George Washington High School (Danville, Virginia)
Encyclopedia
George Washington High School is a secondary school of Danville, Virginia
. It is a member of the AAA Western Valley District. The school has approximately 2,000 students and 200 staff. The school mascot has been the eagle since 1970/71 school year (previously being the cardinal), upon the school's integration.
Preceding and during the American Civil War
, there existed a period of disinterest in education. A legislative enactment passed in 1870 calling for free public schools provided a rebirth in Danville ’s educational system. In the public school’s first year of operation, 49 pupils were enrolled. Dr. George Washington Dame became the first school superintendent, with J. B. Lowrie hired as Danville ’s first public school teacher. Due to an increase in enrollment, a principal was needed; Captain J.T. Averett was the first in Danville to fill the position.
Steady rises in enrollment were seen, as 789 pupils were registered in 1875. Danville ’s first brick schoolhouse was built in 1880 on Loyal Street. A three-story structure with three rooms on the second floor served as the first established high school in Danville.
Loyal Street School was soon overcrowded and deemed unsafe; it was then demolished and in its place at the same Loyal Street location, the Robert E. Lee School was erected. The high school took up the entire second floor of this structure.
In 1910, again due to increased enrollment, the high school had to be moved to a separate building on Grove Street . The Grove Street High School served the city until 1927 under the common name of The Danville High School.
As an additional public education installment, the Rison Park School was built in 1908. Erected on the grounds where Colonel William Rison lived on Holbrook Avenue, it provided general education for the primary and intermediate grades.
Superintendent G.L.H. Johnson recommended the name change from the Danville High School to the George Washington High School “in line with the modern tendency in the United States to name high schools in the larger cities after patriotic Americans.” George Washington High School was the first high school in the South and the second in the nation to honor the first President in this way.
The Rison Park School was enlarged before it housed the high school. L.B. Flora and Sons were contracted under a bid of $175,525 to improve the building for the junior-senior high school. To the existing 16 classrooms, 24 extra classrooms, and a then standard size gymnasium, a library/study hall and an auditorium to seat 1,000 were added. The new name of George Washington High School did not appear on the outside of the building, but a quotation from Washington ’s Farewell Address along with a facsimile of his signature was inscribed over the front entrance. The school grounds were still referred to as Rison Park.
1956 saw the completion of the present George Washington High School building. Contracted to John W. Daniel Company, Inc. under the contract price of $2,090,314, the installation, built on the 60 acres (242,811.6 m²) campus, is designed for 1,920 students. The auditorium can seat 1,125, and the cafeteria will hold 500. Additions were made to this building in 1963. The A-wing annex provided 16 supplementary classrooms and the Industrial Arts Building was constructed.
During this time, the Danville school system operated with segregated schools. In 1900, there were one white and two black public schools on the southside and one white and one black public school on the northside. The first black high school separate from the elementary department was established in 1925. The high school was an annex to the black public school on Holbrook Street.
In 1936 the John Mercer Langston High School was constructed. Professor E. A. Gibson served as its principal until his death in 1948. Under a public schools building program, black high school students were afforded a much needed modernized facility. John M. Langston High School was relocated to a new complex on Cleveland Street in 1958. The merger of John M. Langston High School with George Washington High School in 1970 brought to Danville, once again, the existence of one city high school.
In 1971 the citizens of Danville voted in favor of a 1.4 million-dollar school bond referendum to finance the addition of a vocational wing to GWHS, which was completed in 1974. A four-classroom addition to the science wing was completed in 1993.
In the fall of 1997, the Danville Public Schools opened four focus schools at the high school level ( Business Partnership Academy, Excel, Global Village School and Global Studies through Arts & Technology). A focus school is a small, self-governed school of choice that is organized around a central theme. Each focus school is semi-autonomous in that it has a high degree of control over its internal governance while it continues to function under the administrative umbrella of George Washington High School. Two additional focus schools have been added since 1997, Health Careers Academy and Technology Academy.
Reputed to be a “great education center” in a report published in 1915, Danville ’s school system has been subject to many and diverse changes.
Serving Danville as school superintendents have been, in order, Dr. G.W. Dame, J.R. Herndon, Abner Anderson, William H. Davis, F.H. Wheatley, W. C. Griggs, G.L.H. Johnson (1925–48), O.T. Bonner (1948–71), Dr. Zane Eargle (1971–75), Dr. Thomas E. Truitt (1975–87), Dr. Larry E. Leonard (1988–89), Mr. Guy K. Yeatts (Interim 1989), Dr. Eric J. Smith (1989–92), Dr. Mark Edwards (1992–94), Dr. N Andrew Overstreet (1994–2002), Mr. Ralph Warren (2002–03 interim), Dr. William Torok (2003–2004), and Dr. Sue Davis (2004–present).
