Page 24 - MOST RECENT

Other teachers here were the Rev. J. W. Pinnix, who
Kernersville Elementary School
Formerly Kernersville High School 1927-1962
First graduates of the new Kernersville High School Class of 1927.
First Row: Rosa H endrix, Vida Miller, Blanche Phipps, Juanita Phipps,
Mildred Vance, Auleno Porter. Back Row: Lyndon Huff, Ina Whitaker,
Odell Flynt, Webster Pope, David Lee McKaughan, Ruth Flynt, Phin
Ragland.
KHS Spotlight Staff 1929
Names listed on page 96
20
later became principal, Miss Mary McKaughn, Miss
Lucy Perry and Mr. Chitwood.
In the fall of 1905 this Free School was taken over
and the graded system was started. In the spring of
1906, shortly before the term could be finished, the build-
ing was burned. In the fall of 1906 the graded school
had to be put in the old Academy which had been closed
the year before. Here the school continued through the
spring of 1907.
In the fall of 1907 the graded school children went
into the newly finished graded and high school build-
ing which stood on the lot where the present town hali
and fire station are located. The first principal of this
school was the Rev. Henry Wenhold, 1907-08, Pastor of
the Kernersville Moravian Church. Most of the prin-
cipals during the succeeding years are listed as follows:
Prof. J. M. Weatherly, 1908-09; Prof. W. Speas, 1909-10;
Prof. McKeown, 1910-11; Prof. Arnold Hall, 1913-14;
Prof. Tillett Hendrix, 1914-15; Prof. Rowe, 1917-18;
Prof. J. M. Weatherly, 1919-21; and Prof. R. A. Sullivan,
1921-27.
One of the most influential educators in this era was
the Rev. J. W. Pinnix (born in Caswell County in 1845
and died in Kernersville in 1922), who had served in the
Confederate Army. He attended Melvin Academy and
completed his education in Baltimore, Maryland. Then
he began his life's work - preaching and teaching. He
received his ministerial degree from the North Carolina
and Virginia Conferences and served churches in both
states for a number of years. He was elected Principal
of the Kernersville Public School in 1884. On Novem-
ber 22, 1907, through his wise and persistent efforts he
was able to establish the first High School in Kerners-
ville. For thirty years he taught school and served for
sixteen years on the Forsyth County Board of Education;
acting as the Chairman for a number of years. Besides
his preaching and teaching he was also deeply interested
in the civic and political life of Kernersville and in 1904
he bought the corner drug store from Dr. C. C. Sapp
which is known today as Pinnix Drug Store. His son,
John M. Pinnix, was the pharmacist. It was said of the Rev.
J. W. Pinnix that "no one ever struggled harder for the
cause of education; the emulation of his fellow man,
and the advancement of the Kingdom."
The most tragic event in the history of education
in Kernersville was the fire that destroyed the Kerners-
ville School on December 31, 1925. The fire was dis-
covered about 8:30 p.m. when flames were seen coming
from the roof of the building. Such headway had been
gained that the fire fighting apparatus of this city was
unable to check the wild spread of the flames and fire
fighters from Winston-Salem were asked to come over.
Both fire d epartments brought the fire under control.
According to the Twin City Sentinel of January 1, 1926,
"Damage of more than $40,000 was done to the graded
and high school building and equipment in this city last