The Dedication of G. R. Hampton Elementary

On March 10 th , Principal Courtney Barnhill, along with the faculty and staff of G. R. Hampton re-dedicated their gymnasium with a fundraiser, full of wonderful cakes, pies, cookies, breads and other delectable treats. Upon winning the cake or pie with the high bid, politicians spoke and made their promises to the Knox Countians that were present. Babies ran around on the newly resurfaced gym floor, trying hard to outrun their mothers and after all the speechifying was finished, the faculty vs. students basketball game commenced.
It was a great night for all involved and hopefully the Cougars raised lots of money for other items they will need in their newly refurbished gym. They also revealed a new Cougar mural with the logo, “Once a Cougar, always a Cougar.”
The re-dedication got those of us who can remember G. R. Hampton’s earliest days to thinking about the original dedication ceremony when the school opened its doors in 1970. My mother, Lucy Oxendine, was one of the original teachers and actually I was one of the first teachers in the school. I helped Etta Jarvis teach a summer Headstart class that began June 22, 1970.
The following is the announcement of the original dedication ceremony which appeared in the Mountain Advocate on Thursday, June 11, 1970. The dedication event was held on Sunday, June 14, 1970.

“In her very finest hour, new school dedication is Sunday. An announcement from the office of County Board of Education Secretary Jesse D. Lay revealed that a Dedication and Open House program will be held Sunday afternoon at the modern, G. R. Hampton Elementary School on Highway 11. The dedication program will start at 2:00 p.m.
The new school, dedicated to the man responsible for leading the Board of Education through the most fantastic building session in history, will be named for the Chairman G. R. (Reed) Hampton. It has every known addition that causes people to say that it is the most completely modern school structure in the area and perhaps the entire state.
G. R. Hampton Elementary consists of 16 major classrooms, three special rooms, reading, music, science, library, television studio, teacher lounge, book room, caretaker supply room, storage rooms, modern cafeteria, kitchen and modern caretaker’s home. It is constructed at a total cost of $800,000.
In an interview with Mr. Lay, it was learned that the entire expansion program was guided through the thick and thin years with Mr. Hampton at the head of the five-man board. He was always insisting upon quality construction for the years ahead.
Other members of the Board of Education are Wade Cobb, vice chairman, Carnes Mills, Roy Disney and Bill Detherage.
General Contractors for the new building are W. B. Browning Company of Pineville, KY.
Sub-contractors from all over the area participated in the job which promises to be outstanding in every respect.
Master of Ceremonies for the dedication and open house will be Dr. Jesse D. Lay, Supt.
Knox County Schools and Secretary of the Board of Education. Invocation will be said by the Rev. M. A. Reese, Pastor of the First Baptist Church here. Music for the occasion will be provided by Mrs. Martha Beddow, with the Boone Aires and Miss Eryleen Bingham, soloist. The principal Speaker will be representative of the State Board of Education, Mr. Samuel Alexander. He is Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction, in the Department of Education. The Benediction will be given by Rev. L. W. Buchanan, Assistant Superintendent of the Knox County Schools.
Mr. Lay named the teachers employed to handle the duties at the new school, with Quinten West, principal. The teachers are: Etta Jarvis, Ellen Davis, Jewel Lewallen, Jeannie Daniels, June Morris, Joyce Girdner, Jewel Parker, Bernice Detherage, George Buchanan, Thelma Bingham, Jewel Syme, Lillian Lovitt, Lucy Oxendine, Clyde Burchette, Jr., Rose Lewallen, A. J. Senter, Jr. Herman Hopper, Phillip Patrick McDonald, Katheleen Bingham and Irene Owens, Title I.”

It’s sometimes hard to fathom that G. R. Hampton has been open for 56 years. With the closing of Artemus and more modern constructions of Jesse D. Lay, Flat Lick, Central Elementary, and Lynn Camp Elementary, G. R. Hampton now stands as one of the oldest elementary schools in the county.
All four of my grandchildren attended G.R., as did my sister Sharron. My mother concluded her 38year teaching career as a proud Cougar, and my sister Linda spent her entire career teaching there as well. My daughterinlaw, Anita, also taught at G.R., and now my grandniece Lucy has just begun her own teaching journey there. As you can see, G. R. Hampton’s new motto, “once a Cougar, always a Cougar,” surely applies to the Oxendines and our offspring.