Van devender

The staff, students and community at Van Devender, located in Parkersburg's North End neighborhood, work hard every day to gain the knowledge, skills and the ability to think independently. Van Devender has a rich history in thinking independently.

The school was named for Charles Elliot Van Devender. Mr. Van Devender was born in 1848. He was a teacher in Gilmer County along with his wife. He became a prominent businessperson in the Parkersburg community. During his lifetime, he was involved in the mining, lumber, oil, and real estate industries. In 1914, he was elected president of the Wood County Schools Board of Education.

Business leaders were interested in building a new high school for Parkersburg. Many felt Van Devender was the right person for the job.

As president, he quickly started working on plans for the new school. He purchased twenty-seven acres of land where Parkersburg High School stands today. Van Devender was widely criticized for his choice of location for the new school. Many people felt that the school was too far from town. Others thought that he purchased too much land.

The school opened in 1917, and was considered one of West Virginia's finest campuses. After completion, Van Devender donated a baby grand piano to the school. He was able to realize his dream of seeing his grandchild graduate from the newly finished school.

Our school was named for this ambitious leader. He died at age 94 in 1943.

Van Devender orignally started as an eight room brick building. It was located where the Parkersburg and Wood County Public Library now stands. The first principal of Van Devender was Clarence Gustke. This school had approximately 300 students and just nine teachers. The first principal of the new building, as it is located now, was Edwin Warner.

Van Devender continues this spirit of ambition with unique programs and a dedicated staff that serves the needs of a diverse population. Each student learns in an atmosphere that embraces our school's vision and mission statements.