Since 1941 George Washington High School has had only eight principals: J.T. Christopher (1941–69), Everett L. Motley (1969–74), Robert W. Haskins (1974–89), Charles H. Lackey (1989–96), Joel R. DeBoe (1996–2003), Sherri Huffman (2003–05), Kenny Lewis and Dr. Ron Sieber , (co-principals for 2006–07), and presently Christopher Carter (2007–present).
The high school enrollment of 1,360 in 1940 fell to 1,010 in 1950. The count in 1960 rose to 1,608 and the present enrollment stands at approximately 2,000.
Danville, Virginia
Danville is an independent city in Virginia, United States, bounded by Pittsylvania County, Virginia and Caswell County, North Carolina. It was the last capital of the Confederate States of America. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Danville with Pittsylvania county for...
. It is a member of the AAA Western Valley District. The school has approximately 2,000 students and 200 staff. The school mascot has been the eagle since 1970/71 school year (previously being the cardinal), upon the school's integration.
History
Education in the classroom in the City of Danville is first recorded in 1806. Danville ’s first schoolteacher was a Mr. Matthews who was a Presbyterian minister from Massachusetts. An influx of northern schoolmasters prevailed until the late 1880’s. The only Virginian in this time, Hickerson Speller, came in 1814. In 1826 Danville ’s first schoolhouse was built on Wilson Street. Up until this time classes were held in any available location, such as private homes, store rooms and churches.Preceding and during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, there existed a period of disinterest in education. A legislative enactment passed in 1870 calling for free public schools provided a rebirth in Danville ’s educational system. In the public school’s first year of operation, 49 pupils were enrolled. Dr. George Washington Dame became the first school superintendent, with J. B. Lowrie hired as Danville ’s first public school teacher. Due to an increase in enrollment, a principal was needed; Captain J.T. Averett was the first in Danville to fill the position.
Steady rises in enrollment were seen, as 789 pupils were registered in 1875. Danville ’s first brick schoolhouse was built in 1880 on Loyal Street. A three-story structure with three rooms on the second floor served as the first established high school in Danville.
Loyal Street School was soon overcrowded and deemed unsafe; it was then demolished and in its place at the same Loyal Street location, the Robert E. Lee School was erected. The high school took up the entire second floor of this structure.
In 1910, again due to increased enrollment, the high school had to be moved to a separate building on Grove Street . The Grove Street High School served the city until 1927 under the common name of The Danville High School.
As an additional public education installment, the Rison Park School was built in 1908. Erected on the grounds where Colonel William Rison lived on Holbrook Avenue, it provided general education for the primary and intermediate grades.
Superintendent G.L.H. Johnson recommended the name change from the Danville High School to the George Washington High School “in line with the modern tendency in the United States to name high schools in the larger cities after patriotic Americans.” George Washington High School was the first high school in the South and the second in the nation to honor the first President in this way.
The Rison Park School was enlarged before it housed the high school. L.B. Flora and Sons were contracted under a bid of $175,525 to improve the building for the junior-senior high school. To the existing 16 classrooms, 24 extra classrooms, and a then standard size gymnasium, a library/study hall and an auditorium to seat 1,000 were added. The new name of George Washington High School did not appear on the outside of the building, but a quotation from Washington ’s Farewell Address along with a facsimile of his signature was inscribed over the front entrance. The school grounds were still referred to as Rison Park.
1956 saw the completion of the present George Washington High School building. Contracted to John W. Daniel Company, Inc. under the contract price of $2,090,314, the installation, built on the 60 acres (242,811.6 m²) campus, is designed for 1,920 students. The auditorium can seat 1,125, and the cafeteria will hold 500. Additions were made to this building in 1963. The A-wing annex provided 16 supplementary classrooms and the Industrial Arts Building was constructed.
During this time, the Danville school system operated with segregated schools. In 1900, there were one white and two black public schools on the southside and one white and one black public school on the northside. The first black high school separate from the elementary department was established in 1925. The high school was an annex to the black public school on Holbrook Street.
