School History

The History of T.M. Rogers High School

The history of Rogers School is a story of the continuing efforts to bring education to the community of Green Hill, Alabama. It began in an old one-room school in a log house located about a mile north of the school's present site. In 1879, Jerrie D. McCluskey, a merchant at Green Hill, built a school house on the opposite side of the road from the log building. On July 4, 1879, The Green Hill Masonic Lodge asked Mr. McCluskey to build an upper story on the school house and rent the room to the lodge for a term of years. This upper room was built, and in January of 1894, the building was sold to the Masonic Lodge. The school continued to operate on the first floor.

Next to the Masonic Building, a two-story, four room school building was built with a two-room wing added later. In its early years, this school was know as the Green Hill Academy and became on of the most up-to-date schools in the county and state. Professor Frank Powers was the first teacher, and his assistant was his sister, Anna Powers. Children traveled from other areas to attend the Green Hill Academy.

After Professor Powers, Captain A.D. Ray took over the school. He was assisted by his two daughters, Ida and Mollie. He taught for several years until he was elected county superintendent of eduation. The next principal was W.R. Harrison, who first introduced state approved textbooks in the school. Other principals were John Wilkines, J.J. Moore, Robert Simpson, and James White.

In 1936, T.M. Rogers, Sr, of Rogers Department Store, donated ten acres of land a mile south of the Green Hill Academy for a junior high school. A brick building, including five classrooms, an office, a library, and an auditorium was built. Grades six though nine were moved to the new school, leaving grades first through fifth in the old frame building. The new school was named T.M. Rogers Junior High in honor of its founder.

In 1947, the tenth grade was added, and in 1948, the eleventh grade was added. In 1948, the remaining grades at the Green Hill Academy were moved to the campus of T.M. Rogers Junior High. In 1949, the twelfth grade was added, making it a campus of grades first through twelve with twenty-one teachers on campus. In May 1950, twenty-one seniors were in the first graduating class.

When the school became a senior high school, an additional ten acre plot was given by the Rogers estate, making a total of twenty acres of campus.

In the early 1950's, the school's name was changed to Rogers High School. Full accreditation was granted in 1958. In the late 1950's, it had the distinction of being the largest twelve-grade school in the state of Alabama.

The first principal was John R. Murray. Since then, Alvin Braly, Arnold Young, John D. Hawk, Richard E. Prestage, Larry Smith, William Valentine, William Carson, Tim Tubbs, Michael Stamps, David Matthews, and Jamie Burks have served as principal. Dr. Sabrena Malone is currently serving as principal.