Recognizing the serious need for additional educational opportunities in Roanoke Rapids, a group of residents asked the North Carolina General Assembly to grant them a charter for a school district.
Hobart Upjohn, a noted New York architect, was chosen to design the very best possible facility for the students and the community.
This building, with its classic Elizabethan style, has served as a landmark in Roanoke Rapids and northeastern North Carolina.
In 1935 the district opened Clara Hearne School to serve the needs of its growing elementary aged population.
In January 2018, the Trustees and the Halifax County Commissioners cut the ribbon on the new Manning Elementary School.