Denfeld High School
Encyclopedia
Denfeld High School is one of two high schools in Duluth, Minnesota
, along with East
as of 2011. Denfeld and Central
merged together during the 2010-2011 school year and are called Denfeld in the newly renovated building. Serving over 1000 students from grades nine to twelve, Denfeld High School has become a West Duluth
landmark. The school is known for its architecture, including a historic auditorium and a 120-foot clock tower visible from Grand Avenue. As part of the Duluth Public Schools Long Range Facilities Plan, Denfeld is currently in a transition period which will include a merger with Central High School.
The current building was constructed in red brick and limestone at a cost of $1,250,000 and opened in September 1926. Duluth architects Abraham Holstead and W.J. Sullivan designed the H-shaped English Gothic style building which features medieval carvings by Duluth master stone carver George Thrana. Thrana came to Duluth in 1889 from Norway where he was trained as a stone sculptor. He carved for 40 years in sandstone, granite, marble and limestone and his work is featured on many Duluth buildings including the Lyceum Theater, Old Central High School, Glensheen, the Board of Trade Building, St. Louis County Courthouse and the St. Louis County Jail.
Perhaps the most iconic feature of the Denfeld High School building is its 120-foot clock tower. The tower features eight buttresses. Its face was designed by Carl Shroer, a teacher at Central High School, and was completed by Denfeld students who welded together four sections cast in aluminum by the Duluth Brassworks Company. The numbers on the face were painted silver and the clock hands were gold painted wood. The face was later painted black to be easier read from Grand Avenue.
Denfeld High School's auditorium was built at a cost of $25,000 and is another of its most prominent features. It can accommodate nearly 2000 people in the audience, 200 on stage and includes an orchestra pit. Public figures who've visited in the auditorium include Richard Nixon
and Johnny Cash
. The auditorium was renovated for $1,200,000 and reopened in late 2006 after being closed for nearly a year. The auditorium is the annual venue for Denfeld's traditional Maroon and Gold Day assembly during the week of homecoming when the auditorium is adorned with maroon and gold decorations and the students are entertained with cheers, skits, music and school spirit. Alumni return to Denfeld for this display which is meant to motivate football players and fans for the homecoming game.
Homecoming Week activities include daily dress-up days such as "Kid Day" (usually on Tuesday) and "Maroon and Gold Day" (every Friday for the last 100 years.) On Wednesday of Homecoming Week, a massive bonfire takes place in Merritt Park in West Duluth during which the game of Red Rover is usually played between the upper and lowerclassmen and every cheer in the cheerleaders' book is started. The biggest event during the week besides the football game and assembly is the hall decorating contest, where the interior first floor of the building is covered in handmade posters, streamers, locker signs, balloons and other decorations. Freshmen decorate the hall near the cafeteria and sophomores decorate the other half of the hall. Juniors decorate the second floor and seniors decorate the third floor.
Denfeld's Maroon and Gold Day is Friday of homecoming week. Students wear maroon and/or gold clothing and accessories. During the assembly, the band marches from the back of the auditorium through streamers and balloons to the orchestra pit playing the cadence and school song. Everyone stands throughout the entire assembly. After the school song is played, the National Anthem
is sung followed by several skits, speeches by alumni and the Maroon and Gold Day Pageant. In this pageant, anybody can enter for a chance to become Maroon & Gold King or Queen. Each contestant is allowed to flaunt their costume and spirit to the audience. Winners are chosen by three judges, all Denfeld staff, based on audience reaction. After the pageant are more skits and the winner of the hall decorating contest is announced. The football team starting lineup is announced and the school song is played again at the end of the assembly.
The Duluth School District ultimately chose a modified version of the Red Plan, leaving Denfeld open and adding approximately half of the Central population. To accommodate the increased student population, two new additions to the school are being built. Additionally, the school will undergo major reconstruction in order to conform to state standards. Construction began in 2009 and is scheduled to continue until 2011. To accommodate the new addition, Denfeld's signature brick chimney had to be removed. The chimney was an original feature of the building, but had not been used in many years. Construction crews cafefully removed the bricks, and the school plans to preserve some bricks for historcial purposes. As a result of the construction, students will have to attend Central during the 2010-11 school year. In 2011, Central will close, leaving Denfeld and East as the only public high schools in Duluth.
The "Hunters" name originates from Walt Hunting who taught, coached and was the athletic director at Denfeld from 1927-1956. A tribute to Hunting from his players, fans and the community at the silver anniversary of his coaching career in 1952 said, "It isn't the championships won that make Walt Hunting great. The boys who have played for him learned more than a game. They learned honesty, integrity and sportsmanship. Nobody could possibly be associated with Walt Hunting and not be better for it because he symbolizes everything great about America."
Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
, along with East
East High School (Duluth, Minnesota)
East High School is the largest of three public secondary schools in Duluth, Minnesota. It educates students in grades nine through twelve. It first opened its doors in 1927, as a junior high school...
as of 2011. Denfeld and Central
Central High School (Duluth, Minnesota)
Central High School was a secondary school located in Duluth, Minnesota which educated students in grades nine through twelve. The school first opened in 1893. The mascot of the school was the Trojan...
merged together during the 2010-2011 school year and are called Denfeld in the newly renovated building. Serving over 1000 students from grades nine to twelve, Denfeld High School has become a West Duluth
West Duluth
West Duluth refers to an official neighborhood district in the west-central part of Duluth, Minnesota, United States.Grand Avenue, Central Avenue, Cody Street, and Interstate Highway 35 are four of the main arterial routes in the community.-Neighborhoods:...
landmark. The school is known for its architecture, including a historic auditorium and a 120-foot clock tower visible from Grand Avenue. As part of the Duluth Public Schools Long Range Facilities Plan, Denfeld is currently in a transition period which will include a merger with Central High School.
History
The home of the Hunters, Denfeld High School was known as Irving High School when it opened for classes on 11 September 1905. It was later called Duluth Industrial High School. When the school moved into today's MacArthur West school building at 725 North Central Avenue in 1915, its name was changed to honor Robert E. Denfeld, superintendent of Duluth schools from 1885 to 1916. During his tenure, the number of schools in Duluth increased from seven to 34. Denfeld was instrumental in the creation of a two-year program to train teachers which eventually grew to become the University of Minnesota Duluth.The current building was constructed in red brick and limestone at a cost of $1,250,000 and opened in September 1926. Duluth architects Abraham Holstead and W.J. Sullivan designed the H-shaped English Gothic style building which features medieval carvings by Duluth master stone carver George Thrana. Thrana came to Duluth in 1889 from Norway where he was trained as a stone sculptor. He carved for 40 years in sandstone, granite, marble and limestone and his work is featured on many Duluth buildings including the Lyceum Theater, Old Central High School, Glensheen, the Board of Trade Building, St. Louis County Courthouse and the St. Louis County Jail.
Perhaps the most iconic feature of the Denfeld High School building is its 120-foot clock tower. The tower features eight buttresses. Its face was designed by Carl Shroer, a teacher at Central High School, and was completed by Denfeld students who welded together four sections cast in aluminum by the Duluth Brassworks Company. The numbers on the face were painted silver and the clock hands were gold painted wood. The face was later painted black to be easier read from Grand Avenue.
Denfeld High School's auditorium was built at a cost of $25,000 and is another of its most prominent features. It can accommodate nearly 2000 people in the audience, 200 on stage and includes an orchestra pit. Public figures who've visited in the auditorium include Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
and Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
. The auditorium was renovated for $1,200,000 and reopened in late 2006 after being closed for nearly a year. The auditorium is the annual venue for Denfeld's traditional Maroon and Gold Day assembly during the week of homecoming when the auditorium is adorned with maroon and gold decorations and the students are entertained with cheers, skits, music and school spirit. Alumni return to Denfeld for this display which is meant to motivate football players and fans for the homecoming game.
Homecoming Week
Maroon and Gold Day
National anthem
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
is sung followed by several skits, speeches by alumni and the Maroon and Gold Day Pageant. In this pageant, anybody can enter for a chance to become Maroon & Gold King or Queen. Each contestant is allowed to flaunt their costume and spirit to the audience. Winners are chosen by three judges, all Denfeld staff, based on audience reaction. After the pageant are more skits and the winner of the hall decorating contest is announced. The football team starting lineup is announced and the school song is played again at the end of the assembly.
The homecoming game
The Denfeld Marching Band and the Dance Team always perform during the halftime show. After the game is a dance in the gymnasium which ends at eleven.The Milken Educator Award
On October 11, 2007 Denfeld social studies teacher Thomas Tusken was presented with the Milken Educator Award, established by Milken Family Foundation Chairman Lowell Milken to provide public recognition and individual financial rewards of $25,000 to elementary and secondary teachers, principals and specialists who are furthering excellence in education. Only 35 educators in Minnesota had received the award at that time and Tusken was just the second recipient from Duluth. The award was presented to Tusken during an unexpected assembly, the purpose of which was unknown to students and staff. When Tusken's name was called, he received a standing ovation from the audience.Future of the school
In the spring of 2007, restructuring of Duluth's elementary, middle and high schools was discussed. Three options were proposed:- The Red Plan: Central and East would no longer function as high schools, leaving Denfeld as the only original high school in Duluth. Ordean Middle School would be turned into a high school with both buildings being remodeled and expanded to accommodate 1500 students.
