Cherryville High School - The 1950s

The 1950s

The early 1950s bolstered the Cherryville tradition of community involvement in and support of the high school: Cherryville High School met requirements to become a member of the Southern Association of College and Secondary Schools in 1951. The Cherryville Woman's Club made a donation towards much-needed equipment for the library. In 1952 a CHS Parent-Teacher Association was formed.

Also in 1952 a new high school classroom addition was constructed, specific for the business and commercial instruction department at CHS. This building, immediately to the west of Starnes Auditorium, now houses part of Cherryville's Blaine Beam Intermediate School.

In 1955, the Cherryville City Schools administration approved construction of a state-of-the-art physical education building with a large gymnasium, shower rooms and a weight room. This facility was dedicated as the "Joe R. Nixon Physical Education Building" in January, 1956, Mr. Nixon being a former superintendent of the Cherryville City School System. In 2012, the Nixon Gym is still home to "Ironman Basketball". A student "commons area" was created between the Starnes Auditorium and the yet-to-be constructed freestanding cafeteria. A vocational department for bricklaying and "shop" was added to the basement area of the Joe R. Nixon Physical Education Building.