Dennis High School

Dennis High School, built in 1936 on land donated by philanthropist Rebecca Dennis and named in her honor, was the first high school for African-American students in Lee County. Originally intended as an elementary school, it became both an elementary school and high school when the old elementary school burned shortly before it opened, and for several years it was the only black high school in Lee County. Its auditorium became a significant social center for blacks throughout Lee County. In 1948, when a new Dennis High School opened, the building became Dennis Elementary School. In 1954, a state program to equalize funding for black and white schools built a new Dennis High and Elementary School. The original building was renovated and served as Dennis Primary School until it closed in 1970, and it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.

Bishopville, South Carolina · United States