Lawrence County Schools have faced many changes over the years. Some schools consolidated with others. Many different buildings were built and abandoned over the years. In a report on education published in 1959, Lawrence County had ten public high schools and one parochial school.
On Wednesday, November 28, 1917, St. Lawrence was hosting the annual Thanksgiving program. Students, mothers, and friends were gathered to celebrate the upcoming holiday. Unfortunately, the joyful event took a tragic turn around 3:00 p.m. when a gas leak in the fuel room caused an explosion.
The first school in Ironton was established in 1849. The classes were held in the Berdaine Blake house on Front Street. In 1850, the “Pioneer” school building was built. Pioneer was featured two classrooms.
Built in 1922, Ironton High School sits on what used to be Beechwood Park.
The first school using the Kingsbury name was built in 1898. The first Kingsbury housed the high school until 1922 when Ironton High School was built.
The second Kingsbury was built in 1961.
John Phillips was the first teacher of what would become the South Point School District. Phillips had eight students in a log cabin located near Solida Creek in 1812. Today, South Point School District covers almost all of Fayette Township and parts of Perry Township.
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Before 1900, the future Chesapeake School District had twelve schools: Bethel, Bear Creek, Big Branch, Chesapeake Central, Upper Chesapeake, Coryville, Ranking Creek, Red Oak, Union, Getaway, Henson Hollow, and Bradrick.
In 1850, the first school built in Coal Grove was opened. The school had only one room. Joseph Burk was the teacher. Eventually, the school expanded to four rooms… two rooms on the first floor and two rooms on the second floor.
Located on the former William Darling property, Symmes Valley High School combined four different communities: Mason, Aid, Waterloo, and Winsor. Waterloo and Windsor was added to Symmes Valley in 1962.
