Swift Run School

The Swift Run School was located about three miles east of Elkton at the base of the the Blue Ridge mountains. The school was located a short distance north of the Spotwood Trail near the Swift Run Post Office. The Swift Run School was built about 1881 on land deeded to the Stonewall District School Board by James A. and Julia F. Shipp (deed dated April 20, 1882, noting that the school house was already located on the property). The first Swift Run school burned on February 14, 1899 and was rebuilt at its original location. In 1909, the Stonewall District school board saw a need for a two-room school at Swift Run and on August 23, 1909, decided to purchase land for a new school and build the school if the patrons would pay 1/5 of the cost. On August 29, 1909, land was deeded to the school board by James A. and Julia F. Shipp with this parcel of land being located on the main road (Spotswood Trail). On September 7, the school board adopted a state plan for a two-room school with some modifications and contracted with the Gooden Brothers to build the school at a cost of $1455. On November 29, 1909, the school board inspected and accepted the completed structure and moved the students into the new school. They appointed Daisy Shipp, who had taught at the old building, as the first teacher at the new school. The school board had planned to have the Gooden Brothers tear down the old Swift Run School and rebuild it for the nearby Furnace School but the patrons objected and the decision was reversed by Superintendent Hulvey. (see Furnace School information). The Swift Run School served the community until 1939 when it was closed and the students transported to Elkton. During its last year (1938-39) it was reduced to a one-teacher school.

Teachers known to have taught at Swift Run are:

1887-88 William B. Hensley
1888-89 J. W. Kagey
1889-90 C. D. Kagey
1890-91 Charles D. Wyant
1891-92 P. A. Wyant
1892-95 (three sessions) Joseph T. Maiden
1895-97 (two sessions) J. Ada Powell
1897-98 Pattie M. Mills
1898-1900 (two sessions) A. T. Powell
1900-01 Fannie M. Lowman
1901-04 (three sessions) A. D. Wyant
1904-05 C. H. Schuler
1905-06 Grace Hensley
1906-10 (four sessions) Daisy M. Shipp
1910-13 (three sessions) A. E. Wyant, Daisy Shipp
1913-14 Daisy Shipp, A. E. Wyant
1914-15 Daisy Shipp, Ethel Davis
1915-17 (two sessions) Daisy Shipp, Bertha Naylor
1917-18 Vade Glick, Myrtle Sandridge
1918-19 Carrie Pence, Grace Pence
1919-20 Pearle Hensley, Annie Laurie Hensley
1920-21 Lena Wyant, Nettie Herndon
1921-23 (two sessions) A. T. Powell, Fannie Allen
1923-24 Alberta Shull, Pearle Rhodes
1924-25 Charles H. Mason, Julia O. Moore
1925-26 Leslie Huffman, Julia O. Moore
1926-28 (two sessions) Evangeline Jones, Edith Shifflette
1928-29 Gladys Rogers, Edith Shifflette
1929-30 Gladys Rogers, Helene Duvall
1920-31 Lynnwood Flory, Jr., Vallie Smith
1931-32 Leona Dofflemyer, Vallie Smith
1932-38 (six sessions) Katherine A. Miller, Eloise Miller
1938-39 Katherine A. Miller


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