The "Old Oakton
High School" under the Administration of Messrs. M. D. Hall and W. T.
Woodson, both pioneer Superintendents of the Fairfax County School System,
had a life span exceeding 20 years. It started with a one year course in
1911 and at that time was located over Sutton's Store in Oakton, Virginia.
However, it was not officially known as "Oakton High School" until 1913
after establishment of a two year course which made it the first high
school in Providence District. About
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"Old" Oakton High School
c. 1929
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this time funds in the amount of
$9,500.00 were requested for construction of a new two story frame
facility which was constructed and made available in time for graduation
of the 1914 Class. It was this structure (with an assembly hall and
partial basement underneath added in 1923), located on Chain Bridge Road
and Blake Lane in Oakton that is referred to as the "Old Oakton High
School" facility. Mr. Will Sanger, now living in Bridgewater, Virginia,
is recognized as the first Oakton High School Principal, having served in
such capacity from 1914 through 1917. The School maintained a two year
High School Course from 1913 through 1921 except for the 1915 - 1916 term
when it had a three year course.
"Old Oakton
High" produced its first four-year accredited High School Graduates in the
spring of 1922. These pioneers included H. McLin Hatcher, Roger R. Smith,
E. Louise Hauxhurst, and Vera V. Sinkabine. The only survivors today are
Roger Smith who resides in Florida and McLin Hatcher who lives in
Leesburg, Virginia. After this auspicious beginning, the graduation
classes grew larger as student enrollment progressively increased. In the
Spring of 1928 there were 26 Graduates, the largest Graduation Class that
ever emerged from "Old Oakton High" and at that time the largest in
Fairfax County History.
Another
milestone in the late twenties, made by the Principal, Fred B. Cunningham,
included minor alterations to the Assembly Hall that provided the "first"
indoor Basketball Court in Fairfax County. Despite this and other major
accomplishments, some clouds appeared on the horizon in the Spring of l929
when a proposal was initiated to re-1ocate the High School. Thanks to the
work and support of Mr. and Mrs. Hauxhurst, Ronald Blake, Horton Speer,
Chester Smith, Frank Lyon, Mary Bell and Herbert Williams, the proposal
was voted down. This was only an interim reprieve as a Virginia State
Commission in 1930 recommended that the Oakton High School be
discontinued. Later, plans for the de-activation of the School were tied
in with a proposal for construction of a new large High School facility at
Fairfax which was completed in time for the 1934-35 school term. The last
Oakton High School Graduation Class consisted of 24 Seniors, transferred
to the new Fairfax School in February 1935, who were officially recorded
as graduates of the "Old Oakton High School". In the span of 14 years
(1922 - 1935), "Old Oakton High" put out 236 four-year accredited High
School Graduates, which was a major accomplishment for that period. (See
Recap last page).
After
de-activation of the Oakton High School, the facility continued to be used
as an Elementary School until January 1944 when it was mysteriously
destroyed by fire. Later, a new brick Elementary School was constructed
on the site and is still in use today. The ever increasing population
expansion in Fairfax County finally necessitated the construction of a new
large High School in the Oakton-Vienna area, which was made available in
1967. This facility located on Sutton Road, and rightfully named the
"Oakton High School", now has an enrollment of approximately 2,700
students and a Senior Class that will produce around 575 Graduates in June
1971.
Thus, the name
"Oakton High School" lives on and continues to carry the torch in the
field of secondary education under the leadership of Principal T. Page
Johnson. May its future be as bright and vivid as those fond memories
cherished by the Graduates, Students, and Teachers, who against their
will, watched "Old Oakton High" declare an "extended recess" in 1935.
1Prepared April 1971 by the
"Old
Oakton High School Reunion Committee”
from available historical information including data compiled by
Dr. Lonnie
J. Hinckle of the Fairfax County James Robinson Secondary School.
