Hickman High School
Encyclopedia
David Henry Hickman High School (commonly Hickman or HHS) is a coeducational public secondary school in Columbia
, Missouri, United States, serving students in grades 10
–12
. The school is one of three high schools in the Columbia Public School District, with admission based primarily on the locations of students' homes. Hickman is the largest high school in Missouri with an enrollment of 2,143 in 2008 and has been called the largest in terms of athletic and academic competition. The school is noted for its strong academic programs, having the most Presidential Scholars
of any public school in the United States, as well as a number of notable alumni including a Missouri Governor, several U.S. and State members of congress, and Sam Walton
, founder of Wal-Mart
. Hickman is a two-time Blue Ribbon School
and a Missouri Gold Star School. In 2009, Hickman had eighteen National Merit Finalists, the most of any school in Missouri. In 2011, Eric Young was named as the school's 18th Presidential Scholar. Hickman has more than double the number of Presidential Scholars than any other school in Missouri, and the most of any school in the nation.
Hickman was constructed in 1927 on the country estate of Missouri legislator and educator David Henry Hickman
, next to what was then U.S. Route 40. The school was built to replace the earlier Columbia High School and carried over many of its traditions including the mascot and yearbook. Today, the school is accredited with distinction by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
as well as the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
. Hickman's mascot is the Kewpie
.
of the 1930s caused the school district to operate with a deficit for the first time; however, the high school building was expanded using loans and the Works Progress Administration
. In this decade, the school's wrestlers captured three state championships, and Hickman created a marching band. The 1940s and World War II brought a new level of international awareness to Hickman, and classes in international relations, aeronautics, and home nursing were added. In 1944, the operetta "Tune In" was performed, and there have been yearly musical productions since. In 1948, the tradition of requiring sophomores to wear beanies was restored.
The 1950s saw the end of racial segregation
in Columbia, and Hickman was integrated with Fredrick Douglas High School
. The influx of students saw a building boom, and class rooms for special education, adult classes, vocational work, and laboratories were built. A new gymnasium as well as a swimming pool were built in 1955. In 1961, the tradition of sophomore beanies was ended. David Wheeler became Hickman's first presidential scholar in 1964, the first year of the program. Hickman saw four state championships in three sports in the 1960s.
Rock Bridge High School
was opened in 1973 as the second high school in Columbia, and competitive women's sports were offered for the first time 1970s. The 1980s saw much national recognition; Hickman was given the Blue Ribbon Award for 1984–85, President Ronald Reagan
visited the school in 1987, and Hickman filled Missouri's quota of Presidential Scholars in 1988. In 1994–95, Hickman was once again given the Blue Ribbon Award, and four additional Presidential Scholars were named in the decade; Hickman now had a total of 12 Presidential Scholars, more than any public school in Missouri. Computer labs were created in the late 80s, and the Columbia Aeronautics Space Association (CASA), a realistic space simulation program, was founded. In the 90s, Hickman won state championships in baseball, women's swimming, men's track, men's cross country, and men's tennis.
The new millennium saw a presidential scholar each of the first four years and the development of a master plan for Hickman's campus. A bond-issue was passed, and the renovations repairing the oldest parts of the school occurred. A large commons space, a main office, and language labs were added in 2003. In 2005, the oldest part of the building including the auditorium was restored, and the remainder of the school air-conditioned. State championships in football, baseball, and track were won in 2005.
named than any other public high school in the United States. Newsweek
magazine's 2006 article "What makes a high school great" listed Hickman within the top 5% of high schools in the nation. In 2007, the school won the Siemens Foundation
and College Board
Award for Advanced Placement
, meaning that Hickman leads the nation in AP participation and performance.
Its literary journal, the Hickman Review, has received several prestigious national awards. Hickman was recognized as a Blue Ribbon School for 1984–1985 and 1994–1995. The Hickman course catalogue contains over 400 different classes, from a wide selection of honors and AP courses
, to various courses for all aspects of the arts, as well as courses specializing in vocational education. The school retains a traditional 7-period schedule.
