Fauquier High School (FHS) was first opened in 1963. Now, in the year 2025, it is time to imagine what school was like in the 60s, elaborate on how school is in the present and wonder how school will be in the future.
While FHS has always had a warm family feel, much has changed since the 60s. One of Fauquier High School’s most beloved teachers, David Smith U.S. Government, was a student here in the 60s and recalled how much has changed since then, stating, “When I was here we had a segregated high school until 1967 and then we integrated the school. It was a very small school because all we had was 700-and-some students total.” Smith explains how the grades were organized, “We had eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth grade. At that time you had elementary school, junior high school and then high school. That was it,” Smith concluded.
Current students at FHS have their own ideas on what school was like in the 60s. “I think it was very old, no technology, but I think it was a lot more fun because people were more engaged in talking and making personal connections with other people,” sophomore Emily Galvez said. Sophomore Niko Reutzel also commented saying, “I think a lot of classes were different. I don’t know if they did the four block system. I know the school got renovated, so it probably looked really different and much more of its time.” FHS has grown and developed a lot from the sixties to now.
School nowadays is very technology-focused. Most assignments and assessments are given via Chromebooks and most lectures come in the form of online slideshows. Talking about how school is now, senior Madelynne Martin said, “[I would tell future students about] football games, athletic events, dances and how energetic it is. How there’s lots of school spirit.” A typical school day in 2025 is full of socialization and education. Sophomore Brock Rollinger shared his schedule saying, “[I] get to school, go to breakfast, just hang out with friends. [Then I] go to math. Second block comes [next]. Electricity’s fun.” Rollinger then continued to explain the next half of his day saying, “[In] Academic enrichment [AE], I go to Mr. Kraut’s and [sometimes] go outside. Then I come to English and then lunch. [I] mainly hang out with friends. Just the same every day. And then [I have] fourth block horticulture.” Rollinger finished. Every class is packed full of interesting information that keeps students engaged throughout the course. Freshman Thaddaeus Mueller agreed saying, “The classes are pretty interesting.” A lot has changed at FHS in 60 years and a lot more could change in the next sixty years.
While the future is unclear, students at FHS have many ideas on what school will look like in the future. “[In the cafeteria] we’ll probably have booths and better stuff in the classrooms [as well as] better protection” freshman Myleigh Adair said. Students also wonder how socialization will be in the future. Galvez commented on this saying, “I think people won’t talk to each other as much and I feel like there won’t be a lot of teaching with actual teachers because I feel like AI [Artificial Intellegence] is developing a lot and it’s making, even now, cheating a lot easier and grading too. So I don’t think there’ll be a lot of staff here at the school.” Reutzel also had a similar view on future socialization saying, “I feel mostly the biggest thing that will change is the people and the life of the school,“ he also commented on how school will be in the future, “I feel like there’d be a lot of things about safety. That’s a big thing going on. I don’t think that the looks will change all that much. There might be a couple new classes.” In the past 60 years the school has expanded and grown in attendance. Junior Cara Rooke expects to see more in the future saying, “It’s probably gonna be a lot bigger and we’re gonna expand towards where the woods are.” Rooke also expects to see more technology usage commenting, “[I think that there will be] a lot more technology and [we will have] electronic boards in every class.” Martin also agrees that there will be more technology, “[The school will] definitely [be] more technologically advanced… we [will] probably have more computer stuff. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were robots walking around trying to teach us stuff.” Senior Eli Rittenhouse also commented saying, “Everything will be on the computer.”
School has wildly changed in the past 60 years and we can only wonder what the next 60 years will bring. Whether it be more technology and less socialization, or more opportunities for students, one thing can be for sure: FHS will forever be a family. FHS has always been a safe place for students and staff and has always welcomed new ideas, expansions and advancements. The future is unclear but the community and love will forever be unchanged at the school everyone loves Fauquier.
