Clinton Elementary School

The Clinton City Schools Quilt Square is located in the downtown area of historic Clinton, TN. Clinton is a destination location for history buffs and antique shoppers (from all over the United States) who visit the historic downtown area. The school system for the city of Clinton has been in operation since 1895 and is one of the highest-achieving systems in the state. The actual quilt square site itself is significant to the history of the town as it was the original site of the Clinton Public School, constructed in 1903. The original building was expanded and became the home of Clinton High School until 1927, when CHS moved next door to the current site of Clinton Middle School (there is an official historic marker in front of this building commemorating the desegregation of Clinton High School in 1956). The building then became Clinton Grammar School and was replaced with our current building in 1961. Within walking distance of the quilt square are several local destinations: the Green McAdoo Cultural Center (a TN state museum commemorating the Clinton 12 and the historic desegregation story), the Ritz Theater and Hoskins Drug Store (both on the National Register of Historic Places), the 5-story stone Daughtery Building (also on the National Register) which anchors the corner of the Historic District, the Town Springs fountain, the old historic Post Office and Train Depot, and the Riverfront recreational area. We know that quilt-square lovers are most likely history lovers....and it doesn't get much better in Clinton!

Clinton City Schools is made up of three elementary schools and each quilt block represents one of the three schools and central office. In art class, students chose traditional quilt patterns to represent individual school communities ( Q1-Ohio Star, Q2-Friendship Star, Q3-Shoo Fly, Q4-Art Square). Then we used a Square in a Square to pull them all together. This is our artistic interpretation of a “Tradition of Excellence”, a rich heritage that continues to excel.