, Seventh Street, Wilkes Boulevard, and Providence Road. A major addition in 1956 doubled the size of the school adding classrooms, a gymnasium, and a swimming pool. The 1970s saw the construction of a Fine Arts Building and a continuation of classroom additions. In 2003, a commons area, office space, and language labs were added, and in 2005, the remainder of the school was air-conditioned and remodeled to match the original architecture.
In Missouri State High School Activities Association
competition, Hickman is referred to as the state's largest high school. According to the state's Department of Education official site, Hazelwood Central High School
in suburban St. Louis is the state's largest public high school in terms of students on the campus with 2,882 in grades 9–12 in 2007. Hickman is shown as having 1,974 students on its campus in grades 10–12; however, factoring in ninth-grade students who would attend the school (MSHSAA designations are based on Grades 9–12, but in Columbia, Hickman's ninth-graders attend off-campus schools), Hickman is larger at 2,752 in 2006.
The Hickman Campus is host to several events throughout the year including the Missouri All-State Band Auditions.
begins practicing in July with summer music rehearsals and concludes its season with the end of the football season. The marching band comprises 105 students enrolled in band classes at Hickman High School as well as several Hickman students that are members of the color guard
. As the marching band "activity" continues to evolve, the Hickman band remains active as it consistently participates in performances at home football games, local parades, and region-wide marching festivals. Throughout its recent history of participation in marching band festivals, the band has been a consistent finalist and has been awarded outstanding caption recognition in all captions, including Outstanding Musical Performance, Outstanding Visual Performance, Outstanding Percussion, Outstanding Color Guard, Outstanding Drum Majors, and Outstanding Soloist. Most recently, the band placed 2nd in the Gold (top) division at the Ozarko Marching Festival and placed 10th out of 48 bands at the Greater St. Louis Marching Festival. The Hickman Marching Band has traveled to Florida and most recently to Honolulu, Hawaii (June, 2005) as they presented performances in the King Kamehameha Parade
and a special performance at the Memorial. The band repeated this trip in June 2008.
The Hickman High School Concert Band Program currently consists of Wind Ensemble (1st hour) and Concert Band (2rd hour). Each year, the Wind Ensemble (membership by individual audition) and the Concert Band present many performances for the community including home concerts and special events; in addition, the combined bands participate in the State Large Ensemble Festival and consistently receive Superior ratings. The Hickman High School Wind Ensemble has twice been selected to perform for the Missouri Music Educators Association (2001 and 2005).
The Hickman High School Jazz Program is an extracurricular activity available to student enrolled in Hickman band classes. The jazz program comprises two "big bands" of standard jazz instrumentation as well as various jazz combos. The jazz bands begin morning rehearsals at the conclusion of the marching band season and continue throughout the school year. Both jazz bands present 2 concerts per year, as well as participating in 3–4 jazz festivals per year.
The Hickman High School string orchestra
is composed of the finest string players in the school and meets 1st hour. The band and string programs complement each other, combining into a full orchestra for major works such as Carmina Burana
, Verdi's Requiem, and tribute concerts for composers such as Leonard Bernstein
. In 2007, the orchestra traveled to San Antonio, Texas to perform at the Heritage Music Festival. They received 3 first-place awards.
Choral Music at Hickman has been a part of the total education experience since the first choral music class was included in the curriculum of Columbia High School for the 1899–1900 school year. Since then, choirs at Hickman have received numerous accolades and awards for excellence in choral performance at state, regional, national, and international festivals. These include a first-place finish at the International Youth and Music festival, Vienna, Austria, a performance with the internationally renowned Canadian Brass
, a performance with former Missouri Governor, Senator, and U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft
, and performances at state and regional music educator conferences. Hickman choirs have toured extensively throughout Europe, visiting Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Ireland, Wales, Scotland
, England, and most recently, Italy and the Vatican. Notable performances include: Salzburger Dom in Salzburg, Austria; Notre Dame Basilica
in Montreal, Canada; the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.; St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, Italy; St. Francis Basilica in Assisi, Italy; and St. Peter's Basilica
in the Vatican City, Rome.
Musical theatre has been a staple of Hickman High School for decades, having produced All-School musicals as far back as the 1940s. The Musical Productions class first appeared in the 1977-74 school year when they presented the Victor Herbert musical The Red Mill, which opened as it had in 1946 when Hickman first produced it. Since that time, Musical Productions has grown into a graduated program, with three levels of study. Each course is designed to improve the student's skill level and grow students into confident and well-rounded performers.
