 | A history of Caroline county, Virginia |  |
SPARTA HIGH SCHOOL
The Sparta High School has the distinction of being the
oldest high school in Caroline. This school is located at Sparta,
ten miles east of the county-seat, and was established in 1909.
An interesting fact in connection with this school is that the
building was erected by the citizens of the community, without
any outside help whatever, completely furnished with desks and
board added two rooms to the building four years later, making
it large enough to meet the rapidly increasing attendance.
In December, 1917, the building was completely destroyed by
fire and the remainder of the session held in Salem Baptist church.
The old building was replaced at once by a large, modern, twelve-room
building, costing $12,000. One-half of this amount was
raised by the patrons. The session of 1918-19 opened in the
new building
In January, 1919, the Board of Education established in the
school, under the Smith-Hughes provision, departments of
vocational agriculture and home economics. The basement of
the school was fitted up for the installation of these departments,
and an adequate agricultural laboratory, equipped with all
necessary apparatus for the teaching of practical agriculture was
installed. A separate shop, equipped with all tools essential to
the teaching of practical construction and repair of farm implements,
and conveniences of iron, wood, leather and concrete was
also added to the equipment. Two large rooms in the basement
were equipped for the teaching of home economics. One of these
rooms was fitted up as modern kitchen in which domestic science
students are taught how to plan, prepare and serve appetizing
and wholesome meals. The other room is equipped with sewing-machines,
cutting tables and fitting closets. Here girls are taught
how to design, cut and make their own clothing, and many other
articles which are indispensable to every well ordered home.
The equipment in these two departments cost $3,000, of which
the State contributed $2,000 and the patrons $1,000.
This school has a faculty of 10 and a student body of about
150, of whom approximately 50 are in the high school department.
In an essentially agricultural county, such as is Caroline, the
value of such an high school as this cannot be estimated.
| A history of Caroline county, Virginia | |