Coffee High School

Coffee High School. 1917~1951. (side 1) , Coffee High School opened at this site in the fall of 1917. Camilla Coffee donated the land in honor of her late husband, Capt. Alexander D. Coffee, son of Gen. John Coffee, a Founding Father of Florence. Because of her generosity, the school was named Coffee. Built a the cost of $95,000, it has 18 rooms, an auditorium and a courtyard. The school served grades 8 through 11. Thirteen students graduated in 1918. It received accreditation as a secondary school in 1920. A red two-room frame structure was moved from Patton School to this site in 1921 for added classrooms and, later, as the band room. (Continued on other side). (side 2) (Continued from other side). Principals were J.N. Howell 1917 to 1930, D. A. Springer 1930 to 1940, and Rufus Hibbett 1940 to 1945. Coach Tom Braly was named Principal in 1945 and continued coaching two more seasons. Florence Junior High School was aded to this campus in 1936 with 600 students in grades 7 through 9. The 1951 class was the last to graduate from Coffee at this site. In the fall of 1951, the new larger Coffee High School east of here opened for grades 9 through 12. The buildings here were then renamed F. T, Appleby School in honor of F. T. Appleby, Florence Schools Superintendent from 1917 to 1832. Classes at Appleby School ceased in 1980. The school burned in 1984 and was razed in 1985.