“The Park School was originally built as a community building in 1936 by the American Legion. Soon after its construction, the building was used for high school physical education classes through an agreement between the Legion and the Board. In 1959 the Board of Education purchased the building and converted in to a fourteen room school through a renovation and construction project that began in 1960. All St. Marys area sixth graders and some St. Marys area fifth graders attended classes there for the 1960-61 school year. When the renovation was completed in 1961 All fifth and sixth graders in the St. Marys area and all seventh graders from Pleasants County attended Park School. This helped overcome overcrowding at both SMES and SMHS which then housed grades 8-12 in 1961.

Park School operated as a fifth through seventh grade school until 1975 when Pleasants County Middle School opened. Park School closed that year and the building was deeded back to the county court of Pleasants County to be again used as a community building. Later, it was re-named the Jim Spence Center and houses the WVU Extension Service, Pleasants County Parks and Recreation Offices and Facilities, the Boys and Girls Club, and other community services.”

https://www.pleasantscountyschools.com/page/history-of-pleasants-county-schools