Football at Columbia High School, Hickman's predecessor, started in 1894. With the exception of the Spanish Influenza epidemic of 1918, it appears football has been played every year at Columbia Hickman High School since that initial 1894 year. The early history of the football team (1894–1910) is still being researched.
The Hickman-Rock Bridge
series is now called the Providence Bowl in reference to Providence Road, a major north-south street in Columbia that connects the two schools. Currently, the Providence Bowl meeting takes place at the University of Missouri
's Faurot Field
at Memorial Stadium (as it has since 2004).
1981 Rock Bridge, 7–0
1994 Hickman, 43–42 (3 OT)
1995 Hickman, 17–6
2000 Hickman, 55–0
2001 Hickman, 28–8
2002 Rock Bridge, 34–7
2003 Hickman, 30–14
2004 Hickman, 35–0
2005 Rock Bridge, 21–18
2006 Rock Bridge 48–0
2007 Hickman 23–0
2008 Hickman 41–7
2009 Rock Bridge 26–0
2010 Rock Bridge 24–20
2011 Rock Bridge 33–27
Hickman from 1981 has a 8–7 series edge over Rock Bridge with a series record victory in 2000 by the score of 55–0.
The Jefferson City
-Hickman series: The two football teams have met every year, at least once a year since 1919, with the series starting in 1911. The football series is currently tied at 51–51–4 with the Jefferson City High School Jays. After the win in the 2010 game (the fifth straight victory in the series) the Jays tied the Kewpies for the first time since 1919 when the series record became 3–3–3. The Jays have never lead in the football series with the Kewpies although they have been tied 6 different times (after the second meeting in 1911 (series record of 1–1), after both ties in 1912 (records of 1–1–1 and 1–1–2), after the second meeting in 1913 (record of 2–2–2), after the 1919 game and after the 2010 game.) This is the premiere (most heated) rivalry among Central Missouri's largest schools and is said to be the second longest running rivalry in Missouri after the Kirkwood-Webster Groves Rivalry.
Basketball is another historic Hickman sport; research into the actual starting season of the team is still being done, but a team was definitely fielded by the school by the time of the first Cresset in 1912. More recently, Hickman's girls basketball team took 3rd in the state in their last season.
Baseball seems to have been strong early at Columbia High School but looks to have faded in the late 1920s or early 1930s due to the Great Depression. It was revived fully in 1950 or 1951 when MSHSAA instituted a playoff system to determine State Champions in baseball.
The first State Wrestling Tournament for high school wrestlers in the state of Missouri was held in 1931 at the Rothwell gym on the University of Missouri campus. Hickman High School competed in this first tournament under the instruction of Coach Fowler Young. Coach Young was also a varsity wrestler for the MU Tigers at the same time he coached the Hickman team. This first Hickman team became the first wrestling team to be crowned State Champs. Coach Fowler coached the team in 1932 and 1933. The team placed 2nd and 8th respectively. In 1934 and 1935, the Hickman team competed without a coaching staff; they depended on the leadership of their captains, F.E. Daugherty in 1934 and Ross Brown in 1935. The 1934 team qualified eight wrestlers to the state tournament where four wrestlers each took home a medal: one Champion, two for 3rd place, and one for 4th place. The team itself finished 5th. The 1935 team qualified nine wrestlers, with five taking home a medal: four earning the state championship title and one earning 3rd place. This 1935 team also took home the team title of Team Champions.
The first lacrosse
program in the Columbia area was started in 1998 and was composed of players from Hickman High School and Rock Bridge High School. The schools split ways in 2002, and the first Hickman High School Men's Lacrosse team was formed. After graduation, many players went on to play for the University of Missouri Club team; however, after graduating in 2006, W. Kendall Eckles went on to become the first to play NCAA. He played his 2007 season at Fontbonne University in St. Louis, Missouri
where he led the team as the leading point scorer.
