In the early 1900’s Eagleville was very fortunate to have an excellent education opportunity for the children in the area. In Eagleville School, known as the Savage School, enrollment was increasing as well as in the several smaller schools in the area. The Rutherford County High School Board began making plans for the future. In 1912 the Board purchased approximately 5 acres of land on the Eagleville and Salem Pike (same location as the present school) for future planning to build a new school. At this time the members of the Rutherford County High School Board were: A. L. Todd, J. D. Jacobs, M. A. Sanders, J. C. Ransom, J. P. Leathers, H. C. Taylor and H. W. Burk. The land was purchased from J. E. and Emma Sullivan, J. D. Sullivan, Robert Sullivan and H. W. Sullivan. The price paid was $1000.00. A portion of the deed stated: The above described parcel of land is to be used by said High School Board upon which to erect a school building for the education of the white children of Eagleville and the immediate vicinity, the money to erect said building having been subscribed by the people of Eagleville, and it is agreed that, in the event the above described land and building, or the proceeds, in the event the same should be sold, should ever cease to be used for school purposes at Eagleville, then said property or the proceeds thereof, shall revert to the donors of said fund, or their representatives. The deed was signed 22 July 1912.

1930 Girls Basketball Team - Front Row: Sue Ferguson (Puckett), Sara Jones (Stem), Maye Bennett (Taylor) (Captain), Elaine Cothran (Hayes), Alla Davis (Vaughn). 2nd Row: Lucille Scott, Audrey Jones, Johnie Lou Floyd (Smithson), Louise Redmon (Lynch). Back Row: W. F. (Bill) Shelton , Mary T. Jones.

In 1914 the consolidation with area schools: Simmons, Greenwood, Mt. Vernon and Little Rock, all one-teacher schools, the Rutherford County High School Board saw the need for a new building and proceeded with their plans.

The new Eagleville High School, a two-story concrete and stucco building was completed in 1915. Classrooms were on the main floor. The Smith-Hughes Act provided teachers for the home economics and agriculture classes, which met in the basement. The home economics room had a kitchen with tables that the students used for eating their lunches that was brought from home. When the weather was bad, the students also would have playtime in the home economics room. Mrs. May Taylor of Eagleville started to school in this school building and remembers one of their favorite outside games to play was scrub. It was played with a ball and bat and the game was similar to baseball or softball, but all students who wanted to play could until they were gotten out. The students weren’t divided into teams but played individually. She remembers having a lot of fun playing this game.

The children from closed schools were transported by wagon and then by bus to Eagleville. The first drivers were R. W. Carlton, Hessie Bennett and Will Cole. Mr. Bennett continued driving for thirty-nine years.

1930 Boys Basketball Team - Front Row: Fred Elmore, Freeland Bennett, Powell Taliaferro, Russell Redmon, Herman Bullock. Back Row: W. F. (Bill Shelton), Jack Vaughn, Arnold Puckett, Marion Stem

Principals in this building were: John D. Wiseman, later an attorney in Nashville, J. D. McFarlin, Frank Jarrell, Kenneth Warren, Frank Hines, Clyde Richards and J. J. Northcott. Among the teachers was W. L. Foster, Mary Owen, Mrs. Scott (Lady Mary) Williams, Mary Dudley Williams, Mary Murphy and Maye Leming who taught home economics.

Pupils continued to graduate from the tenth grade until a third year of high school was added in 1920. The school became a four-year high school in 1921. That year there were two graduates.

In 1921 Dr. E. L. Williams was Board Member, A. P. Elmore and Jim Taylor were the magistrates and Neal Elrod was County School Superintendent.

In August 1923, on Tuesday night, two days after the opening of school, the school burned. It was rumored the fire was set by arsonist. After the fire the classes were held in local churches until a new brick school was built and ready for occupancy by the fall of 1924. (Continued next month)