In the 30's 40's and 50's EVERY school was small. They were all communtiy schools. Kids were not bussed across the county nor did parents drive their kids miles to school. In Mason County alone there was Orangeburg School, Mayslick School, Washington School, Lewisburg School, Minerva School. In the 60's they built one large high school for all kids to bussed to. Maybe that's why the small schools quit winng the tournaments after the 50's, most of them were consolidated. Even Maysville HS has conslidated with Mason. That's the main reason you don't see these small schools winning the tournaments. There are so few left. Now there are mostly large county schools. If a person wants their child in a school where there is a smaller environment and more individual attention, the only choice is usually private school.

 

Great historical points imo!!

Hazard High School, with an attendance of 325 students in the top four grades, continues to be competative in the world of the giant consolidated schools. We scored 5th in the state on our CATS tests and our band is consistantly in the top four in the state in spite of having only 25-30 band members. Our football team went undefeated i our district this past season and ended up 14-1 withour loss coming in the state semi-finals at the hands of LCA, a private school. Our basketball team ended up runner-up in the All A tournament behind UHA, a private school, and you wonder why we resent thse schools who fit into the A category, but have an open door policy to accept kids from any county they please. We must stay within our boundary--the city of Hazard, and in the past few years our reciprocal agreement between Perry County Central and Hazard has taken a hit due to their superintendent attempting to retain all his students. I guess I must say that I wonder how long it will be before our school programs suffer due to these constraints while the private school continue to flourish and essentially rub it in the face of the public schools. I am proud of our team and of our school. I feel we work diligently to provide the best education we can to our students and believe our test scores give testament to that. But honestly, I don't believe there will ever be parity in the sports arenas until there is a separation of public and private and we no longer have to compete against private schools.

Hazard High School, with an attendance of 325 students in the top four grades, continues to be competative in the world of the giant consolidated schools. We scored 5th in the state on our CATS tests and our band is consistantly in the top four in the state in spite of having only 25-30 band members. Our football team went undefeated i our district this past season and ended up 14-1 withour loss coming in the state semi-finals at the hands of LCA, a private school. Our basketball team ended up runner-up in the All A tournament behind UHA, a private school, and you wonder why we resent thse schools who fit into the A category, but have an open door policy to accept kids from any county they please. We must stay within our boundary--the city of Hazard, and in the past few years our reciprocal agreement between Perry County Central and Hazard has taken a hit due to their superintendent attempting to retain all his students. I guess I must say that I wonder how long it will be before our school programs suffer due to these constraints while the private school continue to flourish and essentially rub it in the face of the public schools. I am proud of our team and of our school. I feel we work diligently to provide the best education we can to our students and believe our test scores give testament to that. But honestly, I don't believe there will ever be parity in the sports arenas until there is a separation of public and private and we no longer have to compete against private schools.

 

Trying to better understand your anomosity towards ALL private schools, and decided to try and look at it from an objective level, and went back 10 years in the All "A". Hazard's results:

 

'98--2nd round loss to Paintsville

'99--DNQ

'00--DNQ

'01--DNQ

'02--DNQ

'03--1st round loss to Mayfield

'04--Champion winning the finals over Bishop Brossart (a private)

'05--1st round win vs. Brossart, 2nd round loss to UHA (a private)

'06--DNQ

'07--loss in semis to Bardstown

'08--loss in finals vs, UHA (a private)

 

By my count that's a 2-2 record against the evil privates; hardly enough ammunition to create much dislike against anyone other than maybe UHA, and there's probably more than a few in that camp. I've always respected the Hazard programs, but fail to see where your hatred vs. the privates is based in fact; especially after you admit you allow kid's from PCC's district?? :confused:

Hazard actually won te All A in 2004!

You seem to have missed some pertinent information. Hazard actually won the All A in 2004!