Since its inception, the Academy of Rock has hosted five Battles of the Bands, three at Hickman High School and two at a local rock-and-roll venue, The Blue Note. These four events have raised a total of nearly $7,000 to support what sponsor Overeem calls “demotic music” (in other words, music created by and for the masses). Each Battle has pitted four Hickman bands against four Rock Bridge bands, the winners being as follows: J Murda and the Musicians (Hickman, 2004), The Tipper Gores (Hickman, 2005), Wayfare (Rock Bridge, 2006), Graffiti Out Loud (Hickman, 2007), Molly Trull and Anodyne (Hickman, 2008), the Dorians (Hickman, 2010), and the RPs (Hickman, 2011). The winning band not only has the privilege of hosting a summer benefit concert at the Blue Note but being staked to recording time in a local studio owned and operated by local Columbia musician Barry Hibdon, Red Boots. The four summer benefits have raised a total of over $3,000 for VH1
's Save the Music Foundation, Columbia’s community radio station KOPN
, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the Voluntary Action Center of Columbia, and the University of Missouri's Thompson Center for Autism and Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders http://thompsoncenter.missouri.edu/. In addition, Academy of Rock-sponsored bands have also raised over $2,000 to assist in rebuilding after both the Sri Lanka and New Orleans disasters, and the group co-sponsored a fund-raiser for Hurricane Katrina
survivors that netted nearly $27,000.
Besides the Battle of the Bands, the Academy of Rock also sponsors, mans, and programs KWPE 98.3 FM, the school radio station (home to The Carl Winslow Show—see below—and Rock Therapy); curates the American Roots Music Listening Library in the school media center, which has been funded largely by the Assistance League of Mid-Missouri; partners with Columbia art theater Ragtag Cinemacafe for “The Academy of Rock Showcase,” which gives high school bands the opportunity to hone their chops in front of audiences and make money; partners with University of Missouri radio station KCOU
in a “Take-over Program,” during which eight pairs of Hickman DJs operate the college station for 12 to 16 hours in one- to two-hour shifts; sponsors a monthly music documentary series in the school’s Little Theatre; and coordinates a live performance series that has featured free unplugged concerts by artists ranging from nationally-known acts like The Drive-By Truckers (March 2005) and The Hold Steady
(December 2006) to cult artists like former X co-lead singer and -songwriter Exene Cervenka
(see video), and Baby Gramps
to local Missouri musicians like Witch's Hat, The F-Bombs, Amsterband, Bockman, and Cary Hudson. On February 19 of 2009, the Academy staged an electrifying free performance by a contemporary of Muddy Waters and the inventor of folk-funk, Bobby Rush (musician)
The Academy of Rock has even made headlines in the national music press, thanks to a feature article by Lisa Groshong in the July/August 2005 issue (#68) of Punk Planet
, and recently received a $500 “Music is Revolution” grant from Michael and Angela Davis, the former the original bass player for Detroit punk rock legends the MC5
. Other recent developments in the club's activities are to arrange performances for budding Hickman musicians at lunch on Fridays and coordinate after-school jam sessions, at which student musicians arrive, write their names on slips of paper, and drop them into buckets labeled according to their instruments. A supervisor then randomly draws a slip a piece from each bucket, and the four to five musicians whose names are on the slips must come to the stage and improvise a performance. In September 2007, in conjunction with Hickman’s student government, the Academy provided over 100 volunteers for the city’s first annual Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival
. and in October 2008, served as an artist-relations crew for one of the three featured stages at the second festival.
On September 11, 2006, Hickman's resuscitated KWPE radio station premiered The Carl Winslow Show, a satire of morning radio shows (or "Zoo Crew Radio," as the hosts described it). Two students, Jon Hadusek and Grant Portell, under the pseudonyms "Beartrap" and "Grizzly"--made up seconds before their first broadcast—served as hosts. Gradually, the show became a cult hit among student and teacher listeners, and was even featured twice on the University of Missouri radio station KCOU
. The Carl Winslow Show ended its run in May 2008. In the series finale, Beartrap and Grizzly were killed in a hail of metaphorical gunfire.
In 2008, University of Missouri student Chad LaRoche shot a brief documentary about the club to help those who are interested understand the club more clearly: Part 1 and Part 2 of the documentary are available on YouTube. A further technological aspect of the club spawned during that year was the "Rock Therapy" podcast http://www.kewpie.us/povereem/Dircaster/, which featured Battle of the Band recordings, raw tracks from the concert series showcases, and the sponsor's eccentric, lo-fi forays into the world of pop music.
