© Jerry F. Couch 2019

The 1973-74 SCHOOL YEAR was a very exciting time.  It was the year St. Paul High School and St. Paul Elementary School became separate entities.  Construction of the new high school building was completed in the spring of 1974.  It was dedicated at a ceremony held on April 21 of that year. 

The existing school building became St. Paul Elementary School, alleviating an overcrowded condition that had been a work-around problem for several years.  Sadly, Mr. Mac Mullins, new principal of the elementary school, died before the school year ended.  He had been a respected faculty member prior to becoming principal.  Today, Mr. Mullins is fondly remembered by his many students of those years.

Members of the Class of 1974 hold the distinction of being the first to graduate from the new high school.  Members of the Class of 2011 hold the distinction of being the last to graduate from St. Paul High School.

Even though there is no longer a St. Paul High School, local students of Eastside High School and Castlewood High School continue to receive excellent educations.  We are proud of each school’s Class of 2019.  They are our future.

Due to the quantity of material that has been collected for this story, I’m dividing it into multiple parts.  Pictured here are scans of the complete 1974 Estonoa yearbook.  Part 2 will feature photos from the Clinch Valley Times’ extensive archive.  Take a moment to view these images from our community’s King Coal Era – a time when anything seemed possible. 

NOTE:  Special thanks to Debbie Stanley Baca who generously loaned her 1974 Estonoa yearbook for us to scan and share with you.