User:TruthbringerToronto/West Burlington Independent School District
This is a brief history of the West Burlington Independent School District...
There have been a total of six buildings that could be called "West Burlington Schools". Fairview was the first, but was on the North side of Mt. Pleasant Road, and there-for, not in "corporate" town limits. The next was on the corner of Wheeler and Ramsey, and was around as early as 1888. It was later replaced by a two story brick school and was used until 1939 when A "Public Works Administration project" took place, and reconstructed it. It was used as the only elementary building for students until 1956 when the present day elementary was started. It was used for kindergarten and grades one through three. In 1960-61, an eight room wing was added on and grades four through 6 moved in. Later a bond issue passed and the shop room and library were added to the middle school making it what it is today. Up until 1969, there was a dress code that consisted of Girls needing to wear dresses, and the gym classes were segregated by sex.
There was a period of time when the town was in a uproar about building a high school. Very few people did not have opinions in this matter. Before the High School, students had to pay tuition to Burlington High School. We were seen as "Patriots" in the eyes of some some people. The thing that triggered it all is that West Burlington citizens were afraid Burlington was going to eventually take them over, and end up in consolidation. All worked out, and in 1964 the first class to graduate West Burlington School was set out into the world even before the building was built. Classes for them were taken in the current middle school, and seventh grade was shoved into the elementary. In 1966 a bond issue was approved, and the High School was to be built. Students moved into the high school one graduating class at a time to distribute the cost of making it over a 3 year span. The first phase was ready to use in 1968-69 for students. In 1969 another bond issue was approved, and the high school gained a kitchen, music room, gym, stage, and additional classrooms.
The highs school was named in 1972 after Walter Arnold. He came to West Burlington in 1931 as an English and Science teacher for the 6th and 7th grades. Mr. Arnold was not a tall man by most people's standards, as a matter-a-fact, he was not much taller then most of the middle school students he was teaching. He managed to be a girls basketball coach before he became superintendent when Stephan Cox, the former superintendent, resigned in 1957. He remained so until his unfortunate, yet swift, death in November of 1971 inside the school walls. He was admired and loved by everyone, students and teachers alike. Everyone that knew him will miss him, and will never be forgotten.