and we went by train and boarded at what is now the Choo-Choo complex. My first trip without my family!!!
Last train pulled out August 11,1970 to Birmingham.
The Choo Choo is now
a restaurant and there is also a motel there.
I loved school, never missed unless I was deathly sick and all my memories are good ones.
I love this post.
ReplyDeleteYour school was magnificent; I am sorry that they tore it down.
I love the memories evoked here. Beautiful blog....
Very interesting. Thank you for sharing this. Our high school days are definitely memorable, the good and the bad. That rotunda is awesome. The whole architecture of the building is fantastic. My high school was nothing like this. Like all old buildings, mine is now gone too.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful building! My high school was not nearly so pretty.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting walk down memory lane. Love the photos.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your post, Linda! Your school was beautiful. Our colors were also purple & gold!! We were the Lakers.
ReplyDeleteI did not realize you have such a history with Chattanooga. You are not a newcomer to the area like so many who came with industry-related jobs.
ReplyDeleteYour school was absolutely beautiful and holds great memories for you. You can call me geeky for the next statement but I love uniforms! I remember wearing my Brownie uniform to elementary school --- a long time ago and feeling so proud. When I was in high school band, we still had the uniforms with the "traditional" heavy coats, shiny buttons, and shoulder strap holding gold braids. Our colors were green and white - - - but the school I went to in elementary had purple and gold.