This year White House High School celebrates its 100th anniversary, and to fully comprehend just how enormous this milestone is, we must take a little trip back in time.

Despite its humble beginnings, White House, TN exists today as a large, vibrant, and thriving community, with a high school that mirrors its scale and diversity.

In 1920, however, White House was rural community so small that Sumner and Roberston counties reached a cooperative agreement to share in the responsibility for educating its children. This agreement was so successful it lasted approximately 80 years, until the community began to outgrow it.

After mutually agreeing to share in the expense of educating the children of White House, Sumner and Robertson counties purchased a parcel of land in 1920 for the purpose of building a school. With funding raised by citizens in the area, a six-classroom school building was erected adjacent to Highway 76, which runs through both counties. It is on this same site that White House High School was built in 1940, replacing the original six-room school and existing as part of a complex of two buildings. 

These two buildings made up the high school and the elementary school, which housed students in grades 1-8. It was here that all students from White House were educated from grades 1-12 until 1953 when White House Elementary School opened a half mile down the road from the original two-building complex.

Over the years, the White House community continued to grow and develop, facilitated in part by the opening of Interstate 65 in 1972 which began to draw workers to the area who were commuting to Nashville for work. As White House began to transform from a small rural community to a bedroom community of Nashville, school enrollment increased. All told, from its inception, enrollment has increased 3,500%, from approximately 100 students in the 1920s to 3,500 students in the present day.

Twenty years ago, faced with rapidly changing needs both within the school system and the community, both Sumner and Robertson counties agreed to dissolve the original agreement and educate students according to their county of residence. As such, White House schools are now managed by the Sumner County school system, and the decision was finalized at the end of the 2001-2002 school year.

Today, White House High School boasts an enrollment of 803, a diverse community, a Grade-A school rating with achievement scores near the top of the state, a winning football team, and a wonderfully engaged teaching staff.

With all of this in mind, there is much to celebrate! Planned events to acknowledge the 100th year anniversary center around the alumni and kick off on September 8 at the Homecoming Football game. White House High School alumni from years past are invited to attend the game and homecoming festivities alongside current students and their families.

According to Jane Langford, who teaches art at White House High, “We're looking at opportunities, and we’re in the planning stages for events that let our alumni know that they helped to build this history, and we want them to remain part of the community.”

In addition to attending the Homecoming game and other sporting events, alumni and current students are invited to join the Blue Devil Foundation by signing up on this link. The Blue Devil Foundation is in its beginning stages, and it will function as a network for alumni and current students and their families to inform members of upcoming events. As celebratory events continue to be planned and added to the calendar, they will be updated on the school website, and communicated through the Blue Devil Foundation. 

Congratulations to White House High School and the White House community for reaching such a spectacular milestone! May this school year be the best one yet.