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In 1909, Jamestown was very proud of its high school. Part of the pride came from winning over the Guilford College community in 1907 to be one of only two places in the county to have a public, tax-supported rural high school.

It didn’t hurt Jamestown’s chances that the community offered to pay up to $600 per year in local taxes to support the school.

Another part of the pride was habit, to tell the truth. Jamestown already had the fifth-largest school in the county and felt entitled to its bragging rights.

So, it should come as no surprise that the Greensboro Patriot on April 20, 1909, reported in the “Jamestown Items” on the upcoming commencement exercises at Jamestown High School and made it clear that this was to be the event of the season and urged “every one (sic) who can possibly do so to be present at this time.”

Commencement in 1909 bore no resemblance to today’s show-up-and-get-your-diploma affair. This was serious business and a four-part event.

First, on Friday evening, April 30, Miss Sallie D. Embrey of Greensboro planned to lead her music class in a musical that had been in preparation for two years.

Next, on Saturday evening, May 1, students would give their annual commencement entertainment. Although this entertainment was not described, it probably consisted of skits, songs, humorous readings and whatever else the harried teachers could cook up that would please the parents and school committee and ensure employment for another year.

All grades, top to bottom, would participate. There were 225 students in the high school and in primary grades at Oakdale School that year.

At 3:30 p.m. Sunday, the annual sermon was scheduled to be preached by the Rev. E.K. McLarty of West Market Street Methodist Episcopal Church in Greensboro. Services would be held at the school auditorium, and the public was invited to attend.
Finally, commencement exercises would take place at 10 a.m. Monday, May 3. Scheduled were essays, orations, vocal music, all of a serious nature, and an address by Dr. William Louis Poteet, president of Wake Forest College.

The Women’s Betterment Association, it was noted, had taken an active part in improving the appearance of the school building during the year and had added some 50 books to the library, window shades for one room and had ordered a curtain for the stage in the auditorium.

On other local fronts, the Junior Order, Ragsdale Council No. 169, claimed a current membership of 126 active and energetic men. Woodmen of the World organized a Jamestown camp. And the Rev. Siler of High Point announced he intended to hold services at the Presbyterian Church in Jamestown twice a month.

So, it was a busy season. Jamestown didn’t have a charter or a mayor, but it was pretty well-organized anyway, and that school was the centerpiece of the district that had been growing around the depot for 50 years.

The school was built in 1907 on the site of the earlier Jamestown Graded School, about where Jamestown United Methodist Church now stands. A photo from 1909 shows the two-story wooden building facing south, fronting on modern East Main Street. It had a tower — for a bell, don’t you think? — at center near the front.
Nearby is a small frame building, which was the Presbyterian Church where the Rev. Siler held forth, and that was later incorporated into a school dormitory.

The school building was enlarged in 1914, adding five rooms, and about the same time, a dormitory was built nearby. Soon after that a second dormitory was put up.

On Feb. 18, 1915, the school building burned completely and pretty quickly. There were no injuries, and the two dormitories were untouched, but the main building and its contents were destroyed, except possibly for a piano that was reportedly saved by student L.V. Miller.

Within the year, the new brick building that stands today was completed. The two dormitories were moved to stand widely separated uphill behind the school. The new school had heat, hot water, lights and — importantly — chemical fire extinguishers.

Mary Browning is a longtime resident of Jamestown. Contact her at maryab30 @triad.rr.com