Tellico Plains High School History

TPHS 1912 - 1937	TPHS 1938 - 1966
TPHS 1967 - 1994	TPHS 1995 - Present

    The town of Tellico Plains lies in the eastern part of Monroe County, Tennessee.  It is situated on the broad plains of the Tellico River on approximately four thousand acres of perfectly level land surrounded by very steep and high hills, at the foot of the Unicoi Mountain Range.  The town was established by an act of the Tennessee State Legislature in 1819.  This territory, rich in history, derived its name from the Indian town of Tellequah, a major Cherokee town that was located near the present town.  The town has developed  through several stages from being the largest town in East Tennessee  to the present small rural town of eight hundred and fifty nine residents.  The major employers are textile assembly factories, lumbering, and service occupations. 

    The educational system of Tellico Plains has always been diverse.  In 1897 there were five elementary schools (grades one through eight) in the area.  The first high school was established in 1912 at the cost of fourteen thousand dollars.  The two story wood building housed grades one through twelve.  During the early 1900's the education system was supported mainly by individuals, and for the period of 1935 - 1944, every school built in the fifth district (i.e. Tellico Plains area) was funded by C.A. Scott. 

    The second building to house Tellico Plains High School was built in 1938 and named the Scott Building.  It was located on the same site of the first high school which burned.  At the time, the Scott Building was the long school building in Tennessee  (four hundred sixty feet) and cost one hundred sixty eight thousand dollars ($168,000).  The building also housed grades one through twelve.  Consolidation was the big trend in 1966 and this era saw elementary schools combined into four kindergarten through eighth grade buildings. Each community kept one school; Coker Creek, Rural Vale, Ballplay, and Tellico Plains.  Each of these elementary schools became a feeder school to the high school.  Ballplay School was closed in 1987.  The increase in student population and the age of the school buildings brought about the largest building program in the history of Monroe County.  Over four million dollars were spent in 1995 to build the modern building that Tellico Plains High School now calls home.  The building, which opened its doors in the fall of 1995, contains twenty-five classrooms, a library, a guidance center, an administration area, a cafeteria and a gymnasium.  The old high school was converted into a junior high; a new elementary building is now being constructed, and the Coker Creek and Rural Vale feeder schools are being renovated. 

    Tellico Plains High School acts as a melting pot for students coming from these widely different areas.  The school continually brings new and innovative programs to its student body.  It led the county in introducing the Tech Prep program through the "High Schools That Work" grant.  The tutoring program, which started over three years ago, has helped the school to have the best percentage of students passing the T-CAP test in the county.  Tellico Plains High School continues to serve its community as it did in the past and strives to prepare its students for the challenge of the future. 

    Currently under construction is the Tellico Plains High School Alumni and Athletic Center. The Alumni Banquet Complex, weight room, and locker rooms are undergoing work, and the weight rooms are expected to be finished by the summer of '06.  We have recently finished the exterior of the Alumni Center and paved the driveway.