TAZEWELL HIGH SCHOOL HISTORY
TAZEWELL, VIRGINIA
Prior to 1870
From the beginning of Tazewell County in 1799, education plays an important role in the lives of Tazewell’s young citizens. Through home instruction and the basics of reading, writing, and arithmetic, Tazewell Countians recognize the importance of education. The isolation of Tazewell County, however, makes it difficult during the early history of the county to get competent teachers to provide instruction to its children. The first free public school system is established by the Virginia General Assembly in 1850. Even by this time, however, many Virginia residents look upon this new public school system as a form of government charity. Therefore, public education is not very successful in any section of the commonwealth. Private schools, for those who can afford them, continue to play the major role in schooling for many of Virginia’s young people.