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Wadesboro High School was a modern three story, red brick building, erected in 1922-23, that contained a science lab, library, spacious auditorium, cafeteria, and gym in addition to classrooms for grades 5 through 12. New structures included 1938 vocational department, wing 1950, detached cafeteria 1953, and gym 1961. Thousands of students graduated through the year 1967 due to public support, dedicated teachers and staff. In 1967 it became a middle school. This building and the historic contents of WHS were destroyed by a huge fire that lit up the sky during the night of December 17, 1981. The Wadesboro High School Museum, located in a separate room of the historic Leavitt Building at 101 West Martin Street, Wadesboro, NC, is the culmination of efforts that began several years ago upon concerned parties discovering many folks did not know a Wadesboro High School ever existed. Due to the destruction and lack of history, hundreds of former WHS students and teachers around Wadesboro and across the United States were contacted and requested to send their memorabilia and artifacts at their own expense in order to establish a WHS Museum. They did so, although this was a slow process requiring them to search closets or dig in their attics. While supporters of the WHS Museum want to preserve history, memorabilia and artifacts of yesteryear, they also believe this museum will provide a comparison of educational aspects for students of today. Although this Museum is small, it is well organized. Reviewers have commented they're amazed at the collection and that visitors will need to look closely to avoid missing many items of interest. Included are all yearbooks published from 1922 through 1967 and a number of textbooks from many years ago. Representative student newspapers are framed such as "The WHS Magazine, 1910's, "High School Opinion", believed to be the first student newspaper, 1924, and "The Student Prints", 1927 thru 1967. Remembrances of purple and gold school colors are attractively displayed in glass shadow boxes on the walls of the WHS Museum by football jerseys, basketball jersey and warm up jacket, majorette uniform, cheerleader sweater, along with pom poms, megaphone, and football, basketball game programs.
There's an entire wall of framed 8 X 10 photographs of school activities, including all 6 Championship Teams. Additional focal points are a 400 pound block from the actual facade of the overhead main WHS building entrance, the brass front door handles, fire alarm, and color photos taken during the fire when the building burned. Two glass display cases contain small items such as class rings, (some are different from others), including from the 1930's, 40's, and 50's, as well as gold football, baseball, basketball awards, Beta Club pins, Carolina's Carrousel Princess tiaras and a WHS Homecoming Queen's tiara. Trophies are displayed on the walls, as is the oldest item in the Museum -- a 1909 WHS diploma that looks similar to a large, college sheepskin. Diplomas from the 1920's thru 1960's are also on hand. Many other items are displayed around the room including a number of monogram letters. This project was voluntarily accomplished, without a grant or fund raising activities, by friends working in cooperation with the Anson County Historical Society.
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