Meade Memorial High School

Meade Memorial High School was named for H. P. Meade and was built on land donated by his son, Dr. Lloyd G. Meade, at Williamsport approximately 10 miles east of Paintsville on Route 40 (then Garrett Highway). Opened on August 20, 1931, it was the youngest and largest of Johnson County high schools at the time.

Principal George L. Ramey and teacher George W. Butcher welcomed 50 students to the new two-room building that first semester with another 20 students entering at the beginning of the second semester. Agriculture and Home Economics were added to the curriculum in 1932 and in 1934 area students were provided with a school bus.

The first class to graduate (1933) was composed of three boys - Donald Pack, Arnold Pack and Frank Butcher.

Numerous improvements were soon added to accommodate the increasing enrollment. In 1934 Principal George Ramey proposed having the WPA build a new stone building. It was completed in 1936 with adequate classrooms and a gymnasium. Additional improvements were added in 1946 and 1950. In the fall of 1968 as Johnson Central High School opened Meade Memorial became an elementary school with as many as 25 teachers and more than 300 students.

Among its many graduates were Steven Butcher, Patricia Branham Gambill, Howard Wendell Wallen, Donnis Butcher, Russell Boyd and Grayson Boyd.

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