This thesis examines the history of school consolidation in Randolph County, West Virginia, which includes some of the most rural, mountainous land in the state. West Virginians have built schools, reorganized schools, and made numerous changes to structures over the last 250 years. Some changes had community support; others encountered stormy opposition. In 1990, rural residents of the county had a rare success in resisting the most recent wave of state-driven consolidation, and one surviving school--Pickens School--is the smallest K-12 school in the state. This thesis reviews past research and relates it to consolidation issues in Randolph County: what drives consolidation, whether it is in the best interest of students, alternatives to consolidation, and whether the idea of economies of scale should be the main factor affecting educational decisions. Following a history of public schools in West Virginia, background is presented on Randolph County schools and on the 1990 consolidation fight. Issues included the local school board's efforts to gain state funding for a new high school by closing its smallest schools, school board claims that consolidation would improve educational quality, and the dangerous and lengthy bus rides that students would have after consolidation. The final chapter presents implications for other rural areas and alternatives to consolidation. (Contains 51 references.) (SV)