Kate Duncan Smith DAR School
The Gem of Gunter Mountain...
Kate Duncan Smith DAR School, Inc., located on Gunter Mountain in northeast Alabama, serves grades K-12 and provides opportunities for the children of a large, rural area in the Appalachian foothills to develop a strong love of American ideals as they obtain a distinctive academic background. Emphasis is upon patriotic education throughout the curriculum. Although the school plant and enrollment have increased greatly in size and number since 1924, the same spirit of dedication to achievement, patriotic and moral values, and service to community and country exists on the campus today as it did in the early years of this unique educational experiment of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
The Early Years...
Kate Duncan Smith DAR School is located in the Appalachian area of Northeast Alabama, high on Gunter Mountain. The school is located in Grant in Marshall County.
Kate Duncan Smith DAR School is the only school with grades K-12 in the United States owned and operated by members of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The Alabama Society DAR established the school in 1924 and named it in honor of Kate Duncan Smith (Mrs. J. Morgan), who had been the guiding hand for the Alabama Chapters for twenty-one years. In April, 1928, the Alabama Daughters were joined in their noble efforts by the National Society DAR.
Several possible locations were considered but the selection of the present site was determined by its isolation and great need for improved educational opportunities; the interest, enthusiasm and great desire of the mountain people for a school; a highly intelligent native population, many of whom were descendants of Revolutionary ancestors; and the beauty of the site on the edge of Gunter mountain overlooking historic Kennamer Cove.
Kate Duncan Smith is more than just a school for mountain boys and girls. It is woven and ingrained into the hearts of its students and graduates and has become the major force in the development of the local population educationally, economically, socially, physically, and spiritually.
The "Gem of Gunter Mountain" stands as a monument to the love and devotion of the DAR. Because of the love and concern of Daughters everywhere, this Gem sparkles more brightly each year. Visit the DAR School Website.
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