The Legacy of Pocahontas High School
A Historical Reflection on the Role of Schools in Industrial Communities
By Thomas M. Brewster, Ed. D.
Although I didn’t grow up in Pocahontas, Virginia, I was raised in a neighboring community where the coal industry deeply influenced our way of life. My experiences learning about the history of the coalfield region, particularly the stories shared about Pocahontas, instilled in me an appreciation for the uniqueness of this once-bustling town and the strong sense of community it fostered. Eventually, I became the principal of Pocahontas High School in the mid-1990s and served through the turn of the century. In that role, I delved into the school’s history and came to admire the pride and resilience that defined the town, its surrounding communities, and its people. Moreover, the history of this coal-mining town and its neighboring communities offers valuable lessons that can be applied to rural education today.
Pocahontas High School was established in 1908 to serve the children of coal miners and others growing up in the heart of the great Pocahontas coalfield. Earlier schools had been sponsored by the Southwest Improvement Company and the local Episcopal Church, but this was the first public high school in the town. Much like other coal towns, Pocahontas owed its existence to the coal industry, which provided not only jobs but also infrastructure, including housing, churches, entertainment, and schools. The Southwest Improvement Company, and later the Pocahontas Consolidated Collieries Company, played a key role in supporting these efforts, and the school soon became a central part of community life.
The relationship between the coal company and the school was pivotal in the early years. As in many coal towns, the company helped establish the school, but it was the people of Pocahontas who kept it thriving. The community’s commitment to education persisted even as the town’s economic base eroded. In 1955, Pocahontas High School moved from its original site to a new building just outside the town limits. This relocation coincided with the decline of the coal industry as local mines began to close, and families left the area in search of better opportunities. Despite the town’s shrinking population, Pocahontas High School remained open and continued to serve the community.
By the 1970s, the effects of the coal industry’s steady decline were evident. Enrollment at the school began to dwindle, and by the mid-1990s, the number of students had dropped significantly. Many small schools in the area faced consolidation, but the community stakeholders of Pocahontas High School resisted this trend. Throughout my research, I spoke with community leaders, former students, and local residents. What I found was a strong sense of pride in the school and recognition of its importance to the community’s identity. For many, Pocahontas High School was more than just a school—it was the heart of the community.
As the coal mines closed and jobs disappeared, the school became a symbol of resilience. Even with fewer students, it continued to serve as a gathering place, a source of local pride, and a reminder of the town’s history. The fight to keep Pocahontas High School open was about more than maintaining a building—it was about preserving a sense of identity and continuity for the people of the town and the surrounding communities of Boissevain and Abbs Valley.
Change is Inevitable, But Not Always Best for Everyone
Reflecting on the history of Pocahontas High School, one truth becomes clear: change is inevitable. It was inevitable that the population would decline once the coal mines closed. Similarly, school consolidation is an almost unavoidable response to economic pressures and dwindling student populations. While students are resilient and most will adapt to attending larger, consolidated schools, the impact on the community is far more profound. For many small towns, the loss of their school is the final blow—a hit from which they cannot recover.
The consolidation of schools often comes with promises of better resources, larger peer groups, and more diverse educational opportunities for students. While these benefits may hold true, the community suffers a loss. When a school closes, it’s not just the physical structure that deteriorates or disappears—it’s also the memories, traditions, and social ties that held the community together. The school is often the center of a town’s social and cultural life, and once it’s gone, so too is a vital part of the town’s identity.
In Pocahontas, I saw firsthand how important the high school was to the community. The citizens fought to keep it open because they understood that losing the school would hinder efforts to restore the town and market its historical wonders. The closure of a school can be the death knell for a small town, and while students may thrive elsewhere, the community that once supported them fades into memory. Those responsible for the decision to close the school simply move on, leaving the repercussions to those left behind. Communities are left to bear the financial and emotional burden of decisions made by distant powers.
The Final Chapter: Pocahontas High School’s Closure
Despite the community’s best efforts, Pocahontas High School eventually closed its doors on June 5, 2008, after the graduation of its final class. With that last commencement ceremony, an era ended. The students who would have attended Pocahontas High were transported to neighboring middle and high schools, dispersing them to schools outside the town that had once been the center of their lives.
The closure marked the end of an institution that had not only educated generations but also held the community together. While the Town of Pocahontas remains incorporated, it has never returned to the prosperity it enjoyed when the coal company made it a thriving hub. Today, the town still holds onto its history and memories of its coal-mining past, but the loss of the high school has left a void that has been impossible to fill. Without the school, there is no focal point for the community’s identity, and much of what once made Pocahontas vibrant has faded with time.
The closing of Pocahontas High School was not an isolated event. A wave of rural school closings has been evident since the 1960s. Rural schools like Pocahontas are increasingly falling victim to dwindling enrollments, struggling economies, and cost-cutting measures. But the financial savings come at a cost to the community’s identity and future. For many families, the thought of busing their children along long, narrow mountain roads to distant schools creates anxiety, and the loss of a local school diminishes the appeal of staying in or moving to the area.
Implications for Modern Education
Reflecting on the history of Pocahontas High School, I see its relevance to the challenges facing rural education today. Many rural communities across the country are grappling with declining populations, economic hardships, and the threat of school closures. Often, decisions about school consolidation are made based on financial considerations alone, but my experience has shown that the social and cultural costs of closing a school can be profound.
Schools in rural communities like Pocahontas are much more than educational institutions—they are integral to the social fabric of the town. They provide a sense of place and continuity, especially in areas where economic decline has taken a toll. When a rural school closes, the community loses a piece of itself. It’s not just an educational loss; it’s the loss of a cultural and historical connection.
The story of Pocahontas High School offers important lessons for those making decisions about rural schools today. We must consider not only the financial costs but also the impact on the community. Schools like Pocahontas High are vital to maintaining the identity of small towns, and closing them can have lasting consequences.
As I reflect on my time as principal and my connection to Pocahontas High School, I hope its story will inspire educators and policymakers to think more deeply about the role of rural schools in their communities. The fight to keep Pocahontas High School open was not just about saving a building; it was about preserving a way of life. In a town shaped by the rise and fall of the coal industry, the school remains a symbol of endurance and local pride. I am proud to have been part of this legacy, and it is one I will carry with me always.
Bibliography
Brewster, Thomas M. An Historic Coal Mining Community and Its School: A Study of Pocahontas High School, 1908-1991. Doctoral Dissertation, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 2000.