Alvin C. York Institute, also known as Alvin C. York Agricultural Institute or York Institute, is a public

high school A secondary school, high school, or senior school, is an institution that provides secondary education. Some secondary schools provide both ''lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper secondary education'' (ages 14 to 18), i.e., ...

Jamestown, Tennessee Jamestown is a city in and the county seat of Fentress County, Tennessee, Fentress County, Tennessee, United States. The population of the city was 1,959 at the 2010 census. History Jamestown was established in 1823 as a county seat for Fentress ...

, founded as a private agricultural school in 1926 by

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

hero

Alvin York Alvin Cullum York (December 13, 1887 – September 2, 1964), also known by his rank as Sergeant York, was an American soldier who was one of the most decorated United States Army soldiers of World War I. He received the Medal of Honor fo ...

and later transferred to the state of

Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...

in 1937, which continues to operate it as a

public high school A state school, public school, or government school is a primary school, primary or secondary school that educates all students without charge. They are funded in whole or in part by taxation and operated by the government of the state. State-f ...

. It is the only comprehensive secondary school in the United States that is financed and operated by a state government.

History

Alvin C. York established the school that carries his name during the 1920s in the

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of his home county of Fentress. His goal was to give rural children the chance to obtain a high school education. Beginning in 1919 he toured the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

raising funds for the school, using his status as a war hero to get public attention and raising a total of $10,000.Ten in Tennessee Endangered List
Tennessee Preservation Trust website (accessed January 18, 2008)
''

Time magazine ''Time'' (stylized in all caps as ''TIME'') is an American news magazine based in New York City. It was published weekly for nearly a century. Starting in March 2020, it transitioned to every other week. It was first published in New York Cit ...

'', May 25, 1936 He also solicited and received funds from the

state legislature A state legislature is a Legislature, legislative branch or body of a State (country subdivision), political subdivision in a Federalism, federal system. Two federations literally use the term "state legislature": * The legislative branches of ...

, which contributed $50,000, and from Fentress County, which pledged $50,000. Classes began in 1929 and the school operated privately until 1937,History
, York Institute website (accessed January 18, 2008) when financial pressures related to the

Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

led York to transfer the school to the state of Tennessee, which continues to operate it as a public school as a living memorial to York.

Campus

The school sits on a

campus A campus traditionally refers to the land and buildings of a college or university. This will often include libraries, lecture halls, student centers and, for residential universities, residence halls and dining halls. By extension, a corp ...

of over that is said to be the world's largest public high school campus.York Institute Student Handbook
. It is not in fact the largest. Memphis is larger , accessed December 29, 2008 The campus is designated as a

Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) is an independent state agency of the state of Tennessee with the mission of managing the state's fish and wildlife and their habitats, as well as responsibility for all wildlife-related law enforce ...

wildlife management area and includes a working farm where students participate in managing a herd of

Limousin cattle The Limousin () is a French breed of beef cattle from the Limousin (region), Limousin and Manche regions of France. It was formerly used mainly as a draught animal, but in modern times is reared for beef. A herd-book was established in France ...

.Promising Programs
, York Institute website (accessed January 18, 2008) Five ponds on the campus are used for livestock watering, sport fishing, and waterfowl feeding and nesting. Campus buildings currently in use include the Main Administration Building (c. 1980), Social Sciences Building (a later addition to the original school), Science Building, Alvin C. York

JROTC The Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (JROTC) is a Federal government of the United States, federal program sponsored by the United States Armed Forces in high schools and also in some middle schools across the United States and at US mil ...

Building (c. 1940s), and Fentress County Vocational Training Center (c. 1970s). Yorkredoneel

The Jamestown Community Center and Jamestown Community Park are located near the school on York Institute land.Campus
, York Institute website (accessed January 18, 2008)

Historic building

The original two-story brick administration building, built in 1928, is the centerpiece of the Alvin C. York Agricultural Institute Historic District, which is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

. The school building was replaced with a new building in the 1980s and subsequently has deteriorated. In 2005 the Tennessee Preservation Trust listed it on its yearly list of the state's "most endangered" historic sites. In January 2008 the Tennessee Department of Education proposed that it be demolished, and estimated the cost of demolition at $3.6 million, while renovation would cost $3.7 million. Due to safety concerns, state officials blocked off access to the old building and all areas within of the walls, thus preventing the use of four classrooms in the school's current main building, which is adjacent to the original building. On July 15, 2008, an agreement was reached between the state building and education departments and the Sgt. York Patriotic Foundation, which agreed to oversee and fund the restoration of the historic structure. As of January 2010, the building had been stabilized and initial remediation was complete, at a total cost of about $1 million.

