Midway was formed from the consolidation of Trinity School and Sutherland School in the fall of 1911. It was named “Midway” because it was halfway between Trinity School and Sutherland School. The first building was a four-room wooden framed building. It had no indoor bathrooms and the water was pumped from the wells on the grounds. The first teachers were the two Sutherland teachers, Miss Mary Thompson and Miss Willie I. Spain, as well as Mrs. M. E. Gunn and Miss Maude Blick.
In 1912, the Midway Betterment League was organized, which became the Community League, to provide equipment and necessities for the school. This would later become our current P.T.O. In the summer of 1915, it was decided that Midway would become a high school. For the 1915-1916 school year, the staff included Miss Lilla Gerow (Mrs. T.C. Diehl) as Principal, Mr. J. Bernard Potts as the high school teacher, Miss Mamie Clarke as the sixth and seventh grade teacher, Miss Willie Harmon taught fourth and fifth grade, and Miss Kate Watkins (Wingfield) taught grades one, two, and three. Students came from Marmora, Poole Siding, and other nearby two-room elementary schools by way of school buses drawn by horses or mules.
During 1916-1917 a second story was added to make room for six teachers as well as a music teacher. The first graduating class received their diplomas in June, 1917. Every member the graduating class would go on to attend college.
In 1922 Midway became an accredited four year high school. Subjects included were English, Latin, history, algebra, geometry, and science. Sixteen credits were required for graduation. There were no electives.
In 1936 the main building of our present Midway School was built of brick. It contained two bathrooms, music room, library, and five classrooms on the lower floor. On the top story were six classrooms, office, and laboratory. The home economics and agriculture buildings were built in 1936, while the cafeteria was added later in 1949.
During World War II a cannery was built of cinder blocks across the back driveway from the agriculture building. This served as the cafeteria for several years until the present cafeteria was finished in 1949. The cinder block building would later burn down in 1965-1966
The little white house, which still currently stands, earned the nickname of the “Dog House.” Stories vary as to how it got this name, including when too many people were in the brick building, the overflow would be put in the “dog house,” while others say that the door was often left open and dogs would go in and eat student lunches.
In 1955-1956 five rooms were added to the west end of the main building. There was also a steel building were the sixth and seven grades were housed. Two cinder block rooms were added as well as two bathrooms. This was later followed by a trailer being placed at the back of the “dog house.” Until the consolidation of the high schools, more trailer classrooms were added. During the last few years a high school, there were as many as six trailers because of the main building burning in 1966-1967.
In 1966-1967 token integration began at Midway, the first place in Dinwiddie County and Southside Virginia. The 1969-1970 school year saw the full integration by order of the Federal courts. Due to zoning and pairing, Midway became an all elementary school. Students and teachers from Northside Elementary, which was designated a primary school consisting of grades 1-3, joined Midway Elementary. This school year also marked the start of teachers having aides for the first time to help them. Remedial reading also became a part of the curriculum at Midway during that school year with the purpose of improving the reading of students who have the ability to reach their grade level. Books, recorders, records, visual aids, and several other materials were furnished to meet the child’s needs.
Special education was first begun in Dinwiddie County at Midway Elementary in 1965. The agriculture building was used for this class. The first year of special education consisted of 20 students ranging from 10 to 16 years of age.
In 1970-1971 a pre-vocational class began at Midway. This included “shop” class for boys and training in cooking, sewing, and home economics for girls.
The 1972-1973 school year saw the first male teacher at Midway. Mr. Timothy Edward Haynes was the physical education teacher. He instructed the students in skills and exercises that the regular classroom teacher had little time or experience in.