Anna Jonesboro Community High School was started in the fall of 1918 by combining Anna High School, Jonesboro High School and Union Academy on Union Academy's campus and from land and homes of the Mr. and Mrs. Charles Willard estate. The Anna and Jonesboro High school buildings were used as grade school for many years until the building were update or torn down and new buildings were built.

Anna Jonesboro Community High School in the 1940s, and the early 1950s was limited to Willard Hall, Benton Hall, Bar-San Hall, Raven Theater, Football Field. The campus of 20 acres was surrounded by woods on east and west side of the football and behind Raven Theater on the North side by Baker Street. . The front grounds of the school was bound by South Main Street at the top of the hill between Anna and Jonesboro.

Benton Hall was a newer building built on Union Academy grounds built with dotation from Jacob Benton from Dongola, Illinois contributed five thousand to building fund permitting the building to erected free of debate. Benton Hall was named in his honor. Bar-San Hall was built in 1923 and named Bar-San Hall in 1948 after Miss Clara Bartow and Mrs. Ella Jane Pickles Sanders, both were teachers at the school for many years. The Football Field was behind Benton Hall and it was used as a multipurpose sports field, and other activates. Around the football field was a cinder track used for practice only. The distance track runners had to go to the Anna Fairground track to practice.

The football field was used a lot of action in the 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s from the children living around high school area. The children played a lot of football, softball, baseball on the football field. In the southeast wooded area next to the football field was a sawdust pit, used for tackling practice. The sawdust pit was used as a play area by the children. The woods around the football field made a great place run through paths, playing tag, swinging on grape vines and eating wild grapes, "call possum grapes". At the back of the stage area of Raven Theater was a path that ran very far back through the woods. Fred Elkins was in A-J High school for 1949-1950, 1950-1951, 1951-1952, 1952-1953. He graduated in the 1953 class. Fred helped build the Tennis Court. The court never did see much action.

At the back of the stage area of Raven Theater was a path the run very far back through the woods. The path was used for teaching. Many Activities were held in Raven Theater, and graduations.

The Lenard home and the Pitts home was just southeast of the football field on the other side of Baker Street, with and barn back between the two houses. The barn had a basketball hoop on the front side that was used a lot. The children living on Baker Street and children from town used the school grounds and football field as their personal playgrounds. Sometimes the boys would make the long walk to Davie School's blacktop court for games with the other boys.

Anna Jonesboro Community High School saw very few improvements in the 40s and 50s. The city of Anna bought the old Hall Willard Hospital and after the New Union County Hospital was built, work was started on updating the A-J Campus. Hospital had stood for many years, with woods and cow pasture behind the building on the site where Union Hall is now. The old hospital was torn down to make room for Union Hall. Union Hall was open in the fall of 1952 and the Class of 1953 graduate there in May 1953. Union Hall housed a large gymnasium, a cafeteria which served up to 250 people, Commercial and Music Departments and Farm shop rooms. Willard Hall was part of the original Union Academy and was used as princpale home. The field in the back of Union Hall was a cow pasture in the early fifties. In 1950 and 60 the A- J campus was abundant with trees, shrubs and a variety of plants.

Willard Hall, Benton Hall and Bar-San Hall were all torn down and replaced with a new building added on to Union Hall. New Football field was built in 1978 - 1979 years. The foot team had to practus at the fairgrounds and play away games until the new football was ready. The 1980 A-J class went to school in the old and new buildings. 2020 picture of Anna Jonesboro Community High School improvement.