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The History of Carter Middle School Mike Wyatt 8th American History Written originally October 1998 Revised September 2011 Revised: May, 2015

Carter Middle School was established originally as Lynton Academy in 1904. The original school complex was located on Straw Plains Pike between the current Trentville Methodist and Lyons Creek Baptist Churches. The entire property went to the intersection of Johnson Road at Straw plains Pike. Carter Middle School was placed in the building of Carter High School when the new high school complex was completed. It was originally a junior high as it was only 7th and 8th grade. It became a middle school when the sixth grade was added in 1981 when there was a renovation of the former high school building to add students. The property was donated to the school out of the estate of Pascuel Carter who wanted a community school for the children of our neighborhood. It is appropriately named Carter in honor of Pascuel. Carter Middle has approximately 800 students today. We have Carter Elementary, East Knox Elementary and Chilhowee Elementary as our main feeder schools. Carter, Fulton Wesr and Austin East High Schools receive students who have passed requirements from our 8th grade. There is an old story. Some even say it is a “folk tale” that our nickname “The Hornets” was derived from the finding of a nest when the school property was cleared. There is no validity that this story is true. Carter School was, therefore, established in the early 1920’s out of the defunct Lynton Academy. The first basketball games were played outside. The first football games were played amongst its own students in a local cattle grazing field. A “barn” served as the first gymnasium when the school was moved to its current property. There was a violent storm in 1935 that destroyed that barn and some of the remnants of the building were found as far away as the current Trentville Methodist Church. A “New” gym was built at this time and is still in current use. The gym was used for the high school until 1971-72 when the new high school was added across the street. The gym was built by the “New Deal” program of the Roosevelt era in 1935. It is one of the oldest gyms in use in the State of Tennessee. The new gym was started in 2012 and opened in September 2014. The old gym has been converted into a “new” Boys and Girls club. Carter Middle was part of Carter Elementary from 1938-1972. The first principal was Mr. Harry Whitt and he remained principal through the construction years. His tenure was 1972 to 1981. The renovation took place in the late 1970’s. It saw thirty one new classrooms added to the old high school building. There was renovation to the library, cafeteria, guidance and office complex. The old shop area was converted to a band room. There was two choral rooms added to the bottom floor of the renovation. The gym was renovated with new locker rooms added from the basement area to its current side spot next to the school complex. When the complex was completed, Mr. Bobby Gratz became principal and one of the original teachers Ms. Sandra Hamilton became the assistant principal. 1985 would see Mr. Gratz move to middle school supervisor and Mrs. Sandra Hamilton Clift would become the principal. Her assistant was Jim Pryor who had been a teacher at Carter High. Mrs. Clift would remain principal until 1996 when she retired. Mr. Pryor would end his education career at Holston Middle and West High School. Carter Middle School was granted a “Exemplary School Status” during the tenure of Mrs. Clift. 1990 saw the introduction of Channel One services to Carter Middle. In addition to morning programming and equipment, Whittles is responsible for each class at CMS to have televisions mounted to the classroom walls. Dr Alvin Scott would replace Mrs. Clift and his assistant was Mr. Walter McMillan. Coach Mike Wyatt and his assistant Bobby Stanton would lead basketball teams to back to back titles in boys basketball during the 99=00 seasons. The 99 team went 18 and 5 but won seven in a row to win the only tournament championship in schools history. The 2000 team went 18-2 and tied Vine for the regular season title. Coach Wyatt retired after the 2012 with 312 wins over 16 seasons as boys basketball coach. He was replaced by Coach Jeff Rudolph who had coached the middle school Hornets before going to the high school as an assistant before coming back as head coach after Coach Wyatt. The girls track team won a Knox County Track Championship in 1989. In 2010, the cheerleaders under the direction of Mrs. Mary Mays won our first athletic academic championship. Danny Trent would replace Dr. Scott as principal. He is currently at Farragut Middle after being at Central High and a short tenure at Karns Middle School. Jewel Brock would replace Mr. Trent. Jewel was principal 5 years and he retired. Ms. Jennifer Stanley would come from Holston Middle School to become our 6th grade administrator. Mr, Michael Derrick came in 2011 to open the Tap Era. He would leave after the 2014 school year. The 8th grade administrator was Katye Clemmons who is a Carter Alumnus, and is now assistant principal at Karns Middle. She was replaced by Jessica Smith at the end of 2013. Our 6th grade administrator is Ms. Jennifer Stanley.

2011 would bring TAP to Carter Middle School. This evaluation program was started by Master Teacher Mrs. Jessica Smith. The school won a TAP Award it’s very first year. We won the 2011 TAP School of Promise in our very first year under the TAP Model. 2014 brought another change to our school. Mr. Derrick moved to Iowa to join NIET. In the summer of 2014, Dr. Chad Smith came across the street from Carter High to become Principal. He has committed the school to academic and social improvement amongst teachers and students. Mrs. Joann Bost came back to us as our 7th grade administrator. Dt. Smith has started the Carter Middle Hall of Fame for teachers and administrators. All of the principals will be recognized in the coming years and all will have their pictures displayed in the front foyer. The initial Hall of Fame teachers was Mrs. Sarah Akin, Mr. Rick Miller and Mrs. Judy Olive. This induction was in May 2015. We are committed of providing academic and extracurricular activities to the school in order to make the individual student a well rounded citizen. In short, CMS is a place where we expect “Nothing less than our Best” out of each Carter student. Dr. Smith has started a new slogan “We love you and Go Hornets”,