Tallapoosa County Training School, later named Edward Bell High School, became the first high school for African Americans in Tallapoosa County, Alabama, in 1931, and its first two students graduated in 1933. It was a pioneer educational institution for students in the county and beyond, with an emphasis on college and vocational curricula. In 1947, community citizens built the first gymnasium, lunchroom, and additional classrooms from donated building materials. During the late 1950s, the older building burned and a new building was constructed at a nearby site. Extracurricular activities included sports, band, newspaper, photography, solar energy, hydroponics, aquaculture, greenhouse, and gardening projects. The school was named for Edward Bell, one of its several outstanding principals. Its colors were Royal Blue and White, and its mascot was the Bear. Its alma mater praised the school as a beloved guiding light whose name and fame would live and flourish through the ages.