Waggener High School - RingBrothersHistory.com

The Voice of St. Matthews, July 16, 1959:That the program had wide support among educators soon became evident. The Louisville School system announcedshortly thereafter that it was setting up a similar, “three-track” program.***State goes along: And on June 23 of this year, the State Board of Education fell in line. By unanimous vote the boardapproved these basic reforms to strengthen the school system through out the State:1. Raised minimum requirements for high-school graduation from 16 to 18 units.2. Revised the 12-year course of study with added emphasis on reading, science, math, and foreign languages.3. Changed the primary basis of accrediting schools from quantity to quality.4. Approved the higher academic standards for teachers recommended by the Council on Public Higher Education May 18.***In the future, a student graduating from high school will need the following units: English, three: social studies, mathematics,and science, two each; physical education; one; and remainder electives.The new program also makes mathematics available from the first grade on, and languages available from the third gradeon.***On the more mundane side, the schools were having indifferent luck. After rejecting a special 50 cent increase in schooltaxes to construct new buildings in 1951; the voters in Jefferson County approved the special tax the following year.The St. Matthews area carried the day; the tax failed in the other two districts of the County, but a majority vote in A District(east East End) put the tax across.An additional 50 cents was asked in 1955. Again St. Matthews voted in favor, but the rest of the County rejected it by sucha large margin that it failed to carry. A fourth attempt in the summer of 1956 also failed, and there the matter rests.***Building starts: The county School Board, under the direction of superintendent Richard VanHoose, was quick to showthe voters something for the money voted in 1952.Schools began sprouting up all over the County, seven of them in St. Matthews.In 10 yearsThe O. J. Stivers Elementary School, named for the former superintendent of County schools, was opened in 1952. Thefirst year it had 530 students instead of the 480 it was designed for. Classes were held in auditoriums and reading rooms.This crowding continued for two years. Mrs. Ruth Osborne was first principal and still serves in that capacity. It now has604 pupils.***In 1954 Chenoweth Elementary School was opened on Brownsboro Road. It was named for Dr. Henry Chenoweth, afamed St. Matthews Physician. Miss Marguerite Lewis has been principal since the school opened.The school, situated on a 9 1/2 acre site with 21 classrooms, a cafeteria, a library, and all-purpose room, and several specialrooms, cost some $372,000. Current enrollment is 667 students.Neil promoted: Mr. Neil was promoted to supervisor of County High Schools and lately has been placed in charge of theadvanced program for County schools.Dedicated October 30, 1955, the school is situated on a 20 acre site. It has 21 classrooms, a music room, visual aid room,library, cafeteria, all—purpose room and administrative office suite. The cost was $488,299. Enrollment is 417.Two new elementary schools opened here in 1957—Wilder on Herr Lane and Shryock on Browns Lane.***Wilder cost $653.000, and became crowded so quickly that in 1958 the County School Board found it necessary to add fourmore rooms. Current enrollment is 867 students.Shryock with classrooms and 16 acres, cost $604,000. Dedicated in October, 1957, it now has 529 students.Ballard was closed: The principals—Roy Cobb at Wilder and Leo Colyer at Shryock have, served since their respectiveschools opened.One school was closed at the end of the current school year. For economy reasons, the Board of Education decided to shutdown Ballard School after 45 years and transfer the pupils to other schools here, including the new Zachary Taylor ElementarySchool, due to be completed by September.Eastern High—a school destined ~ to make its athletic prowess felt e throughout the County and State—opened as a highschool in Middletown in 1950.Dawson first principal: Jack Dawson was first principal. Designed for 1,500 students, it had 1,631. in 1951, indicating theterrific pace at which the community was growing.Mr. Dawson was promoted to the School system’s executive staff in 1955, and. was succeeded as principal by his assistant,