The first school was popularly known as the Rock Quarry School because of its location close to a stone pit that operated in the section at that time. Students came miles to attend classes, from the north of western Neville Street, from Adkinsville, now East Beckley but since called Sylvia, and from other points in town.
Others among the early students were Edward Wright, Ruth Wright (Anderson), Virginia Claytor, Stanley Claytor, Alec Spencer, and William Spencer.

The present ultra-modern school building and gymnasium-auditorium is one of the most up-to-date Negro high schools in West Virginia. Prior to World War I and for some years after there were no high schools for Negro students in the county. In August of 1919 the town district School Board, at a special meeting, decided to buy at a cost of $1,560 2.3 acres of land from W H. File & Herbert Stansbury, the tract recently sold to them by Beaver Coal Co., south of the city, as a site for the new colored school building that had been contemplated for some time. The contract was for a four-room building.

Then the Lord opened a greater field for him, mission work in the New River District. Rev. Stratton built more Baptist meeting houses than any one minister in WV Rev. Stratton was the great uncle of the late Rev. LeeRoy Robinson and Mrs. Josephine Armstead of Heber Street, a retired school teacher. In 1921 the students opened the new school starting with the seventh grade.'    There in the high school depart- ment were two teachers, E. L. Morton and Mrs. Louise Morton jefferies. By 1922 the faculty of the high school had grown to three, E. L. Morton, Miss Maude Wilson and William C. Reid. 
Some of the citizens who worked for the establishment and improvement of Stratton High School were Rev. LeeRoy Robinson, R. L. French, Angus B. Evans, John and Richard Wright, R. 0. Carey, William Robinson, Henry Mitchell, Alex Clark, L. R. Marshall, J. 0. Payne, H. M. Brown, Brown and Harry Payne, Dr. R. H. Howard, Dr. William Capel and Hayes Law.
By 1923, Stratton had advanced to a two-year high school, with a faculty of four: E. L. Morton, Hobort Dandridge, Mrs. Ruth Beckwith Dandridge and Miss Anna Boyd.
In 1924, Mr. Morton resigned and began a successful career as a druggist. Mr. Morton was succeeded by William C. Reid.