About Upperman High School

Upperman High School proudly opened on August 22, 1959, as a tribute and living educational memorial to Dr. Harry Lee Upperman and Baxter Seminary. Dr. Upperman's philosophy of education is still alive and well at Upperman High School today.

The trophy case in the front hall is filled with trophies and memories of the school's past academic achievement and success in athletic competition. However, the most important mementos of the past in this trophy case are the four inspirational words above it, the Upperman Motto: "Truth, Honor, Loyalty, Service." These unforgetable words, and all that they have meant throughout our school's history, are a large part of what we are and what we hope to become in the future.

On January 6, 2003, the new Upperman High School opened it's doors for the first time. The former UHS campus is now home to a new 5-8 middle school named Cornerstone Middle.

Community

Upperman High School is located in Baxter, Tennessee, near Interstate 40 and Highways 56 and 70, and serves the educational needs of the western portion of Putnam County in grades 9-12. Most of the students attending Upperman live in the town of Baxter and the small communities of Boma, Silver Point, Bloomington Springs, Double Springs, and the "8th District" of Putnam County. However, several students from the Cookeville area have also chosen to attend Upperman for various academic and extracurricular reasons.

Baxter, Tennessee, might well be best described as a small, rather unique town with a love and respect for history and tradition. The town has a rural background, many churches, and several rather active civic organizations. The citizens of Baxter are striving to build a strong, prosperous community with schools which can provide its students with the best education possible.

Upperman History

• 1910 Baxter Seminary was granted a charter by the Methodist Episcopal Church on August 18, 1910
• 1911 The cornerstone of Baxter Seminary was laid on July 4, 1911
• 1914 The first class graduated from Baxter Seminary
• 1917 The Putnam County Board of Education designated Baxter Seminary as the county high school for the western part of the county
• 1923 Dr. Harry Lee Upperman became president of Baxter Seminary.
• 1923-59 Over 10,000 students from all over the world received an education at Baxter Seminary.
• 1959 Baxter Seminary was sold to the Putnam County School System for $200,000.00 on July 30, 1959.
• 1959 Upperman High School opened with an enrollment of 363 students and Dave C. Huddleston as its first principal on August 22, 1959.
• 1962 Arnold L. Brown became the second principal of Upperman High.
• 1969-1970 Southern Association Self-Study and Evaluation finds need for new school facilities.
• 1973 The Putnam County Court appropriated 2.4 million dollars to build a new school
• 1975 Construction began on a new school.
• 1976-1977 Upperman High School moved into its present facility with an increase in enrollment and grade 7-12.
• 1984 Dr. Harry Lee Upperman, "a great educator, humanitarian, and scholar," died.
• 1986 Arnold L. Brown retired as principal with a total of 36 years as a loved, respected, and admired educator.
• 1986-1987 Frank Medley became the third principal of Upperman High. Millis Higgenbotham became the new vice-principal. Upperman had the largest number of "Master Teachers" in Putnam County
• 1987-1988 Upperman participated in a Southern Association Ten-Year Self-Study and Evaluation. The United States Government Class won the state competition and competed in Washington, D.C.
• 1990 Upperman became the first high school in Putnam County to actively participate in the "Adopt-A-School" Program by being adopted by Hooper-Huddleston Funeral Home.
• 1991 The Upperman High "Bees" Baseball Team won the Tennessee State Class A Championship and Coach Wayne Shanks was named Coach of the Year.
• 1993 The Upperman High "Bees" Baseball Team won the Tennessee State Class A Championship again.
• 1994 Mrs. Marie Swallows, Upperman's first guidance counselor, retired after 42 years of faithful and dedicated service as an educator, counselor, and respected leader. Upperman added three "21st Century Classrooms" and a new 30-unit state of the art computer lab.
• 1995 Frank Medley retired as principal after 33 years of distinguished service as an admired coach, classroom teacher, vice-principal, and principal at Upperman High School.
• 1995-1996 Wayne Shanks became the fourth principal of Upperman after an outstanding career at Upperman as a teacher and baseball coach. Lloyd Covington became the new vice-principal. Block Scheduling was introduced with great success.
• 1996-1997 Upperman opened with an enrollment of 661 students. Many educators and citizens became aware that new and larger facilities were needed for Upperman High School. Upperman's athletic teams had outstanding seasons. The Upperman football team, basketball team, and the girl's softball team each competed in state-level competition. The Upperman Times received the "Herald of Excellence Award" from the Tennessee Press Association for the third straight year. Mrs. Joy McCaleb was named the "Tennessee Journalism Teacher of the Year." Vice Principal Lloyd Covington transferred to Monterey to return to the classroom as a vocational teacher.
• 1997-1998 Upperman opened with the largest enrollment in the school's history 776 students. The class of 1998 will be the first senior class to graduate under the state mandated two-pathway high school curriculum. Mr. Jerry Boyd became the new Vice-Principal, and several new faculty members joined the Upperman staff. A request for new lockers was approved by the Putnam County School Board. The Upperman High Student Council became more actively involved in school activities.
• January 6, 2003 The new Upperman High School campus opens for the first day of classes for all enrolled 9-12 graders. Across town at the original UHS, a new 5-8 grade Cornerstone Middle School also has it's first day of classes.

Summary

Baxter Seminary and Upperman High School have definitely been a large part of this community's past, present, and future. Dr. Upperman's dream of building a successful school in Baxter has come true. Today, Upperman High School stands as a living monument to all those who have been touched in some way by this wonderful dream.

In the 1924 Baxter Seminary Catalog, Dr. Upperman said, "We endeavor to develop all the student the student's powers and to make him master of them." This great educational endeavor which Dr. Upperman began in 1923 proudly continues at Upperman High School today.

Our 1997 Southern Association Self-Study and Evaluation is an important part of our school's efforts to improve and provide the kind of education, motivation, and inspiration that our students will need in facing the next century. The Upperman Motto of "Truth, Honor, Loyalty, Service," will hopefully give our students strength, courage, and a sense of purpose in facing any problem the future might present.