Hazard High School, with an attendance of 325 students in the top four grades, continues to be competative in the world of the giant consolidated schools. We scored 5th in the state on our CATS tests and our band is consistantly in the top four in the state in spite of having only 25-30 band members. Our football team went undefeated i our district this past season and ended up 14-1 withour loss coming in the state semi-finals at the hands of LCA, a private school. Our basketball team ended up runner-up in the All A tournament behind UHA, a private school, and you wonder why we resent thse schools who fit into the A category, but have an open door policy to accept kids from any county they please. We must stay within our boundary--the city of Hazard, and in the past few years our reciprocal agreement between Perry County Central and Hazard has taken a hit due to their superintendent attempting to retain all his students. I guess I must say that I wonder how long it will be before our school programs suffer due to these constraints while the private school continue to flourish and essentially rub it in the face of the public schools. I am proud of our team and of our school. I feel we work diligently to provide the best education we can to our students and believe our test scores give testament to that. But honestly, I don't believe there will ever be parity in the sports arenas until there is a separation of public and private and we no longer have to compete against private schools.

 

 

You have a great story and I agree with you completely.

Thanks for your support and understanding, Lunatic1!

In the 30s, 40s, 50s small schools like Carr Creek, Cuba, Hazel Green, Harlan, Hazard, Hindman, Brooksville, Hindman, Brewers, Midway, and Inez won the state tourney. The Great King Kelly Coleman took Wayland to the semi-finals.

These are TRUE small schools. Their players were born, raised, and went to school in those tiny communities. They certainly didn't have any 6'8" kids from Australia and the thought never entered their mind on how to get one. Before I upset the private schools, let me say yes your kids are great and they represent your schools outstandingly in both athletics and academics, but you can't have kids coming from outside the county in which you are located and even from outside the state and call yourself a TRUE small school.

Elliott County is not going to have anybody wanting to move there because their is no reason to. They are only 6,000 residents and one of the lowest income and economically depressed counties in the state. Heck, most people outside the surrounding counties haven't been there and don't know where it is. You have to have a reason and want to get there of which most people don't have either one. Before I upset anyone from Elliott. I love you folks and find them to be good ole country folks who care for one another, treat one another with respect, and believe in Godly principles like honesty, kindness, love, hard work, truthfulness, and respect for one another. They may not be rich money wise, but they have a love of family & community that bonds them together and makes them very rich.

 

I am in my 50s and am from the old school. Sometimes I wish the rules and times were just like the 1950s. This modern day version of a small school has been diluted and is not what it was 50 years ago when we still had TRUE small schools that won championships and competed every year despite having a bunch of ole country boys from the farm that had never been outside the county and never seen a gym that would hold more than 500.

Just like society in general we have lost a lot over the last 40-50 years.

Talk to some of the old-timers (fans 70 to 80 years old) in these small communites and you will get a sense of the way it used to be!!!

 

That's as good as anything I have ever read on this site, and how true it is and I'm only in my 60's !!!!! :ylsuper:

In the 30's 40's and 50's EVERY school was small. They were all communtiy schools. Kids were not bussed across the county nor did parents drive their kids miles to school. In Mason County alone there was Orangeburg School, Mayslick School, Washington School, Lewisburg School, Minerva School. In the 60's they built one large high school for all kids to bussed to. Maybe that's why the small schools quit winng the tournaments after the 50's, most of them were consolidated. Even Maysville HS has conslidated with Mason. That's the main reason you don't see these small schools winning the tournaments. There are so few left. Now there are mostly large county schools. If a person wants their child in a school where there is a smaller environment and more individual attention, the only choice is usually private school.

 

IMO and others. I agree with your points and I understand that. I'm just saying that there are very few TRUE SMALL schools left because of the points you brought out. Therefore, if your going to have a small schools tournament you either change the rules or you have a meaningless tournament with only a handful of schools that nobody cares about and generates no $$$$ because nobody hardly attends. The defintion of small schools like many other things has changed from the bygone era. Think we are saying pretty much the same thing, but just wanted you to understand where I was coming from. Guess I watch Little House and the Waltons too much and read basketball history like I belong there or something!!!