Rockbridge County, Virginia

Rockbridge County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2010 census, the population was 22,307. Its county seat is Lexington. The independent cities of Buena Vista (6,680) and Lexington (7,170) are both enclaved within the county's geographical borders.

History

Rockbridge County was established in October, 1777 from parts of now neighboring Augusta and Botetourt counties, and the first county elections were held in May 1778. Rockbridge County was named for Natural Bridge, a notable landmark in the southern portion of the county. Rockbridge County was formed during an act of assembly intended to reduce the amount of travel to the nearest courthouse, and to ensure trials were held fairly, and among friends rather than strangers. The first court session in Rockbridge County was held at the home of Samuel Wallace on April 7, 1778.

Cyrus McCormick invented the reaper near Steele's Tavern at the northern end of the county.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 601 square miles (1,560 km²), of which 598 square miles (1,550 km²) is land and 3.4 square miles (8.8 km²) (0.6%) is water.

Rockbridge County High School

Rockbridge County High School is a secondary school in Lexington, Virginia.

History

Rockbridge County High School was built in 1992 to include all students in Rockbridge County and Lexington, Virginia in grades 9-12. This school consolidated the former Rockbridge High School, Lexington High School, and Natural Bridge High School. It is operated by Rockbridge County Public Schools. The school's mascot is the Wildcat.

Demographics

The demographic breakdown of the 1,018 students enrolled for the 2012-2013 school tear was:

In addition, 30.3% of the students were eligible for free or reduced lunch.

Sports

Rockbridge County High School currently supports 13 Varsity teams including Marching Band, Cheerleading (football and competition), Wrestling, Football, Volleyball, indoor/outdoor Boy's and Girl's track and field, Girl's and Boy's Basketball, Girl's and Boy's Lacrosse, Golf, Swimming, Baseball, Softball, Girl's and Boy's Soccer, Girl's and Boy's Tennis and 8 Junior Varsity teams including Cheerleading, Football, Volleyball, Baseball, Girl's and Boy's Soccer, Softball, Girl's and Boy's Basketball as well as an Academic Team.

High school

A high school (also secondary school, senior school, secondary college) is a school that provides adolescents with part or all of their secondary education. It may come after primary school or middle school and be followed by higher education or vocational training.

Terminology

The term "high school" originated in Scotland, with the world's oldest high school being Edinburgh's Royal High School from 1505. The Royal High School was used as a model for the first public high school in the United States, Boston Latin School founded in Boston, Massachusetts.

The precise stage of schooling provided by a high school differs from country to country, and may vary within the same jurisdiction. In all of New Zealand and Malaysia, along with most of Britain and parts of Australia, Bangladesh and Canada, high school means the same thing as secondary school, but instead of starting in 9th grade, these "secondary schools" begin at ages 11 or 12.

Country by country

Australia

In Australia, high school is a secondary school, from Year 7 or Year 8 through to Year 12, varying from state to state. High school immediately follows primary (elementary) school; therefore, a Year-7 Australian high-school student is sometimes as young as 12. In Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory, the term "high school" generally refers to Years 7–10, whereas the term "College" is used for Years 11–12. In Victoria the term "secondary college" has largely replaced the term "high school" following the reforms of the Labor Government in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Some schools have retained the name "high school" (such as Melbourne High School) and many have now dropped the "secondary" and are simply known as "college".

Robert E. Lee

Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870) was an American soldier known for commanding the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War from 1862 until his surrender in 1865. The son of Revolutionary War officer Henry "Light Horse Harry" Lee III, Lee was a top graduate of the United States Military Academy and an exceptional officer and military engineer in the United States Army for 32 years. During this time, he served throughout the United States, distinguished himself during the Mexican–American War, served as Superintendent of the United States Military Academy, and married Mary Custis.

County

A county, abbreviated Cnty. (US) or Co. (UK and Ireland), is a geographical region of a country used for administrative or other purposes, in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French conté or cunté denoting a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count (earl) or a viscount. The modern French is comté, and its equivalents in other languages are contea, contado, comtat, condado, Grafschaft, graafschap, Gau, etc. (cf. conte, comte, conde, Graf).

When the Normans conquered England, they brought the term with them. The Saxons had already established the districts that became the historic counties of England, calling them shires (many county names derive from the name of the county town with the word "shire" added on: for example, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire). The Vikings introduced the term earl (from Old Norse, jarl) to the British Isles. Thus, "earl" and "earldom" were taken as equivalent to the continental use of "count" and "county". So the later-imported term became a synonym for the native English word scir ([ʃiːr]) or, in Modern English, shire. Since a shire was an administrative division of the kingdom, the term "county" evolved to designate an administrative division of national government in most modern uses.