Harmony I.S.D.

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about Harmony I.S.D. out in Upshur County. Now, you'd think getting a bunch of independent rural school districts to agree on anything would be like herding cats in a thunderstorm. But this story, believe it or not, ends in harmony.

Literally. Way back in 1929, Mt. Gilead and Rosewood schools decided they were better together than apart, and they merged.

That was just the opening note. Then came 1938, and Rosewood wasn't done yet. This time it joined up with schools from Rhonesboro, Honey Creek, and Union.

Four communities, one district. And when the time came to put a name on this new thing they'd built together, well, the people involved looked at how smooth the whole transition had gone and named it Harmony. The district relocated its classes to a rock building right here at this very site.

And the story kept growing from there. Schools named Grice, Peach, Enon, Ogburn, Soules Chapel, Latch, and part of the Kelsey District all came into the fold over time, each one adding another voice to the chorus. What started as a simple merger of two little rural schools in Wood and Upshur counties became something worth naming, worth remembering, and worth stopping on the side of the road to hear about.

What the marker says

Early efforts to improve the quality of education and provide a complete high school program in area districts resulted in the merger of rural schools in Wood and Upshur counties. Consolidation began in 1929 when Mt. Gilead and Rosewood schools combined. In 1938 Rosewood joined with schools from Rhonesboro, Honey Creek, and Union. The district was named Harmony, honoring the smooth transition. Classes were relocated in a rock building at this site. Schools added later were Grice, Peach, Enon, Ogburn, Soules Chapel, Latch, and part of the Kelsey District. (1980)