On May 22, 1851, the new town of Ironton held its second election… The purpose was to adopt the new school law passed by the legislature in February 1849, thus adopting the state code for the town… The vote was 36 for and 1 against… The first school board members elected were John Campbell, John Peters, James Kelley, W. D. Kelly, S. R. Bush, and Thomas Murdock… The first school examiners were Dr. Caleb Briggs, Neal McNeal, and Dr. J. P. Bing… Charles Kingsbury was the first principal… The two teachers were Wm. Ward and Miss E. Wait… Mr. Kingsubury’s salary was fixed at $600 annually.
It had been the intention of the School Board to employ a principal and one teacher… However, the enrollment was more than expected at the first free school, the little school building erected on Fourth and Center was overcrowded, and classes had to be held in the basement at the new Spencer Chapel, one block away. Therefore, an assistant principal, Mr. Ward, was employed… Rev. Joseph M. Chester, the pastor of the Presbyterian & Rev. T. W. Hand, pastor of the Methodist, was named school visitors to look after the spiritual needs of the school…. The school term this year opened on September 17th.
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