Grundy County High School has a long history stretching back to the 1800s. Many locals still talk of the beautiful clock tower of the James K. Shook schoolhouse in Tracy City. James K. Shook was the start of what is now known as Grundy County High School. In 1894, it was evident that James K. Shook Grammar School needed an expansion, so it was reorganized and was considered a third class high school with ten grades.
By 1919, Shook School added several rooms and had space to continue educational classes and vocational programs. In 1925, the first graduating class of Shook High School accepted their diplomas. The Grundy County School District soon realized that the area needed a county high school. In 1928, the first was Grundy County High was constructed on what is now the John A. Anderson football field in Tracy City.
A fire ravaged the school in 1935, so classes resumed at the old Shook schoolhouse. Around 1940, the next building housing GCHS was built, not on the original site, but on the opposite side of the gym as the first building. This was known as Grundy County High School for decades where generation after generation earned diplomas.
Before Christmas, in 1997, Grundy County High School was relocated to a brand new, modern facility in Coalmont, TN. This was a major project that would have never been completed without the members of the Board of Education: Ronnie Fults (who was superintendent at the start of the project), Joe Nunley (superintendent at the end of the project), Leon “Toad” Woodlee (Chairman of the board), Pascal “Pack” Medley (Vice-chair), John Hargis II, Wanda Lawson, Kathy Campbell, James “Bubba” Conry, and Paul Gallagher.
Responsible for the completion of the project along with the Board of Education was the County Commission: Michael Partin (County Executive), Ralph Rieben (Chairman), James “Hoover” Gunn (Vice-chairman), Earl Geary, Jr., Bill Goss, Gene Henry, Ladue Nunley, Steve Roberts, Robert “Cosmo” Borne, Gary “Rooster” Brewer, Charles Brown, David Gallagher, and Tim Garner. Additionally, the Public Building Authority was extremely important to the project: Charles Sanders (Chairman), Tim Cunningham (Vice-chairman), Lewis “Bear” Brown, Dick Creighton, Willie D. Meeks, Ricky Richards, and Jimmy Scott.
Here, the students of Grundy County came together and made the new area their home. The class of 1998 was the first class to graduate from Grundy County High School with the address as Coalmont, Tennessee instead of Tracy City, Tennessee. The class of 2002 was the first class whose students never learned in any other high school building.
In 1998, the Lady Jackets Basketball Team coached by Ricky Richards, James “Duper” Ladd, Bennett Boynton, and Russell Fugate brought home the State Championship Trophy. Then, in 2010, the Department of Education recognized GCHS as a National Blue Ribbon School.
GCHS is home to the Yellow Jackets. School colors are purple and Vegas gold. Grundy County High School offers college preparatory classes, career and technical education classes, various sports, and clubs. Students come to GCHS from all areas of the county from the following elementary schools: Pelham Elementary, Tracy City Elementary, Coalmont Elementary, Swiss Elementary, Palmer Elementary, and North Elementary.
