In 1855, a four room frame building in the 200 Block of West Jefferson Street, was more than adequate for the city’s needs. This facility was called the “Washington Combined School” building and housed students from grade one (1) to grade twelve (12). About 1881, a two room addition was erected and then in 1885 the building was destroyed by fire. After the fire it was replaced with an eight room, two-story brick building which later received a four room addition.

In 1949 construction was started on the new Marion Junior High School located at 420 East Main Street just east of the Logan School (formerly the location of the old Marion high School). The first classes were held in the new school in the fall of 1951.

In the fall of 1965, the old Marion High School on West Main Street was converted to a Junior High school. The old High School building served as the Junior High School until 1975, when a new building constructed west of the existing High School gymnasium was completed. The old Marion high school building, constructed in 1912 and expanded in 1920, was torn down in 1975-1976 leaving the old High School 1948 addition attached to the new Junior High School.

(This information was obtained from A. C. (Cliff) Storme, Louis Fluck, and newspaper articles published by Violet Grisham and from the personal knowledge of Thomas Wimberly, in January, 2006: edited and revised by Sam Lattuca on 12/22/2012)