[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 75 (Wednesday, May 1, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3128-S3129]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     RECOGNIZING PARKER HIGH SCHOOL

 Mr. SCOTT of South Carolina. Mr. President, as the junior 
Senator from

[[Page S3129]]

the great State of South Carolina, it is my pleasure to honor the 
legacy of Parker High School for its centennial anniversary. Formed as 
a bold collaboration between textile mills and educators in Greenville 
County, the vision and success of the Parker experiment has received 
national recognition. Today, I ask my colleagues to join me in 
celebrating the inspiring impact Parker High School has had on 
generations of hardworking South Carolinians.
  In the 1920s, the textile industry was an integral part of the fabric 
of South Carolina. Recognizing that many children raised in the textile 
mill villages attended the local mill village schools only through the 
sixth grade, Upstate mill leaders fought to provide a quality education 
for the Woodside area community. Their vision was to provide vocational 
training and a lengthened formal education for the children of the 
Parker District, an area on the west side of Greenville County that 
consisted of 14 textile communities. Their efforts paid off, and Parker 
High School was established in 1923.
  Parker High School came to be celebrated as one of the top schools in 
the Nation. Its success was fueled in part by its first 
superintendent--Dr. L.P. Hollis--who inspired the Woodside community 
with his unwavering commitment to children's education. Dr. Hollis 
introduced basketball and Boy Scouts to the State of South Carolina, 
crafting a recreational program that spurred student development and 
success. Recognized for its rigorous academics, Parker High School also 
afforded students access to brilliant extracurricular activities, with 
a marching band that won multiple prestigious awards on local, State, 
and national levels.
  During its 62-year tenure, the vision and success of the Parker 
experiment was studied by educators nationally and internationally. 
Before closing its doors in 1985, Parker High School was named as one 
of America's ``Top 100'' high schools five times. Today, plans are 
being developed for a Parker High School museum on campus to cement the 
groundbreaking history of the Upstate's unique and inspiring education 
system.
  The legacy of Parker High School remains one of excellence. 
Congratulations to the Woodside community as they continue celebrating 
Parker's 100th anniversary.

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