06/13/2026
A little history lesson 🧡🖤
Martinsburg High School first opened in September 1874 in a frame dwelling at the southwest corner of Queen and Stephen Streets. There were five classrooms, two on the first and three on the second floor. Professor A. Tegethoff was first principal and David Speer was superintendent. Teachers were Miss Lizzie Winn, D.S. Noble and Miss Annie Maderia.
A total of 39 students were graduated from the original high school in the ten years before the present building was erected. There were fourteen graduates in 1878; five in 1879; no class graduated in 1880; five in 1881; seven in 1882 and eight in 1883.
Work was begun on the present building in 1883. There were four rooms facing Queen Street. Boys and girls were segregated except for recitation. The rooms were heated by large “egg” stoves. Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, English Grammar, English and United States History, Physical Geography, Astronomy, Philosophy, Reading, Spelling and Writing were the subjects taught.
A. Tegethoff served five years as principal. On August 18, 1877, he was made Superintendent of Public Schools of Martinsburg as well as principal of the high school, thus becoming the first Superintendent of the City Schools of Martinsburg.
In 1908, a bond issue was passed for enlargement of the school with the addition of an assembly hall, several more classrooms, laboratories and other facilities. The work was begun in 1909 and completed in 1910.
Enrollment increased rapidly – almost 200% more than that of ten years before. It became obvious during the early 1920’s that the high school could not take care of the number enrolled there and a bond issue was presented for construction of a new school building. This was passed and school officials began looking around for a suitable site. A location was purchased from the Faulkner estate. Construction was completed and the new school opened at the beginning of the school year 1929.
Classes were held in the new building after 1928. The “old” high school was still used in time of emergency even though academically it was deceased as of 1928. With the Berkeley County Board of Education administrative offices located there now, the walls still hum with the sound of activity as the work of the county's schools moves forward.
