By that time the increasing number of students made it apparent that more room for classes would soon have to be provided.  Consequently, in 1928, a ten-acre tract of land was purchased by the county from Mr. A.F. Stanford for $4,000 in the spring of 1929 the old wing of our present building  was completed.

When Donelson High School moved to it's present location, the student body numbered 97 and the senior class  13.  The faculty members were Mr. C.C. Jennings, principal; Miss Ruth Wood; Mr. C.L. Brockett; Miss Eunice Pittard; Mr. W.F. Smith; and Mr. J.H. Tucker.

In the fall of 1931  Mr. Tom Roy McMurry became principal.  He filled that position until Mr. Tucker succeeded him in 1933.  Mr. Tucker was a member of the faculty from 1928 until his retirement in 1956, serving as principal and as teacher.

A gymnasium was built in 1931,  and in 1941 eight classrooms were added to the original building.

In 1946, Mr. Tucker resigned as principal in order to devote his time entirely to our agricultural department and to serving as County Supervisor of Agriculture.  Mr. Jack W. Draper succeeded him.

In the past  years may improvements have been made.  Through the efforts of the Donelson Civic Club the athletic field was equipped with lights, fence, bleachers, and a concessions house.  In the summer of 1950 five classrooms were added, and the gymnasium was enlarged to a capacity of 700.

In 1951 the county purchased from Mr. A. W. Gordon, at a price of $20,000, seven acres of land and the house that was used  for the custodian's home.

In the fall of 1952, Mr. Jimmy Edwards  became principal, filling the vacancy left by Mr. Draper.

In 1953 the Vocational building was completed at a cost of $65,000.  This building housed the industrial arts shop, the agricultural shop, and the band and chorus rooms.  During that same year the Civic Club installed twenty-four 1500-watt reflectors for the lighting on the football field.

The eighth grade classes from Donelson and Stanford Elementary Schools were moved to Donelson High School in 1955.  A new addition was completed that year at a cost of $200,000.  The wing consisted of a modern kitchen and cafeteria, a library, thirteen classrooms, the office,  and the clinic.

During this time many improvements were made on the athletic field.  The Donelson Lions Club donated an electric scoreboard and clock in  1954.  In  1955 the Donelson Kiwanis Club donated a modern press box.  In the fall of 1955, one thousand seats were added, and the Donelson Athletic Boosters installed a public address system on the field.  In the spring of 1956, one thousand more seats were added, bringing the total seating capacity to 3,360.

The seventh and eight grades  from all the feeder schools were moved to Donelson High School in the fall of 1955, completing the change from a four-year to a six-year school.  Mr. Chester LaFever became the assistant principal.

In the year 1956-57 six new classrooms were added to the west wing.  A new physical education plant was completed in the spring of 1957 at a cost of $240,000.  This building contained four dressing rooms and a new gymnasium seating two thousand.  A large stage was located at the north end of the gym.

In 1959 six new classrooms were added  to the west wing at a cost of $60,000.  In the same year the biology department acquired much new equipment including an incubator, an autoclave, a micro projector, and a human skeleton.

The  other science departments (General Science, Chemistry, and Physics) obtained $7,500 for new equipment in 1960.  The language laboratory was also added the same year.

in 1960  Mr. LaFever was appointed  principal of the new Two Rivers High School which took many of the seventh and eight grade students from the Donelson High School zone.  Mr. Jack Bradford. former principal of Margaret Allen and Richland School, replaced Mr. LaFever as assistant principal.

Further additions to the school building were made to accommodate a steadily growing student body which numbered approximately 1,400.  The faculty increased to fifty.

In January, 1967 Mr. Bradford was appointed to Data Processing and Dr. Howard Baltimore  replaced him for the rest of the school year.

Mr. James Coots came to Donelson as assistant principal in the school year 1967-68.

With the opening of McGavock High School in the fall of 1971 Donelson High School became a junior high school (grades 7 and 8).  Mr. James Wright was appointed principal and Mr. Jimmy Edwards went to Antioch High School as principal.  Mr. Joe Seibert succeeded Mr. Coots as assistant principal with Mr. Coots going to Overton High School as assistant principal.  In 1967 Mr. Wright was sent to Apollo Junior High School as principal and Mr. Coots returned as principal of Donelson Junior High School.

Assistant principals at Donelson Junior High School in addition to Mr. Seibert were Mr. Joe Welch, Mr. Jim Thompson, Mrs. Jean Nicholson, and Mr. Edwin Polley.

Donelson High School's record was one of progress and achievement.  Since 1942 the school was a member of the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools.  Such membership was attained by  meeting standards of excellence in faculty preparation, curriculum offered, physical facilities, and student activities.

Donelson High School started with forty students and grew in excess of sixteen hundred.  Since 1924 Donelson High School was a vital part of the community and while we knew not what the future held we can look upon the past with pride for what Donelson Junior and Senior High School has meant to our heritage.