From a search I did when looking for others.  I found this.  It's interesting in the least. Linda   http://pastnotover.blogspot.com/2007/11/st-andrews-whats-that.html

Thursday, November 1, 2007

St. Andrew's? What's That?

On All Saints' Day I cannot help but be reminded of a well-known song that I do not associate with the day itself:

Oh, when the saints go marching in
Oh, when the saints go marching in
Lord, how I want to be in that number
When the saints go marching in


What better song for a high school football team?

Once upon a time a public high school in Charleston County went by the confusing name of St. Andrew's Parish High School. Now that same area is saddled with a high school with the santized name of West Ashley.

Why this desire to discard local history in a city where so much effort is put into preserving local buildings? Why, even Byrnes Downs (named after a former governor and erroneously identified around town as "Byrnes Down") has become the subject of preservation!

Did it become too burdensome for St. Andrews' graduates to explain that they did not graduate from a Catholic high school? Was the Charleston County School District making sure that non-Episcopalians would not suffer the slings and arrows of Anglicanism that the school's name suggested? Or was CCSD ignorant too?

Probably only a small percentage of the area's residents realize that they live in one of the earliest Church of England parishes of the colonies, or even that the Lowcountry was originally divided into parishes, or even that Anglicanism was the official religion of the colony of South Carolina. It's history, too.

Also, the school's ring, apart from using St. Andrew's cross, featured a carving of a crossed pick and shovel. No, it did not purport to be educating ditch-diggers; the school was built on the site of an old phosphate mine. There were phosphate mines all over the area, in fact.

Oh, yes--THAT's why it's called Ashley PHOSPHATE Road!

"West Ashley"? Small wonder, despite its size, it's a pale shadow of the original in terms of education. Next thing you know, they'll take the "St. Andrew's" out of St. Andrew's Elementary.

I know. They can use the Russian solution--as done to St. Petersburg in Russia--change it to "Andrew's Elementary." Even better, name it after a local school board member. That should be memorable.

 

Faith harbors the goodness of man. When charity  sails with faith, God is at the helm, no matter what the weather.  
 

A little piece of history... History of West Ashley Schools In 1897, St. Andrew’s School was established in an old church on the plantation of Mr. Edward Legare, called Charlestown. The first pupils of the school were his children, grandchildren, and neighborhood children. One teacher taught all grades. A second school was started in 1899, for children living on Savannah Highway that could not get to school. The two schools consolidated in 1909, and located on Savannah Highway. In 1918 the schools were moved to the present location of St. Andrew's High School. It was known as the “little Brown Schoolhouse.” In 1919, due to increased number of students the building was enlarged. A new brick school was erected during the 1929-30 school year, on the same site. The overcrowded conditions and difficulty in obtaining transportation to the high schools in peninsular Charleston were factors in establishing St. Andrew’s Parish High School in 1940. The addition of the high school marked a decided change in the Parish since high school students living in the parish had attended Charleston High School for boys and Memminger High School for girls in the city. Until 1947-48 all grades were housed at St. Andrew’s Parish School. Because of phenomenal growth in the parish there were many additions to the building. During the year 1947-48 the elementary and high school grades were split, grades 1-6 attended St. Andrew’s Elementary and grades 7 – 12 attended the high school. During this time period, the Tobin Boyd School, Deming School, and other branch schools served the black children living in the parish. They were eventually consolidated to form Wallace School in 1953, which eventually housed grades 1-12. The sixties brought the integration of all schools and the Act of Consolidation put all schools under the umbrella of the Charleston County School System. The schools continue to grow and in the spring of 1970 the decision was made to convert St. Andrew’s Junior High to a high school. That school became known as Middleton High School. As student bodies and faculties were split, each school took on its own identity. Soon the Razorbacks were trying to score that winning touchdown against the “Rock-like” goal-line stand. Each school prospered and continued to send out fine graduates. Olympic Gold Medal Winners, famous rock stars, CEO’s, legislators and successful business people have been spread through out the world from the halls of these two schools. With two schools West of the Ashley, community resources were split as parents from each school pledged their support to their own child’s school. In 1993, the decision was made to merge the two schools and build a new state of the art facility. Soon several committees consisting of more than one hundred staff, parents, and community members toured schools around the Southeast to determine what was desired in a new facility. A principal was named and committees were soon formed to pick the name of the school, its mascot, colors, and school seal. A contest was held to write the school alma mater and a selection written by a student was picked from more than two hundred entries. During the1999 year, students were bussed back and forth between campuses as the bands, chorus programs and NJROTC programs were merged. There were some interesting moments during athletic contests. Community interest was high and the final events were well attended. Fans will never forget the last football game held at Ravenel Stadium between St. Andrew’s and Middleton. The stadium was packed and each school wanted desperately to win that last game. First St. Andrew’s scored and the band consisting of students from both schools played the Rock Fight Song. Then Middleton scored and the band consisting of students from both schools played the Razorback Fight song. All present at the game could not have been prouder of the kids in the band! They understood that although the teams were battling each other on the field, the members in the band, from different schools, could work together as one team. In May of the year 2000, after 60 years for St. Andrew’s Parish High School and 30 years for Middleton High School, the last graduations for both schools were held. These events marked a very significant time in the history of the West Ashley Schools. As another chapter was completed, a new chapter was just beginning. The next Fall was full of anticipation as students attended West Ashley High School, located on split campuses. All programs were merged and students, parents, and teachers found new classmates, friends and co-workers. Athletic teams moved up to the “Big Sixteen Conference” and old rivalries with Summerville and other local teams were renewed. The increased level of competition challenged the teams and coaches. In the Spring of the year, the new school had its first Individual State Tennis Champion. Also in the Spring, the DECA Team won the State Championship in Myrtle Beach and went on to compete at the National Level in California. Though out that year, all anticipated moving into the new campus and as construction moved ahead, excitement mounted as the new school facility became a reality. The opening of the new campus was celebrated during the Summer of 2001 with three “Open Houses” which drew nearly 5,000 citizens to view the new facility. Today the high school serves 2300 students from every area of Charleston County. Federal legislation, “Leave No Child Behind,” has enabled students from other schools to transfer to the school. 


