The History of EFHS

East first opened its doors in the fall of 1962, bringing together students from three communities who had previously been bitter rivals on the athletic field . . . Kernersville, Glenn and Walkertown. Fred E. Lewis, Jr. from Oak Summit School was chosen as principal and given the task of pulling these factions together. 

Before the first bell rang, committees met to determine, among other things, a mascot, school colors, a fight-song, and an Alma Mater. The story has been told that choosing a mascot was easy. The Eagle, a majestic and patriotic symbol, was the unanimous choice, especially during the Kennedy years. It was also logical because of "E" for East..."E" for Eagles. 

The school colors were a different story. The Walkertown Wolfpack and the Glenn Bobcats both wore red and white, while the Kernersville Raiders wore maroon and gold. Everyone felt that the committee would surely choose some shade of red. However, the story goes that the committee engaged in endless debate. Two colors were temporarily chosen, but later rejected. Examples of those colors were placed on certain walls in the school. Do you know where? The old gym lobby had giant orange and royal blue diamonds painted on the wall. Maybe this wall helped change the committee's mind. A more conservative, yet regal navy blue and white was finally selected. Silver was added in the early 80's as an accent color and is moving more toward gray in the new millennium. 

Maxine Blackwell, who had been the choral music director at Kernersville, was chosen to lead the music department at East Forsyth. She wrote the Eagles' fight-song and Alma Mater.

Principal Lewis had the responsibility selecting his teachers and coaches. He chose Carl Clarke from Kernersville to coach football, Jack Musten from Glenn to coach baseball, and Jack Blaylock from Kernersville to coach basketball. Did he get the two Jacks mixed up? Blaylock had played professional baseball for the Brooklyn Dodgers. Musten had gone to college on a basketball scholarship. Mr. Lewis said that he could not make up his mind . . . so he decided that he would witness a basketball game between Glenn and Kernersville. The winning coach would be his basketball coach and the losing coach would take baseball. Needless to say, Blaylock's team prevailed over Musten's team, and Mr. Lewis stood by his decision. Could the athletes from the three rival communities work together? The football team proved that they could and all the fears of separatism dissolved. Success of the football team was reflected in the classroom . . . and a winning tradition was born.