Kingsport Spirit

Generations of Kingsport eastside students have grown up singing, “Let’s give a cheer to RNR, to the colors white and blue”.

As a John Sevier alumnus, RNR’s archrival, I never gave much thought to the man behind the school’s name. In my formative years, RNR might as well have been in a neighboring city. The eastside of town was way beyond my beaten path. I remember on very special occasions Dad took us to the only McDonald’s (on Fort Henry near the mall) and I had a hard time staying awake for the (long) trip! We didn’t live in Rotherwood or Ridgefields, mind you, we lived on Cherry Street near the Renaissance Center.

When my cousin became a cheerleader at Robinson, I remember thinking, “Well, there goes the family.” Now that I’m older, I can put aside my petty ways. After all, my kids went to Robinson. I must admit, however, I still know all the words to John Sevier’s fight song and remember the pep rallies in old Sprankle Gymnasium.

Ross N. Robinson came to Kingsport in 1921 as the principal of Kingsport Central High School. Three years later, at the age of 30, he became superintendent of Kingsport City Schools, which consisted of 3 schools at the time (according to a newspaper article). Which schools exactly is unclear because I count Central High on Watauga Street, Jackson Elementary on Gate City Highway (now Donelson Drive), and Lincoln Elementary on Yadkin Street (now a part of the Renaissance Center) being open by 1921, but I found newspaper references to a “colored” school called Oklahoma (the site of today’s Cora Cox Academy) as far back as 1919. Maybe it was managed outside the Kingsport public system originally?

At his retirement in 1954, the newspaper cited that the system had grown to two high schools (all-white Dobyns-Bennett and all-black Douglass), a junior high, and six elementary schools. A new junior high (now called middle school) bearing his name opened in 1955.

In a tribute to his work, the Board of Education said, “The reputation of the Kingsport schools are directly the result of the efforts and direction of Mr. Robinson in adhering to sound and conservative educational policy in the administration of the system, and in his careful selection and development of a competent staff of principals and teachers.”

He was a native of Pioneer, Tennessee, a graduate of Carson-Newman College, and served in the field artillery during World War I.

“He played an active role in community affairs, serving as a member of the Library Commission, Recreation Commission and Community Chest Board of Directors, and as an elder in the Presbyterian Church. He was a charter member and past president of Kiwanis Club.”

After retirement, he spent the final 19 years of his life living in Kingsport, residing at 1517 Belmeade Drive until his death in 1973 at age 78.

He spent a total of 33 years working for Kingsport City Schools.

As someone who spent 35 years working for the City of Kingsport myself–now 5 years into retirement–it reminds me that if I lived 19 years in retirement like he did, what would I want to do with the final 14 years I have left?

He continued to serve as a volunteer. I admire that.

You can retire from a job, but you can’t retire from the love you feel for the community, and you can find positive ways to channel your energies for good. One day at a time, like he did.

I wonder what Ross N. Robinson would think of his namesake school. It teeters at 1000 students, which is nearly as many as the entire system during his early career. It’s larger than many high schools in the region including Elizabethton, Greeneville, and Sullivan East.

As the last line of the school song says, “Oh Robinson, we are so proud to sing your praises long and loud.”

And to answer the burning question, “What did the N stand for?”: Newman.