GOING OLD SCHOOL

Jeff Estes in August will occupy an administrative seat held by a predecessor almost exactly 130 years ago. The original Lee County Board of Public Instruction formed in August 1887. Its members were named and class supplies were selected, including the Spencerian Penmanship copy-book and Kizer & Murdock Noiseless Slates. Teacher pay was $25 a month.

In 1911, when the Andrew D. Gwynne Institute opened, purple and white were selected as the school colors. Green was selected a few years later. Then, in 1919, red and white were chosen because that was the only color of basketball uniforms available. Students were not happy with this merry-go-round of colors—nor the colors themselves. They felt their school needed a permanent color to promote better school spirit. On Oct. 12, 1920, the students adopted (by unanimous vote) the colors green and white for their school colors.