Curriculum

The school enrolls students in grades 9 through 12. It operates on a

block schedule Block scheduling or blocking is a type of academic scheduling used in some schools in the American K-12 system, in which students have fewer but longer classes per day than in a traditional academic schedule. It is more common in middle and high ...

, in which the fall and spring semesters are each divided into four blocks, and students take four classes each semester. York also offers vocational programs including agriculture, automotive technology, residential construction technology, metal technology, nursing, accounting, and information management systems. York Institute was one of nine Tennessee school districts to participate in the Appalachian Mathematics and Science Partnership, funded by the

National Science Foundation The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is an Independent agencies of the United States government#Examples of independent agencies, independent agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that su ...

with the goal enhancing science, mathematics and technology education in

Appalachian region Appalachian may refer to: * Appalachian Mountains, a major mountain range in eastern United States and Canada * Appalachian Trail, a hiking trail in the eastern United States * The people of Appalachia and their culture ** Appalachian Americans, e ...

schools with low socioeconomic status and student achievement.

Dual-Enrollment

Through the efforts of a local foundation and through cooperation with

Roane State Community College Roane State logo Roane State Community College is a public community college in eastern Tennessee, with its main campus in Harriman in Roane County. It was authorized by the Tennessee General Assembly in 1969, along with two other community col ...

, York Institute is able to provide its students with undergraduate-level college coursework free of charge to all students. Classes offered include College Algebra, American History I & II, English Composition I & II, Psychology, Sociology, Spanish, etc. Students enrolled in these courses obtain both college and high-school credit and can earn up to two years worth of college credit.

Vocational Certification

The York Institute also provides a CNA certification program to all students free of charge. The students can apply for and obtain their CNA licensure after a semester of coursework and clinical observation is completed. The school also provides a classroom and shop area for the Tennessee Technological Center to offer Welding courses at the school site.

Community Education

The Alvin C. York Institute also operates a community education program. The program consists of various classes, events, and resources that are available to the community at no cost. The major goal of this project is to involve parents and community members in educational programs. Community education classes allow the community to become familiar with the school their children or grandchildren attend. A concerted effort is made to enhance the value placed on education. Courses offered range from basic to graduate level courses as well as many arts and crafts courses. Funding for this program is provided by Union Bank of Jamestown.

Extracurricular activities and clubs

Extracurricular clubs and organizations offered at York Institute include: * Chorus * Drama * Journalism * Art * Student Council * JROTC * Family Career Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) * Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) * Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) * Student Christian Club * Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) * Scholars' Bowl * Future Farmers of America (FFA) * Skills USA * Envirothon * Pep Club * Math Club * English Club * Spanish Club * BETA Club * Tennessee Scholars * National Honors Society * Interact Club * Future Teachers of America

Sports

* Football * Boys & Girls Basketball * Baseball * Softball * Boys & Girls Soccer * Boys & Girls Track * Boys & Girls Bowling * Boys & Girls Golf * Cross Country * Boys & Girls Wrestling * Volleyball

Honors and awards

In 1989 York Institute was recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.Fentress County Spotlight
, by Ruble Upchurch, ''Upper Cumberland Business Journal'', October 11, 2007 In 1992 it was one of 140 public secondary schools recognized by ''

Redbook magazine ''Redbook'' is an American women's magazine that is published by the Hearst magazine division. It is one of the " Seven Sisters", a group of women's service magazines. It ceased print publication after January 2019 and now operates exclusivel ...

'' as "America's Best Schools." It was a recipient of a Tennessee Department of Education 2006 Best Practices in Character Education Merit Award.Local School Wins Character Education Merit Award
, Knoxville News Sentinel, December 12, 2006. Archived on the Character Counts! website.

Notable alumni

* Roger Crouch, astronautFentress County Schools
, Fentress County Chamber of Commerce website (accessed January 18, 2008) *

Lincoln Davis Lincoln Edward Davis (born September 13, 1943) is an American politician and the former U.S. Representative for . He is a member of the Democratic Party. He is a member of the ReFormers Caucus of Issue One. Early life, education and career Davi ...

, U.S. Congressman

References

External links

York Institute website
*

' by Dr. Michael E. Birdwell
National Register of Historic Places Continuation Sheet: York, Alvin C., Agricultural Institute Historic District, Fentress County, Tennessee (additional documentation)
by Michael E. Birdwell (August 28, 2008) {{authority control Schools in Fentress County, Tennessee Public high schools in Tennessee Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Tennessee Educational institutions established in 1926 1926 establishments in Tennessee National Register of Historic Places in Fentress County, Tennessee