When Oneida, Tennessee's K-12 school was threatened with closure by the state fire marshall, the community mounted an extraordinary effort to save it. Challenged by local philanthropists, the community drastically raised its taxes and built three new schools, furnished with the latest equipment and innovative curricula. (SV)

A case study of Oneida High School (Oneida, Tennessee) in December 1997 examined influences and unique circumstances that sustained the school in the face of possible closure and enabled it to "flourish." The study included structured interviews with over 70 individuals in the school and community, focus groups, and informal…