April 12, 2023
By JAMES EVANS
Rutherford County Schools
Ninety-four years ago, Homer Pittard Campus School opened as a teacher training school.
Tuesday, the school hosted a reunion for the thousands of students and educators who have climbed the school's infamous tall steps throughout the years.
In the school's gymnasium, there were booths containing photos and other memorabilia from each decade. Teachers greeted and chatted with visitors as they explored the school's vast history.
As part of the celebration, the school honored past principal Liz Whorley, who served the school as a teacher and then principal from 1965-1985. Whorley is also the granddaughter of John Price Buchanan, the only Tennessee governor from Rutherford County.
"We did have good years here," Whorley said during the ceremony. "It was made that way because of good teachers, great students, supportive families and the community, and support from the university and Rutherford County School system."
Fifth-grade students at the school also used the opportunity to present their living history projects, and those students interacted with visitors as they roamed the hallways and visited classrooms.
Homer Pittard Campus School is operated as a partnership between Rutherford County Schools and Middle Tennessee State University. The school district operates the school, and the university owns the building. Education students attending MTSU work alongside RCS teachers to gain classroom experience.
The school is one of several RCS choice schools open to any elementary students countywide.