Herald's history series
County boards cooperate to build new school in Webster
By Lisa Majors-Duff
Examples of recent joint discussions and decisions by two separate elected county boards concerning school improvements, though considered by some to be unusual at the time, can be found in Jackson County's history.
When county commissioners asked school board members to be involved in improvement plans at Smoky Mountain High, some said decisions concerning schools should be left up to those elected to do school business. But the following story concerning a new school for Webster township shows cooperation between the two boards is rooted in at least 65 years of history.
From The Ruralite's Jan. 15, 1935, issue:
"Decision to erect a new school building at Webster was reached here Monday by (a meeting of) the Jackson county board of education and county commissioners which was held for purpose of hearing a delegation from the Webster section explain the need of a new school building.
"A large number of citizens of Webster and section attended the meeting and urged support of a plan for a new building. Mrs. E.L. McKee, of Sylva, chairman of the board of education, stated that the paramount purpose of her board is the furtherance of education in Jackson county. S.B. Hutchinson, principal of the Webster school, read a State health board report in which it was set forth that the facilities at the Webster school are inadequate. R.L. Madison, of Cullowhee, founder and a member of the faculty of WCTC, told of the history of the Webster school and urged officials to erect a new school building. A number of other citizens spoke.
"J.D. Cowan Jr., chairman of the board of county commissioners, promised the aid of his board in movement. Pole Price, a member of the board, moved that the board grant the request for a new building. This motion was carried and it was decided to erect a building just a soon as the county has funds available for the purpose."
Webster School, built in 1936, was one of several WPA buildings constructed in Jackson County during the Great Depression. Others included Western Carolina University's McKee Building, Hoey Auditorium and Breese Gymnasium, the agricultural building at Sylva High School (which until recently housed the county's recreation department), and the old Sylva swimming pool.
Editor's note: This is the weekly installment of a review of our back issues as The Sylva Herald and Ruralite celebrates its 75th anniversary throughout 2001.
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