Mount Hope High School was a publicsecondary school in Mount Hope in the U.S. state of West Virginia. Established in 1911, the school served the community for a century before its closure in 2011. Throughout its history, Mount Hope High School underwent notable changes, including relocation, expansion of academic and extracurricular programs, and integration with DuBois High School in the wake of the Brown v. Board of Education decision. The school's closure in the 2010–2011 academic year resulted from declining enrollment and state-mandated educational restructuring. The original school building has since been repurposed for various community functions.
Mount Hope's first permanent educational institution operated from a log cabin, which was destroyed by fire in March 1910.[2][3] Mount Hope High School was subsequently established and built in 1911.[3] Its inaugural graduating class in 1912 comprised four students.[4] The school's yearbook, Mons Spei, was first published in 1919, and served as the first official record of student activities at the school.[4] Early student organizations at that time included the Excelsior Society and the Peerless Literary Society.[4] In 1921, the school's male students organized a chapter of the Hi-Y organization of the YMCA, becoming one of West Virginia's first Hi-Y chapters.[4] In 1922, the female students organized the Alpha Omega or A-Z club, for "clean speech, clean living, and clean thoughts."[4] Several years later, students organized the Alpha Beta club.[4] By 1924, the school prioritized foreign language studies in addition to its French and Latin courses, and the faculty and students enhanced their emphasis on foreign languages through the establishment of the Latin Club, later known as Inter Nos.[4] Several years later, the school organized the French Club (Le Cercle Français).[4]
Mount Hope High School moved to a new facility built in 1925 at 510 Main Street, while the original building became the Mount Hope Junior High School.[3][5] The school held its first class play in 1925, following the establishment of the Dramatic Club.[4] In 1926, boys' and girls' glee clubs were established to complement the musical courses offered at the school.[4] In 1929, the boys' and girls' glee clubs presented an operetta.[4] In 1939, additional clubs were formed for puzzles, birds, and aeronautics, in addition to other short-lived clubs.[4]
As a result of the Brown v. Board of Education ruling in 1954, Fayette County Schools officials announced the integration of the county's public schools at the beginning of the 1956–1957 school year.[6][7][8] In the fall of 1956, the all-white Mount Hope High School and the all-black DuBois High School were combined into an integrated Mount Hope High School, which was housed in the newer DuBois High School building.[3][6][7][8] The older Mount Hope High School building became the Mount Hope Junior High School.[3][6][7][8] The DuBois High School building was originally opened on January 30, 1954, after its prior facility had been destroyed by fire in 1950.[7][8] By 1961, the school was accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools,[4] and consisted of a business education department offering courses in law, math, English, shorthand, bookkeeping, and typing; a home economics department; vocational classes in woodworking; and a psychology course.[4] In May 1961, Mount Hope High School graduated its 50th class.[4][9]
In 2009, residents of Fayette County rejected a bond measure intended to fund the construction of a school consolidating the county's four high school districts.[1] In 2010, the West Virginia Board of Education assumed control of Fayette County Schools.[1] After the takeover, auditors reported that Mount Hope High School offered a weak and inadequate curriculum and had some of the state's lowest math scores.[1] The school also failed to meet state requirements for attendance and land area.[1] On January 12, 2011, the West Virginia Board of Education unanimously adopted the Fayette County Comprehensive Educational Facilities Plan, resulting in the closure of Mount Hope High School at the end of the Spring 2011 semester.[1] In August 2011, students from Mount Hope High School in grades nine through twelve were relocated to nearby Oak Hill High School, while those in grades six through eight transferred to Collins Middle School, and fifth graders moved to Mount Hope Elementary School.[1] The closure of Mount Hope High School followed the closure of other employers in Mount Hope including the United States National Mine Health and Safety Academy, which moved to nearby Beckley, and the New River Company.[10]
In April 2011, the West Virginia Board of Education approved a memorandum of understanding with the Fayette County Board of Education and Mount Hope Heritage and Hope Inc., a non-profit organization, to transfer ownership of the Mount Hope High School building to the organization for use as a community center.[11] Mount Hope Heritage and Hope Inc. intended to develop the facility into a youth development center that would offer mentoring, tutoring, and various enrichment activities.[11] Additionally, a part of the building was to serve as the headquarters for the United States Department of Defense joint task force operating in the nearby Summit Bechtel Reserve.[11] By October 2024, the former Mount Hope High School building had become an indoor/outdoor flea market, hosting trick-or-treating, a haunted house, and a pumpkin patch during Halloween.[12]
Facilities
United States historic place
Old Mount Hope High School and YMCA/Community Building
The first Mount Hope High School was built in 1911 on Mount Hope's original log school building site.[3] The high school moved to a new facility built in 1925 at 514 Main Street, and its former site became the Mount Hope Junior High School.[3][5] The 1925 high school building is a red brick structure exhibiting vernacular and neoclassical architectural styles, with an ashlar stone foundation.[5] This building is a contributing property for the Mount Hope Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places.[5] In 1933, the high school campus was graded and a stone retaining wall was added.[3] Subsequently, new tennis courts were added at the rear of the school.[3] In 1939, the high school renovated the adjacent 1921 red brick neoclassical YMCA building at 518 Main Street to include an auditorium, gymnasium, and dressing rooms, with remodeling costing approximately $75,000.[3][14] This building is also a contributing property for the Mount Hope Historic District.[14] The school's gymnasium was dedicated in 1941 when West Virginia University and West Virginia Wesleyan College played a basketball game there.[3] In 1938, the Mount Hope Municipal Stadium was constructed on Stadium Drive for the use of Mount Hope's schools, with a concession stand and lavatories added in 1961.[3][15] The stadium is also a contributing property for the Mount Hope Historic District.[15]
In 1956, Mount Hope High School integrated with DuBois High School, and the consolidated Mount Hope High School moved into the DuBois High School facility, which was completed in 1954.[3][6] The former high school building became Mount Hope Junior High School.[3][6] The original high school building and former junior high then became the music building following renovations and was used by the Mustang Band and Glee Club, and the Mustang Corral, which was in the basement.[3]
Athletics
Mount Hope High School's athletic teams were known as the Yellow Jackets until 1930, when school officials changed the athletic teams' name to the Mustangs.[4] In 1959 and 1960, the Mount Hope Mustangs were state co-champions in West Virginia high school classification AA football.[3]
Publications
The school published a yearbook, the Mons Spei, which was first produced in 1919, and was the first record of students' activities at the school.[4] In 1926, the school started publishing its official publication, The Reflector, which was also published in The Raleigh Register.[16]The Reflector later won the State University Journalism Award in 1959.[17]The Reflector was classified as a second class high school publication.[17]
Administration
Everett Wade Dunkley, principal from 1932 to 1965[3][18]
Ashby E. Allen, principal beginning in 1965[18][19]
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