The Demise of Cherryville High School?
In the same 1968 referendum, a separate bond package was offered to the county citizenry to build new high schools in each quadrant of Gaston County. That package passed as well.
As part of the strategy for school construction, the new administration of the Consolidated Gaston County Schools proposed to combine Cherryville High School and Bessemer City High School into a single "Northwest High School". It would be constructed mid-way between Cherryville and Bessemer City, near the Tryon Elementary School on State Highway 274, just south of Cherryville.
Both communities were adamantly opposed to the consolidation and developed legal positions against the consolidated high school, funded entirely by contributions. The most prominent opposition was organized as "SOS" or "Save our School", originating within the Cherryville community. Mr. Howell Stroup, a long-time civic leader in Cherryville, led this organization for some time.
Even with significant hostility voiced by both Cherryville and Bessemer City citizens, the Consolidated Gaston County School Board of Education voted in favor of moving ahead with the proposed Northwest High School.
For the next several years, the Cherryville / Bessemer City consolidation effort was blocked by several on-going lawsuits and through the tireless backing of Mr. Howell Stroup of Cherryville, a member of the school board.
In 1976, Dr. Bud Black was elected County Commissioner, representing the Cherryville Township and Gene Carson was elected County Commissioner representing the Crowder's Mountain Township. Dr. Black and Mr. Carson combined the efforts to seek consensus among the commission to permanently eliminate funding for construction of the Northwest High School.
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