Hernando High School (Florida)
Hernando High School is a public high school located in Brooksville, Florida. It is part of the Hernando County School District. It has been in operation since 1889, which makes it one of the oldest, continuously operating public high schools in the United States. Community. Hernando High School is one of five high schools in Hernando County. Brooksville is a rural community of about 9,000 residents located 40 miles north of Tampa and 60 miles west of Orlando on Florida's Nature Coast. Curriculum. The school day is composed of seven 50 minute class periods with  two lunch periods (A & B) on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; and 8 43 minute class periods with two lunch periods (A & B) on Tuesday and Thursday. A broad range of course offerings include student education, career and technical courses and grade-level academics. The curriculum also includes dual enrollment programs through Pasco–Hernando State College as well as Advanced Placement courses on campus and through Florida Virtual School. History. In 1849, the Florida Legislature passed and enacted its first Educational Legislation. This new law authorized construction of schools. At this time Hernando County included what is now known as Citrus  and Pasco Counties. In the 1850s a handful of privately constructed schools existed in Hernando County in the Bayport and Spring Hill communities as well as a school in the Union Baptist Church in Brooksville. In October 1887, the State Legislature enacted legislation that split Hernando County into 3 smaller counties; Citrus County - to the north, Pasco County, to the south, and Hernando County, in the center of the two. When the county was split into three, Brooksville, FL (in Hernando County) was the only community large enough to support a high school. So a committee was formed to establish  such a school. This committee consisted of 3 locally prominent businessmen, William S. Hope, S.W. Davis and Warren W. Springstead. In October 1888 the committee proposed building a school designed to house grades 1 through 10. At the time, 10th would be the highest level of education offered in Hernando County The proposal passed and the committee purchased land for the new school from Martha and Thomas Cook in the Saxon Heights area near the old Scarborough House. The land was purchased for a total of $499.00. A frame structure was completed and on February 4, 1889, Hernando High  School opened. At its inception the Hernando High School staff consisted of Principal E. R. Warrener and 3 teachers. Hardy Croom and Alda Burns Wright were notable members of the inaugural class of 1889.