In 1936 the John Mercer Langston High School was constructed. Professor E. A. Gibson served as its principal until his death in 1948. Under a public schools building program, black high school students were afforded a much needed modernized facility. John M. Langston High School was relocated to a new complex on Cleveland Street in 1958. The merger of John M. Langston High School with George Washington High School in 1970 brought to Danville, once again, the existence of one city high school.
In 1971 the citizens of Danville voted in favor of a 1.4 million-dollar school bond referendum to finance the addition of a vocational wing to GWHS, which was completed in 1974. A four-classroom addition to the science wing was completed in 1993.
In the fall of 1997, the Danville Public Schools opened four focus schools at the high school level ( Business Partnership Academy, Excel, Global Village School and Global Studies through Arts & Technology). A focus school is a small, self-governed school of choice that is organized around a central theme. Each focus school is semi-autonomous in that it has a high degree of control over its internal governance while it continues to function under the administrative umbrella of George Washington High School. Two additional focus schools have been added since 1997, Health Careers Academy and Technology Academy.
Reputed to be a “great education center” in a report published in 1915, Danville ’s school system has been subject to many and diverse changes.
Serving Danville as school superintendents have been, in order, Dr. G.W. Dame, J.R. Herndon, Abner Anderson, William H. Davis, F.H. Wheatley, W. C. Griggs, G.L.H. Johnson (1925–48), O.T. Bonner (1948–71), Dr. Zane Eargle (1971–75), Dr. Thomas E. Truitt (1975–87), Dr. Larry E. Leonard (1988–89), Mr. Guy K. Yeatts (Interim 1989), Dr. Eric J. Smith (1989–92), Dr. Mark Edwards (1992–94), Dr. N Andrew Overstreet (1994–2002), Mr. Ralph Warren (2002–03 interim), Dr. William Torok (2003–2004), and Dr. Sue Davis (2004–present).
Since 1941 George Washington High School has had only eight principals: J.T. Christopher (1941–69), Everett L. Motley (1969–74), Robert W. Haskins (1974–89), Charles H. Lackey (1989–96), Joel R. DeBoe (1996–2003), Sherri Huffman (2003–05), Kenny Lewis and Dr. Ron Sieber , (co-principals for 2006–07), and presently Christopher Carter (2007–present).
The high school enrollment of 1,360 in 1940 fell to 1,010 in 1950. The count in 1960 rose to 1,608 and the present enrollment stands at approximately 2,000.
Athletics
Both George Washington boys and girls basketball teams have won the Western Valley district championship numerous times. The boys basketball team went on to become runners-up in state basketball in 2007. They also won the Western Valley Championship in football in 2006 as well as in 2007, remaining undefeated within the district. The Eagle baseball team has also won multiple District Championships and have played for regionals each of the past 6 years. The boy's track & field team has had many state champions and even national champions.Notable alumni
- Herman MooreHerman MooreHerman Joseph Moore is a former American National Football League wide receiver. At George Washington High School in Danville he played mostly as a kicker and also as a tight end. He went to the University of Virginia, where he was a 2-sport athlete...
– former NFL Player, former University of Virginia football player - Buddy CurryBuddy CurryGeorge Jessel "Buddy" Curry is a former NFL football player. He is a graduate from the University of North Carolina who played pro football from 1980–1987 for the Atlanta Falcons....
– former NFL Player - Ferrell EdmundsFerrell EdmundsFerrell Edmunds, Jr. is a former professional American football player. A 6'6", 248-lb. tight end from the University of Maryland, Edmunds was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the third round of the 1988 NFL Draft...
– former NFL Player - Rafael GarciaRafael GarcíaRafael García is a Mexican professional wrestler, better known under his ring name Super Caló. García is a long-time mainstay of Asistencia Asesoría y Administración , but is perhaps best known outside of Mexico for his stint in World Championship Wrestling during the 1990s.-Professional...
– former University of Virginia football player - Nate PooleNate PooleNathan "Nate" Poole is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League. He was originally signed by the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2002...
– former NFL Player - Johnny NewmanJohnny NewmanJohn Sylvester Newman, Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player. A 6' 7" and guard/forward, Newman starred at the University of Richmond, before going on to play in the National Basketball Association...
– former NBA Player - Jon DaltonJon DaltonJohn Dalton, also known as Jonny Fairplay , is a reality TV participant and former art consultant from Danville, Virginia. He came in third place as a competitor on the reality TV show Survivor: Pearl Islands...
, AKA "Jonny Fairplay" – from Survivor: Pearl Islands and Survivor: Micronesia - David A Oakes - Professional actor; Films include Wigger (2010), Secret of the Cross (2010), The Weekend (2007)