Prologue…

As educators with a cumulative experience of over 100 years in Leon County Schools, we thought it remarkable that there did not exist a systematic history of our schools. This document does not yet accomplish that. However, this is a beginning, which we hope you will find enjoyable and informative.

Our schools and this community have a rich history that has shaped the unique development of our schools. This document is an attempt to capture and help successive generations understand the spirit, the major events, and the personalities that contributed to the evolution of the schools, programs, and philosophies that is the Leon County Schools. This "book" has three sections. First, a narrative history covering the period starting with the earliest known school in 1845. Second, a chronology of those who served as Superintendents for our schools. This is the most incomplete area. It is our intent to capture something of the personality and leadership style, the successful initiatives, challenges, and major events during the tenure of each of the respective Superintendents. We look forward to this becoming a major part of this collection in subsequent editions. Third, we have histories of the individual schools, active and inactive. It is the individual schools that reflect best the often-disparate range of communities, programs, and initiatives, which make up the "many-varied quilt" of the district schools.

Lastly, it is significant to note that this document is a "hard-copy" version of the true document. This history is collected, arranged for access, and maintained as an Internet web site. The web site is dynamic. There are continuously updated content, multi-media viewing options, and changes in formats and presentations as the various schools and contributors add and enrich this collection of our schools’ history. Please visit our "real-time" historical collection at www.leon.k12.fl.us. It is only appropriate that our schools history also serve to educate, to help future generations better understand and appreciate what has come before in leading us to the challenges and successes, which we enjoy today.

We encourage your participation in and contributions to this collection. Feel free to share your knowledge to improve this effort by contacting the current Leon County Schools administration, or through the historian for the Leon County Retired Educators Association.

On behalf of the editors, and many contributors—

W.D. Piotrowski

Spring, 1998