Benton High School (Missouri)
Encyclopedia
Benton High School is a Class 4 public high school located in St. Joseph, Missouri.
In November, students moved into those new buildings on the corner of Cumberland and Yale Streets. The school had four rooms that held grades one through 12.
In 1929, Benton became a junior-senior high school that offered courses from the 7th through the 12th grade.
In 1938, the BOE purchased a tract of land on 4th Street, overlooking the Saint Joseph, Missouri parkway system and built a new building there on March 21, 1940. The new building contained 37 classrooms, an auditorium, gymnasium, and cafeteria and was three stories high.
In 1961, a non-pillared dome gymnasium was constructed on the north side of the school and named in honor of P.B. "Pop" Springer, long time coach and teacher at Benton. The dome collapsed from heavy snow in 1971 and was replaced.
Many additions were made after 1969, including a two-story, twelve room wing with a spacious library and rooms for the math and social studies departments as well as an athletic field which was constructed in 1974 with an asphalt track and grandstands. Three years later the field was renamed "James Sparks Memorial Field" in honor of a Benton football player who lost his life during a game on the field earlier that season.
Benton currently enrolls between 700 and 900 students annually.
, Our Town
, The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood, and Big Boys Don't Cry. In November 2010, Benton performed its first musical in twelve years, The Drowsy Chaperone. Benton has plans on performing Phantom of the Opera in the fall of 2011.
The Theater Department also holds a one-act show each year, raising money for scholarships for students involved in theatre.
Race Distribution (Number/Percent)
Attendance Rate - 90.8%
Graduation Rate - 85.2%
Average ACT Score - 19
Suspensions of Ten or More Consecutive Days: 20
Students Eligible for Free or Reduced-Price Lunch - 480 Students/55.7%
History
In 1905, the St. Joseph, Missouri Board of Education charged J. A. Bell with establishing a high school in South St. Joseph. In September of that year, Benton High School opened its doors for the first time as the BOE rented a hall at the corner of King Hill and Colorado Avenues until a new building was to be completed.In November, students moved into those new buildings on the corner of Cumberland and Yale Streets. The school had four rooms that held grades one through 12.
In 1929, Benton became a junior-senior high school that offered courses from the 7th through the 12th grade.
In 1938, the BOE purchased a tract of land on 4th Street, overlooking the Saint Joseph, Missouri parkway system and built a new building there on March 21, 1940. The new building contained 37 classrooms, an auditorium, gymnasium, and cafeteria and was three stories high.
In 1961, a non-pillared dome gymnasium was constructed on the north side of the school and named in honor of P.B. "Pop" Springer, long time coach and teacher at Benton. The dome collapsed from heavy snow in 1971 and was replaced.
Many additions were made after 1969, including a two-story, twelve room wing with a spacious library and rooms for the math and social studies departments as well as an athletic field which was constructed in 1974 with an asphalt track and grandstands. Three years later the field was renamed "James Sparks Memorial Field" in honor of a Benton football player who lost his life during a game on the field earlier that season.
Benton currently enrolls between 700 and 900 students annually.
Football
The football team won the Class 4 District 16 championship from 2004-2007. They have made the quarterfinals in 2005 & 2006 and the semifinals in 2004. In 2010 the team came out strong and hard starting 5-0 before finishing the season 6-4 and finished 4th in the MEC behind Savannah, Maryville, and Lafayette as well as 4th in their district behind Platte County, Savannah, and Lafayette.Basketball
The girls basketball team won the Class 4 District 16 Title in 2006. The boys basketball team made it to the quarterfinals. The girls basketball team won the state championship going undefeated throughout the '06 season, compiling a 30-0 record.Baseball
The Benton Baseball team has been successful over the past few years. From 2005-2007, the Benton squad, under the coaching of Mike Musser, has composed a 61-7 record. These teams include a 23-3 4th place team in 2005, a 24-1 2006 team who went undefeated during the regular season, however falling in the district championship game, and in 2007 a 24-3 state championship team. In the same stretch, Benton produced multiple division 1 baseball prospects, such as Kyle Heim (Iowa), Ryan Hook (Western Kentucky), Wes Miller (Missouri State), and Johnny Coy (Arizona State and Wichita State)Tennis
The Benton tennis team also experienced success from 2007-2009. The Benton team posted a 10-1 record in 2008. They became the first Benton team to win districts in over 15 years, finally losing in the quarterfinals of state to St. Pius X.Theatre
Benton's theatre department performs two plays each school year, one in the fall, and one in the spring. In the past some plays have been And A Child Shall Lead, DraculaDracula
Dracula is an 1897 novel by Irish author Bram Stoker.Famous for introducing the character of the vampire Count Dracula, the novel tells the story of Dracula's attempt to relocate from Transylvania to England, and the battle between Dracula and a small group of men and women led by Professor...
, Our Town
Our Town
Our Town is a three-act play by American playwright Thornton Wilder. It is a character story about an average town's citizens in the early twentieth century as depicted through their everyday lives...
, The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood, and Big Boys Don't Cry. In November 2010, Benton performed its first musical in twelve years, The Drowsy Chaperone. Benton has plans on performing Phantom of the Opera in the fall of 2011.
The Theater Department also holds a one-act show each year, raising money for scholarships for students involved in theatre.
Choir
The Benton Choir is one of the schools best attributes. They've received 1 ratings at the All State Music Festival for the last 11 years in all 3 choirs (Benton Singers, Concert Choir,and Bel Canto Women's Choir). Benton's Choir has successfully taken small ensambles to district and state music festivals.Notable alumni
- Wes BarnettWes BarnettWesley T. Barnett was an Olympic weightlifter for the United States. His coaches were Dennis Snethen, Istvan Javorek at Johnson County Community College and Dragomir Ciroslan.-Achievements:...
'88 - Olympic weightlifter for the United States - Mike RuckerMike RuckerMichael Dean Rucker is a former American football defensive end who played for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League.-Early years:...
'93 -Former Defensive endDefensive endDefensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
for the Carolina PanthersCarolina PanthersThe Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion... - Martin Rucker '03 - Tight EndTight endThe tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
for the Dallas CowboysDallas CowboysThe Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas... - Jim WrightJim Wright (1980s pitcher)James Leon Wright is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for two seasons. He pitched 17 games for the Kansas City Royals during the 1981 Kansas City Royals season and seven games during the 1982 Kansas City Royals season. He is the current Colorado Rockies bullpen coach.-External...
- Pitcher for the Kansas City RoyalsKansas City RoyalsThe Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium... - John HoffmanJohn HoffmanJohn Hoffman can refer to:*John Hoffman , American football defensive end*John Hoffman , American welterweight boxer, coach, trainer, and promoter...
- Voice of Varsity Athletic Basketball - Henry C Casebolt '60 - Cpl [UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS] AWARDED NAVY CROSS posthumously Vietnam 1966
Statistics
- Total Students: 896
- Student/Teacher Ratio: 16 Students : 1 Teacher
Race Distribution (Number/Percent)
- Asian: 6 Students
- Black: 60 Students
- Hispanic: 33 Students
- Indian: 4 Students
- White: 793 Students
Attendance Rate - 90.8%
Graduation Rate - 85.2%
Average ACT Score - 19
Suspensions of Ten or More Consecutive Days: 20
Students Eligible for Free or Reduced-Price Lunch - 480 Students/55.7%