Why is the school called Butler Academy?
Starting around 1900, The Hartsville Graded School was the first public school for black children in Hartsville. It was renamed the Darlington County Training School in 1918 and again in 1939 after Rev. Henry H. Butler, longtime principal of the school. The school continued to serve the black population of Hartsville until graduating its final class of high school seniors in 1983. In much of our community, the Butler legacy is synonymous with the advancement of individuals who were once marginalized by an existing system.
In the presence of continued academic inequity, we have named our school Butler Academy to align ourselves with a legacy already associated with the plight of those who sought social justice and equality before us. We hope to continue that legacy of pride by providing school choice to Darlington County families who, regardless of race, gender, or religion, have either felt marginalized or underserved by the existing educational options in Hartsville or who want fresh alternatives to the status quo.
