Carmi started out with one school.  It was Carmi Free School.  It was started in 1856.  That is where everyone that wanted an education went to at that time.  After the Carmi Free School, three more schools where opened up in the 1870's.  One of the three was the North Side School.  It was located where Jefferson School is today.  K through 8th grades attended there.  Another one was South Side School.  Elementary and High School students attended there.  It was located where Washington School is today.  The last one was the East Side School.  This school was for the black students.   It was located across the Little Walbash River bridge and to your left.  These schools where used until they where replaced in the 1930's.

Carmi Township High School was located on the present high school site.  Classes began in the new building on September. 7, 1919.  The first class to graduate in the building was in 1918-1919.   This was before the building was finished.  All previous classes held their graduation in the Carmi Opera House (Today Rush Appliances).

    It was Carmi Township High School until 1970 when we became a Unit District.  It then became Carmi Community High School until the 1988-1989 school year when Carmi consolidated with Crossvile and we are now Carmi-White County High School.

    Carmi Township High School, built in 1918-1919 was destroyed by a fire.  This happen about three hours after a basketball game in the new gym.  It began on Sunday, January 2, 1955 at 1:10 A.M.  With a total damage loss of $300,000.  The remainder of the school survived.  The office wing, auditorium, library and old study hall replaced the burned out structure.

    The gym for the old building sat where the cafeteria is today.  When it became inadequate,  the High School played their games at the Washington School Gym until the present gym opened in 1954.

   The Bulldog mascot has been around for quite some time.  It all started during the school year of 1934-1935 when the assistant football coach remarked during the game "Carmi players fight like Bulldogs".  The nickname "Fighting Bulldogs" just kind of stuck.  It is not known when the "Fighting" was dropped.  Prior to this, the high school teams were referred to as "Maroon and White".