In the fall of 1908, the Cherryville Academy School officially passed the state requirements for graduating students following 11 years of formal instruction.

It achieved this significant milestone, as a "North Carolina state high school", under the administration of Principal J.W.

The "Academy", which was abandoned in 1915 for the new brick structure, was significant because it heralded the first graduating class from Cherryville Schools: two girls and four boys.

Early victims were the home economics' department and the public school music teacher position, which were not reinstituted until 1931.

In 1936 a third, large, two-story brick building was constructed on the east portion of the original five-acre tract bought in 1915.

The same year a vocational wing was added to the east side of the high school building to accommodate home economics, agricultural and shop instruction.

Also in 1952 a new high school classroom addition was constructed, specific for the business and commercial instruction department at CHS.

This building, immediately to the west of Starnes Auditorium, now houses part of Cherryville's W. Blaine Beam Intermediate School.

A vocational department for bricklaying and shop was added to the basement area of the Joe R. Nixon Physical Education Building.

Harvey Lee Patterson was the first black student who entered CHS in 1965 and he graduated with honors, as Class Salutatorian in 1969.

Dr. Black led the effort along with Carson to seek consensus among the commission to permanently eliminate funding for construction of the Northwest High School.

Following these public hearings, with overwhelming opposition still against the proposed merger, Dr Black fostered the within the Gaston County Commissioners and Consolidated Gaston County Board of Education to maintain Cherryville High School and Bessemer City High School as separate entities.

In tandem Black and other citizens demanded that funding be made available to replace the antiquated 1936 CHS building, still in use at that time.

Funding was approved and by 1981 a new CHS building was added to the existing Cherryville Junior High School, located on Ridge Avenue.

The school was constructed in the same circular fashion as the junior high building, giving it an aerial look of a reel-to-reel movie projector.

Grants are awarded exclusively to Cherryville High each year based on specific criteria, aligning with the Foundation's mission and objectives.