Wilmington High School was a public high school in Wilmington, Delaware. Its mascot was the red devils.[1] It was the last traditional public high school in the Wilmington city limits.[2]
History
editIt was established in 1872.[1] Initially black children were not permitted to enroll at Wilmington High, and they were only allowed to go to Howard High School.[3]
In the middle of the 20th century the school racially integrated. Initially there were conflicts. In 1960 it moved into its final building. Alumnus Dr. Pete Grandell of Elsmere stated that racial tensions evaporated by the 1960s. The school became mostly African-American by the 1970s.[1]
The school's final building was designed by Wilmington architects Whiteside, Moeckel & Carbonell.[4]
After 1978 a desegregation order resulted in the Wilmington area being divided amongst several school districts. Wilmington High remained open as part of the Red Clay School District.[3]
Eventually the student population decreased, resulting in its closure.[3] It closed in 1999.[1]
Student body
editIt had 1,069 students, 77% white and 22% black, in 1964.[1]
It had 1,967 students, 71% black and 24% white, in 1973.[1]
Notable alumni
edit- Paul Chadick, basketball player
- Ira Pierce, chemist
- Herm Reitzes, sportscaster
See also
edit- P. S. Dupont High School, another former traditional comprehensive high school in Wilmington
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f Prado, Antonio; Miller, Andréa (2008-10-21). "Wilmington High School Red Devils celebrate school and mourn its loss". Hockessin Community News. Gannett Co, Inc. Retrieved 2021-07-03.
- ^ "Where is Wilmington High?". WHYY. - WHYY Specials Season 20 Episode 1. The source is the text next to the video.
- ^ a b c Barrish, Cris; Eichmann, Mark (2020-01-18). "Could bringing back Wilmington High help fix school inequities?". WHYY. Retrieved 2021-07-03.
- ^ W. Barksdale Maynard, Buildings of Delaware (Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2008): 135.
External links
edit- SCHOOL PROFILE for WILMINGTON HIGH SCHOOL at the Wayback Machine (archived 1997-07-05)
39°45′13″N 75°35′15″W / 39.7535°N 75.5875°W
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