The North Mountain Academy was one of the first schools to offer higher education in the western part of Rockingham County. The school was located near Hopkin's Mill a short distance west of the Singers Glen Road. Land for this school was deeded to the Central District school trustees in the late 1870's. The school is indicated as North Mountain Academy #4 in Lake's 1885 Atlas of Rockingham County. Lewis Swank, who later taught at the school, received his education at North Mountain after the closing of the nearby Liberty Hall school. By the 1890s, North Mountain was no longer offering advanced courses and became a one-room school offering an elementary program of instruction. The school was also known as the Hilltop school. The North Mountain school was closed in 1916. Two years later, a new brick North Mountain school was constructed by Swope Suter at a cost of $1500. This school was located a short distance southeast of the Hilltop school. The new school was commonly referred to as "Little North Mountain." The North Mountain school was closed in 1932. In 1935, the bricks from the closed North Mountain school were used for construction of the agriculture shop at Linville-Edom High School. Teachers known to have taught at North Mountain are:
1878-79 Captain J. W. Jones
1882-83 C. Ralston
1883-84 James Lineweaver
1884-85 Frank Ralston
1890-91 Lewis Swank
1894-96 (two sessions) Laura B. Frank
1896-98 (two sessions) Amanda Stover
1898-99 H. L. Lineweaver
1899-1900 W. A. Showalter
1900-01 Fannie S. Coffman
1901-02 Katie Lee Ralston
1902-03 (unknown)
1903-04 Miss May Showalter
1904-10 (unknown)
1910-11 Leona Harman
1911-12 John H. Rolston
1912-13 Bessie Swartz
1913-14 Ella Chloe Harper
1914-15 Anna Brunk
1915-16 Bessie McCue
school closed, new school opened for 1918-19 session
1918-21 (three sessions) Maude Clark
1921-22 Frank Rolston
1922-23 Lula Rolston
1923-28 (five sessions) Vada Byerly
1928-29 Edith V. Branner
1929-32 Dorothy V. Swank
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