R. S. Payne Elementary School is celebrating a milestone this year: the 100th anniversary of the building it now calls home. Since 1925, the building at 1201 Floyd Street has stood as a landmark in Lynchburg, originally serving as Robert E. Lee Junior High School before becoming the home of R. S. Payne in the early 1950s.
Students and staff celebrated with a festive “birthday party,” complete with a performance by the Dragon Drummers drumline and an appearance by the school’s mascot, Chili the dragon.
“I’m grateful to the generations of students, staff, and families who have shaped this school community over the past hundred years. R. S. Payne is a special place, and we’re looking forward to another century of learning, growth, and Dragon pride,” said R. S. Payne Principal Kary Wills.
While the current R. S. Payne building has existed for a century, the school’s history stretches back even further. Named after former Lynchburg City School Board Chairman Dr. Robert Spottswood Payne, the original Payne school was constructed on the corner of Polk and Twelfth Streets in 1885. That original building served the community for decades before R. S. Payne moved to its current residence.
Today, the school serves more than 400 students and houses the Gifted Opportunities (GO) Center, which serves academically gifted third through fifth graders from across the division.
The 100th anniversary of the R. S. Payne building presents an opportunity to reflect on the school’s legacy of achievement and status as a beloved fixture in the community, as well as look forward to many more decades of greatness to come.
