| Last updated on September 5, 2007 |
The mission of Summerville High School is to provide a safe, nurturing and challenging learning environment which prepares and encourages all students to be lifelong learners who are caring, productive citizens.
Description:
The goals are:
- To implement and integrate the South Carolina Standards into the instruction.
- To maintain a focus on a safe, orderly and disciplined learning environment.
- To maintain or exceed student performance in the core academic content areas.
History:
Education in the Summerville High School area had its beginnings in 1729 in the Parish of St. George, Dorchester. At that time, the settlers of Dorchester (now Fort Dorchester) passed an act providing for the founding and erection of a free school. The distance to Charles Towne and Goose Creek made sending children to those schools impractical so the plea went to England: "... We, so humbly pray your most sacred majesty that we have a school."
In 1734 and again in 1756, educational acts were passed and twelve commissioners named. The first minutes of the Dorchester Free School dated June 7, 1757, record that the Commissioners met in the vestry to plan a school. The minutes of March 1758 record that two brick houses were ordered to be built - one for the school and the other for the schoolmaster.
Some years elapsed before a suitable master was employed, but eventually the Reverend John Allsion taught reading, writing, arithmetic, English, grammar, geography, elocution, Latin, orthography, Greek and astronomy.
The school flourished, serving well the Parish of St. George until the population of dorchester dwindled because of malaria along the Ashley River.
Residents moved eight miles inland to healthier pinelands during the summer and called their newer settlement Summerville, with the coming of the railroad, the town became a year-round place of residence. In 1817, the Commissioners ratified an act to move the Dorchester school to Summerville. The schoolhouse and land at Dorchester were sold, and funds were set aside to build a school in Summerville during that year.
As the town of Summerville enlarged, the school continued to give financial help to those who needed it until the War Between the States nearly depleted their funds. (Instead of having a school themselves, the Commissioners simply paid the tuition of students at private academies).
"In 1901, the following resolutions were made: 'that the funds of the Dorchester Free School Board be invested in a brick building to be used for a school for white children, and a tablet be placed in that building setting forth the history of this fund...' "
In 1906, the Commissioners purchased land and built a brick schoolhouse (on Laurel Street where the present playground is). They leased this building to trustees of the school district for $100 a year.
In 1924, the high school building on Main Street (now Rollings Middle School of the Arts) provided housing for high school students only.
Because Summerville has long been a bedroom community and many new industries have moved into the Trident area, the population has steadily increased. In 1973, Summerville was the fastest growing school district in the state.
As a result of this constant mushrooming, in 1969, the present building on Boone Hill Road was opened to students. In order to accommodate those who registered, eleven mobile units were set up on the campus. Thus, the facility was outgrown even before the school population occupied the building.
In 1970, Summerville High School and Alston High School (founded in 1910) were combined to end segregation in the district. Enrollments continued to climb, and a double session for the years 1972 to 1975 was necessary. Fortunately, construction on an adjacent building to house ninth and tenth grades was completed for the 1975-1976 school year. The new classroom wing at the high school began during the summer of 1977 and was completed and occupied during the spring of 1978.
Since 1987, Summerville has continued to grow. In 1991, the voters approved a bond referendum to build a new high school, Fort Dorchester, and alleviate the overcrowding. With continued growth at the younger grade levels the need for a new middle school arose. In 1995, voters approved a bond referendum to expand and renovate Summerville High School and renovate Gregg Campus for a middle school. For one year, 1996-1997, grades 9-12 were housed at the Gregg Campus on an extended schedule. Beginning in the 1997-1998 school year grades 9-12 were housed at the newly renovated Summerville High School. In 2000 a Fine Arts addition was begun with an expansion of the cafeteria. Construction will be completed in the fall of 2001. Currently Summerville High School is the largest high school in the state of South Carolina with the student population of approximately 3,100.
Contact people:
Office fax number: (843) 821-3989
Address:
 |
1101 Boone Hill Road
Summerville, SC 29485
(See a map) |
Web Site: http://www.dorchester2.k12.sc.us
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