- The White Plan: Denfeld and East would become middle schools capable of holding 1100 students. Central would not be used, as Ordean and a new western high school would be created to accommodate 3000 total students.
- The Blue Plan: East and Denfeld would be transformed into middle schools. Central would be used as the lone high school after being expanded to accommodate 3000 students.
The Duluth School District ultimately chose a modified version of the Red Plan, leaving Denfeld open and adding approximately half of the Central population. To accommodate the increased student population, two new additions to the school are being built. Additionally, the school will undergo major reconstruction in order to conform to state standards. Construction began in 2009 and is scheduled to continue until 2011. To accommodate the new addition, Denfeld's signature brick chimney had to be removed. The chimney was an original feature of the building, but had not been used in many years. Construction crews cafefully removed the bricks, and the school plans to preserve some bricks for historcial purposes. As a result of the construction, students will have to attend Central during the 2010-11 school year. In 2011, Central will close, leaving Denfeld and East as the only public high schools in Duluth.
Principals
- Ed Crawford (2005 to present)
- William Westholm (1995 to 2005)
- George F. Holliday, Jr. (1991 to 1995)
- Dr. Stephen Seyfer (1984 to 1991)
- Dr. Wayne Samskar (1970 to 1984)
- Robert Van Kleek (1963 to 1970)
- G. Dell Daedo (1948 to 1963)
- Dr. Chester Wood (1945 to 1948)
- James Taylor (1918 to 1945)
- T. H. Shutte (1916 to 1918)
- Scott Foster (1905 to 1916)
School song
Oh, when those fighting Hunters fall in line
We're going to win this game another time!
And for the Denfeld High School we will yell
And for the team, team, team,
We'll yell, yell, yell!!
We're going to fight, fight, fight for every score
And when we make those touchdowns we will roar!
We're going to throw the old (Central) on the ground, all around!
Fight, fight, fight!!
Alma mater
"The Halls of Denfeld"
Oh, we love the halls of Denfeld
That surround us here today
And we shall not forget,
Though we be near or far away
To the hallowed halls of Denfeld
Every voice will bid farewell
And shimmer off in twilight
Like the old tower bell
One day a hush will fall
The footsteps of us all
Will echo through the hall and disappear
But as we sadly start
Our journeys far apart
A part of every heart will linger here
In the sacred halls of Denfeld
Where we lived and learned to know
That through the years we'll see you
In the sweet afterglow
Athletic achievements
- 1917 Football unofficial state champions
- 1922 Football state runner-up
- 1924 Football district champions
- 1926 Football Head of the Lakes champions
- 1927 Football unofficial state champions
- 1933 Football city champions
- 1935 Football unofficial state champions
- 1941 Football city champions
- 1942 Football unofficial state champions
- 1945 Football city champions
- 1946 Football city champions
- 1947 Basketball state champions
- 1947 Ski jumping state champions
- 1948 Football state champions
- 1950 Baseball state champions
- 1951 Ski jumping state champions
- 1953 Ski jumping state champions
- 1964 Football city champions
- 1974 Football "Super Bowl" champions
- 1986 Hockey state 3rd place
- 1988 Hockey state 4th place
- 1989 Hockey state 3rd place
- 1992 Girls Basketball state 4th place
- 1994 Boys Soccer North-Sub-Section 4 champions
- 1996 Football Sea Range Conference champions
- 2000 Girls soccer Section 7A champions
- 2002 Boys Soccer Lake Superior Conference champions
- 2003 Boys Soccer Lake Superior Conference champions
- 2004 Boys Soccer Section 7A champions
- 2004 Football North Country Conference co-champions
- 2005 Football North Country Conference runners-up
- 2006 Two-time state third place finisher in swimming (50 free and 100 butterfly)
- 2007 Football North Country Conference runners-up
- 2010 Football North Country Conference champions
Notable alumni
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, class of 1935 - Mike ColalilloMike ColalilloMike Colalillo is a former United States Army soldier and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II.-Biography:...
, Congressional Medal of Honor recipient (left school at age 16) - Roger GrimsbyRoger GrimsbyRoger Grimsby was an American journalist, television news anchor and actor. Grimsby is known as one of the pioneers of local television broadcast news.-Early life:...
, former news anchor, class of 1946 - Lenny LaneLenny LaneLeonard "Lenny" Carlson is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time in World Championship Wrestling under the ring name Lenny Lane. During his time tenure in WCW, he was a one time Cruiserweight Champion....
, professional wrestler, class of 1989 - Robb StauberRobb StauberRobert Thomas Stauber is a retired American professional ice hockey goaltender who played 62 NHL regular season games between 1989 and 1995...
, ice hockey goaltender, class of 1986