The John N. Dalton School building was named and dedicated on September 4, 1986. It was named after John Nichols Dalton (July 11, 1931 - July 30, 1986) who was the 63rd governor of Virginia. Dalton was a supporter of education and helped "settle a federal lawsuit on the desegregation of Virginia's institutions of higher education".
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_N._Dalton) Robert R. Young was the school's first principal.Dalton and Radford High School were separate buildings with an outdoor walkway between the schools. They shared the cafeteria, library, gym, football stadium, sports practice areas, and some classrooms. In 1997, two computer labs were added that connected the two schools and provided an enclosed hallway. Today, Dalton still shares many areas with the High School including the King Fitness Center which was completed in 1999.