this was taken from the West Ashley High School web site)

 

This article was found at our  senior classmen's site  http://www.standrewsclassof64.com/MainPage.htm


“ST. ANDREW’S BORN” AND “ST. ANDREW’S BRED”


I’m St. Andrew’s Born and St. Andrew’s Bred, and when I die I’ll be St. Andrew’s Dead” – a cheer so familiar to all of us. What does it really mean?

The roots of St. Andrew’s Parish High School are deep in the history of Charleston, especially the West Ashley area. The name of the school was taken from the St. Andrew’s Parish Episcopal Church, which was founded in 1706.

The first public school West of the Ashley came into being in 1889, using an old church building for grades 1-8. It was located on the plantation of Edward T. Legare. A second school was established in 1898. The two schools merged in 1909 and moved to a location on Savannah Highway, an area occupied by the VFW Hut. In 1918, the West Ashley grammar school was moved to the geographic center of the district, where the school now stands.

Originally, high school students from the West Ashley area had to travel to the peninsula to attend school. The overcrowded conditions and difficulties with transportation to Charleston High were factors that helped to establish a new high school. In 1940, a wing for older students was added to the elementary school; and so, with 8 classrooms, 8 teachers, and 153 students, St. Andrew’s Parish High School was born. In 1943, the elementary grades were moved, and the current location became the High School campus.

Mr. Lawrence Harper was the first principal of St. Andrew’s Parish High School; however, he died three months after the school was established. Miss Olga J. Johannas was elected acting principal. Mr. C.E. Williams became principal in 1941. In 1943, the administrative structure of the school was changed, and Mr. Williams became superintendent of the school district. Mr. E. Bernard Hester, affectionately known as “Fess,” a History and English teacher, was named principal of St. Andrew’s Parish High School.

The decades of the fifties and sixties brought phenomenal growth to St. Andrew’s Parish. For more than ten years St. Andrew’s Parish was the fastest growing school district in South Carolina. To keep pace with the ever-growing student body, the facilities of St. Andrew’s Parish High School grew. In all, there have been forty additions or renovations to the structure.

On Mrch 8, 1973, the untimely death of E. Bernard Hester, who was principal of St. Andrew’s Parish High School for thirty-one years, saddened the entire community. Neal Golden, Jr., who was serving as assistant principal at the time, was appointed principal.

On December 21, 1978, a tragic fire destroyed the auditorium and damaged the adjoining wings so much, the County Board of Education authorized the building of the offices, classrooms, and library.

St. Andrews’ Parish High School, in over fifty years, has experienced great changes as its student population had reflected the movement from rural to small community to suburban, and to the large commercial areas now encompassed in its district.

St. Andrew’s Parish High School is a school of racial, cultural, and economic diversity. Five percent of its students come from rural settings, 39 percent are from single parent families and some students live on their own. Fourteen percent are from families whose incomes are below the poverty level with 25 percent of the students eligible for free lunches. About 50 percent of the graduates attend colleges and universities with another 24 percent going to various post secondary schools.

June of 2000 will be the last graduating class from St. Andrew’s Parish High School. St. Andrew’s will combine with Middleton High school to form the new West Ashley High School. The projected date of the opening will be December 2000. The new high school is located on 85 acres on Glen McConnell Blvd. The school will be entered using a four-lane way named Wild Cat Way. Coincidentally, the West Ashley teams will be called the “Wild Cats”. The colors of the West Ashley High School will be purple, silver and black. The design of the school will be a wonderful combination of the historic St. Andrew’s Parish High School blended with the newer Middleton High School. There will be a melding of the faculty from both schools. The principal of the new West Ashley High School is Mr. Olson, who has been the principal at St. Andrew’s Parish High School for seven years. There are tours on Wednesday afternoon that can be arranged in advance.

The facilities of the new school will be very much in keeping with the new millennium. They will include tennis courts, weight rooms, two practice fields, eight lanes of track, two gymnasiums, two auditoriums, one of which will be used by Spoleto for cultural events. It certainly sounds as if we are planning for the future. In order to understand our future we must know from which we came and we all know that we are: