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Central High School (Detroit)

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Central High School, previously Central Collegiate Academy and originally named Central High School, is the oldest public high school in Detroit, Michigan; it is part of the Detroit Public Schools Community District.[2][4]

Central High School
Address
Map
2425 Tuxedo Street

Detroit
,
Michigan

United States
Information
Former nameCentral Collegiate Academy
TypePublic high school
School districtDetroit Public Schools Community District
PrincipalLaToyia Webb[1]
Teaching staff25.30 (FTE)[2]
Grades9–12
Enrollment392 (2023–2024)[2]
Student to teacher ratio15.49[2]
AreaUrban
Color(s)Navy and White   
Athletics conferenceDetroit Public School League
Team nameTrailblazers

Central High School in 1904; this building is now Old Main at Wayne State University
Student assessments
2021–22 school
year[3]
Change vs.
prior year[3]
M-STEP 11th grade proficiency rates
(Science / Social Studies)
Advanced %≤10 / ≤10
Proficient %≤10 / ≤10
PR. Proficient %– / –
Not Proficient %– / –
Average test scores
SAT Total744.3
(Decrease −30.7)

The school's student body is about 98 percent African-American and 90 percent are categorized as economically disadvantaged.[5]

History

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In 1858, Detroit's first high school opened on Miami Avenue. By 1863, increased enrollment caused the school to be moved to a building that had formerly housed the State Capitol, becoming Capitol High School. In 1871, the University of Michigan granted accreditation to the school.[6]

In 1893, a fire destroyed Capitol High School, but it continued to function temporarily at the Biddle House on East Jefferson Avenue. In 1896, Capitol was replaced by Central High School, at the intersection of Cass and Warren Avenue; the structure is still in use as Wayne State University's Old Main.[6]

In 1904, innovative educator David Mackenzie returned to his hometown as the new principal of Central High School. By 1913, under Mackenzie's direction, a one-year, college-level premedical curriculum was established at Central High, the first junior college curriculum organized in Michigan. In 1916, the program was extended to two years, and in 1917 the state legislature approved Mackenzie's plans for establishing the Detroit Junior College, forerunner of Wayne State University. In 1919, David Mackenzie was officially appointed first Dean of the college.[7]

In 1926, a further increase in the student population caused Central High School to be moved to its current location, at 2425 Tuxedo Street.[8]

In the fall of 2015, several former students from Highland Park Renaissance High School, a high school in Highland Park which closed earlier that year, enrolled in Central. To help the Highland Park students adjust, David Oclander, the principal of Central, established a "dean of culture" at the school.[9]

In 2017, the school returned to being run by Detroit Public Schools after having been part of the Educational Achievement Authority. Also in the fall of 2017 Durfee Elementary/Middle School was relocated to the Central High School building. Central High School was limited to only one of the building's three floors. This was possible because Central had declined to only 350 students, with 600 students at Durfee. In its heyday Central High School had had an enrollment of 4,000 students.[10]

Athletics

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As Detroit's oldest high school, Central has enjoyed a tradition of athletic success.[11]

Central High School dominated city league men's basketball during the early twentieth century, winning championship titles in 1906, 1907 and 1909. Despite the absence of tournament play (1910–1919), Central High was a perennial fixture atop the standings at season's end.

CHS also won city tournament titles in 1934, 1942 and 1980.[12] In 1998, Coach Oronde Taliaferro marched his Trailblazers through the postseason, all the way to the Michigan High School Athletic Association championship game. In the final, Central dispatched Belleville High 63-47 to claim the state title.[13]

The Girls Volleyball team was led by Coach Matt Dixon and won 3 city championships in a row (1990, 1991, and 1992), with both of the setters (Nachele Ebo and Demetria Keys) earned Division 1 scholarships.

During the 1980s, Central's track and field program stamped an indelible mark in the record books; Coach Woody Thomas and his track men won a total of four MHSAA team titles - in 1980, 81, 82 and 1984.[14]

Notable alumni

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References

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  1. ^ "Our School / Meet the Principal". Central High School. Retrieved November 1, 2022 – via Detroit Public Schools.
  2. ^ a b c d "Search for Public Schools - Central High School (260110304670)". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved December 26, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "MI School Data Annual Education Report". Mi School Data. Retrieved 2023-01-10.
  4. ^ "Welcome EAA Community". Detroit Public Schools. Archived from the original on 2017-04-29. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  5. ^ "Central High School in Detroit, MI". US News Best High Schools. U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved November 1, 2022.
  6. ^ a b "Central High School". Detroit Public Schools. Archived from the original on April 5, 2010.
  7. ^ Walter P. Reuther Library David Mackenzie Papers
  8. ^ "Inside Detroit Public Schools » Central High School Archived 2009-04-15 at the Wayback Machine." Detroit Public Schools. Retrieved on April 18, 2009.
  9. ^ Abdel-Razzaq, Lauren (2015-09-05). "Displaced Highland Park students find new schools". The Detroit News. Retrieved 2017-05-02.
  10. ^ Detroit News March 7, 2017
  11. ^ "Central High School - Education Achievement Authority". Archived from the original on 2016-05-19. Retrieved 2016-05-10.
  12. ^ Detroit PSL Basketball » PSL Champions
  13. ^ "Yearly Champions | Boys Basketball | MHSAA Sports". Archived from the original on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2009-09-17.
  14. ^ "Team Champions | Boys Track & Field | MHSAA Sports". Archived from the original on 2013-06-09. Retrieved 2009-09-17.
  15. ^ "International Swimming Hall of Fame Bio, Dick Degener, (1971)".
  16. ^ Bennett, Laurie, "Richard Degener was '36 Olympic Gold Medalist", Detroit Free Press, Detroit, Michigan, 26 August 1955, pg. 9
  17. ^ a b c d e f "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-07-03. Retrieved 2009-10-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  18. ^ Rickman, William (17 February 2015). "What Philip Levine's Work Is". Belt Magazine. Retrieved 21 June 2024. Levine clocked hours on the line throughout high school — he studied at Central High on Tuxedo Street, right behind Durfee.
  19. ^ Representative Sander Martin Levin (Sandy) (D-Michigan) - Biography from LegiStorm
  20. ^ Selbst, Jeffrey (January 22, 1978). "For Gael Greene, the 'Skies' are grey". The Michigan Daily. p. 8.
  21. ^ http://broadeducation.org/asset/1042-090412detroitfreepress.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  22. ^ Carl Levin - United States Senator for Michigan: About Carl Archived May 27, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  23. ^ Thomas Wilcher
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42°23′1.6″N 83°6′43.3″W / 42.383778°N 83.112028°W / 42.383778; -83.112028

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