Trap Hill High School

Trap Hill High School is located in Surveyor, West Virginia and served the Trap Hill district from its inception in 1930 until a new facility was constructed in the 2000s.

History

Located within the Winding Gulf coal field in Raleigh County, Trap Hill’s origins date to a special election that was held on July 21, 1928.(1) The election, for a $75,000 school bond for a high school at Surveyor, was 612 for and 324 against. The new school, named after the trapping of animals for their fur in the rich woodlands in the surrounding mountains, would replace an earlier school built in 1915 at Eccles.(2)

Soon after, five acres were acquired at condemnation and construction began in 1929 for a two-story beige brick building that contained two linear hallways, ten classrooms, a laboratory, a home-economics room, four restrooms, gymnasium, and a library. The school was completed in September 1930 at a cost of $90,000.(1)(2)

The new school used a coal-fired boiler to generate steam heat for dispersion via the radiators, and for the first year, a temporary coal-fired power plant was installed to generate electricity. It was not until early 1931 that electric and telephone lines were strung to Surveyor.(1)

In 1931, a vocational-agricultural shop was constructed.(1) In the early 1950s, this was replaced with an addition on the western edge of the school, which also included the industrial arts, commerce and guidance departments.(2) A second gymnasium was constructed in 1965, and was named after the principal, Harvey F. Pauley. The basement of the gymnasium served the music department, and the former gymnasium was converted into a cafeteria.

A lighted playing field for football games was added in 1947.(2)

The school served as a 1-12 grade school from 1930 to 1951, and as a 7-12 grade school until 1961. From 1961 to 1977, Trap Hill was a 9-12 high school, and it became a middle school following that.(1) During its tenure as a high school, Trap Hill graduated an average of 64 students per year for a total of 3,010.(2)