Scott High School

The oldest high school in Boone County was Scott District High School, more commonly known as Madison High School, now known as Scott High School. This was because the area in and about Madison has had the largest population even from the earliest settlements.

After the authorization of the establishment of Scott District High School in 1911, it began operation in an old frame building at Danville under the principalship of Charlie Hedrick. From the beginning of the high school until 1922, it operated as a two-year high school. Other principals during the first years were Cora Cooper and Melvin Loy.

W.W. Hall became principal in 1919, and under his administration a new building was constructed in West Madison and the school became a Senior High with only six classrooms and an unfinished gymnasium in 1924. Scott became a first class school in 1925-1926.            

Of special interest during the early thirties was the formation of the Scott High Band under the direction of P.E. Burt who was to continue as its director for two decades. During World War II, the school was forced to drop band but with the close of the war, a new era of instruction began under the direction of D.E. Gilmore.

In the Scott High graduating class of 1931 there were five sets of brothers and sisters. They were Ina and Ona Meadows, Kathryn and Ethelyn (Ethel) Degler, Elvin and Elmer Covert, Clarence and David Pauley and Lela and Aubrey Kirby.

Scott High School became a member of the North Central Association of Secondary Schools and Colleges in 1936.

The first school paper, "The Scott Gasconade", was published 1927 to 1930. It was later called "The Schott Argus."

The second yearbook, "The Walhondean" was published in 1935, with Ida Mae Thompson and Margery Argenbright as sponsors of this activity. The previous year it was named "The Senior Handbook". In 1937, the name was changed to "The Scottonian".

The Student Council, first organized in 1939, was reorganized in 1944 and, in 1946 eighty students were honored at the first Honor Banquet.

Many major improvements were made in the 1950's. Several classrooms and a gymnasium were added.

In the 70's the ninth grade was moved to Madison-Danville, a newly established Junior High School.

The original Scott High School building was located at West Madison from 1924 to 1981 when it was replaced with a new building which presently (1990) serves as Madison Middle School (grade 6, 7, and 8). Scott High students were transferred to the newly established Junior High School and the name was changed from Madison-Danville Junior High School to Scott High School. The high school now borders a large athletic field convenient for any and all activities in which either of the two schools wish to participate.

 

History of Boone County Schools