Soon after the consolidation of the smaller school districts of Spartanburg County into the present seven districts, plans were begun for a high school to serve the Campobello, Gramling, Holly Springs, Inman, and New Prospect areas. A twenty-two acre tract of land was donated by Mr. James Alfred Chapman, founder of Inman Mills. The land was accepted by the trustees for Mr. T. E. Mabry, Superintendent of District One, as the site for the new school. Construction was started on the building in the summer of 1953 by the T. C. Brittain Construction Company. Mr. Harold Woodward and associates served as architects. Costs of construction was approximately $500,000.000. The plant was completed in time for the 1954-55 school session. The school was formally dedicated to the memory of the late James Alfred Chapman and in honor of his family on December 13, 1954. The facilities have undergone a number of renovations and additions since the completion of the original complex in 1954. In 1987 additional acres were purchased to the west of the campus in order to build a sports complex.
Mission Statement:
Chapman High School is to establish a positive and safe environment where staff, family, and community work together to provide an exemplary student-centered education. Within this environment, students are provided the opportunities to develop the tools necessary to become self-disciplined, responsible individuals who are creative and critical thinkers. Through curriculum and instructional practices which incorporate a variety of engaging learning activities to accommodate advances in technology and differences in learning styles and abilities, students can achieve at their highest potential and become productive, life-long learners in an ever-changing society.