According to "A History of the Dyer, Tennessee Community" the first public school was formed in Dyer around 1870 near the current elementary school. It was in a small frame building which "burned sometime around 1878." It was rebuilt, but razed in 1898 to make way for a fine two story brick building which was built on the hill just south of the old school building. The school was named West Tennessee College, and it included elementary grades as well as college. My maternal grandparents graduated from West Tennessee College in 1906. The old building "stood until 1957 when it was destroyed by fire." Many of us still remember when it stood behind the elementary school, and particularly the big "tube" fire escape that always looked so tempting.

In 1937 the city decided to build a new, modern school building complete with Gymnasium across from the site of the original 1870 school. Below is an architect's drawing of the Dyer High School which many of us living "fossils" remember fondly.

Dedication plaques shown below commemorate the building of this school from which many, many Dyer people graduated over the years. These plaques are still mounted on the wall at the old main entrance to the building.

The last graduating class from Dyer High School was in 1980. Following that students attended the new Gibson County High School located south of town. In 1996 an addition was made to the original building and it was rechristened "Dyer Junior High School". It is now known simply as "Dyer School"

The old composite senior class pictures which used to hang in the hallways of dear old Dyer High School were removed and stored in the basement for several years. They have now been refurbished and placed on display at the main entrance of the school as shown below.

These pictures bring back a flood of memories for those of us who attended Dyer High School, and are even an aid to persons researching their families. In an attempt to make them available to all, I have photographed these composite senior pictures and made them available along with a name roster for each. The quality isn't as good as I would like due to the reflections from the protective coverings, but I think you will find it adequate until you can visit in person. Click on the link below for a thumbnail index of the pictures.

Clicking on any thumbnail will switch to a larger version of the composite picture. Placing your mouse over this larger picture will call up an ID mask which will identify the persons in the picture. Clicking on this ID mask will switch to the full sized picture in the best resolution I have available. Many thanks to my cousin Natalee Carne Reed (class of 1972) for her help and for going back and getting those that I missed!

Click below!