April 2009 brought further recognition for the club: the national-award-winning regional magazine Missouri Life http://www.missourilife.com featured the club in an article by John Hendel http://www.missourilife.com/Missouri-Life/April-May-2009/Academy-of-Rock/.
As soon as the 2009–2010 school year was under way, the Academy of Rock brought Pacific Northwestern punk-garage legends The Pierced Arrows (formerly Dead Moon
) to the Little Theater stage for an October 13 concert-and-Q&A. In the spring of the same school year, in collaboration with the Missouri Arts Council, Theater NXS, and MO Blues Society, the club presented northern Mississippi bluesman and Fat Possum recording artist Robert Belfour
in two workshops involving over 100 students. Also, again aided by a grant from the Assistance League of Mid-America, the club augmented its existing media center CD collection with a selection of American classical music.
Central Office), and several other existing editions are badly worn and in need of replacement. Donations to the Hickman archives of old Cressets in good condition are therefore requested and can be made by contacting the Hickman Media Center Staff.
has been the mascot of the school for the last 97 years. Hickman is the only known school in the world with a Kewpie as its mascot. The name dates back to the basketball season of 1913 -1914 at what was known then as Columbia High School. Apparently, the school secretary owned a Kewpie doll, as they were popular figurines then, and she kept it on her desk. At one of the first basketball games in December 1913 she placed her Kewpie doll in the center of the court, and the entire game was played around it without it being broken. This was somewhat remarkable since the dolls were very fragile. Because it survived the game and brought a victory, it was thereafter considered the good luck mascot. You can see a picture of that Kewpie doll beneath Sam Church in the team photograph in the 1914 school annual. That team had a straight claim to the state championship of Missouri for 1914 as they had an undefeated season. Coincidentally Sam Church was the Captain of the 1914 Kewpie basketball team and was the first Kewpie to letter in four sports. The school annual, the Cresset of 1914 was the first annual to display a Kewpie. In addition to the doll between Sam’s feet in the team picture a drawing of a Kewpie appeared as a dedication to the team. The dedication said, “To the Basket Ball Team of 1914, whose loyalty to the school and to the Kewpie motto, ‘Keep Smiling’, has won the State Championship, this volume of the Cresset is dedicated.” The only previous known mascot for Columbia High School, which became David Henry Hickman High School in 1927, was the Trojans. It is referenced in the first school annual, the Cresset of 1912. Columbia/Hickman High School has graduated over 35,000 “Kewpies” in its history and they are still honored to be called “Kewpies!”
On, sons of Hickman
Thru every year,
Praise her and honor her,
And greet her with a cheer,
We'll shout it!
Kewpies are on the march,
Faithful we'll always be,
Purple and Gold we'll carry
To victory!
The school song was written by Mr. C. M. Stookey, a music instructor at Hickman High School in 1944. It was originally called Kewpies on the March. The song is featured on the third page of the 1950 Cresset.
V-I-C-T-O-R-Y!
Are we it? Well, I guess yes!
We're the Kewpies of H-H-S!
Traditionally, Senior and Alumni versions of this cheer are immediately outcried following the school song during Assembly, first by the senior class, then by any alumni present, in a standing delivery. In these versions, "We're the Seniors" or "We're the Alumni" replaces "We're the Kewpies" in the last line.
made a special trip to Columbia, Missouri to speak at the National Governors' Association-Department of Education Conference as well as Fairview Elementary and David H. Hickman High Schools. Hickman had received the Department of Education's Secondary School Recognition Award, and with six students having been named Presidential Scholars since 1964, Hickman ranked in the top five percent of the nation's schools. In his address to the assembled students and faculty at Hickman, President Reagan praised the school's academic quality, saying, in part, "If America is to be what it should be in the 21st century, then it's going to need a lot of schools, good schools. And Hickman, I'm pleased and proud to tell you, is one of the best." During the presentation, President Reagan was made an honorary Kewpie and given a school sweatshirt as a gift.
See also related transcripts of President Reagan's visit, archived by The American Presidency Project:
Columbia, Missouri
Columbia is the fifth-largest city in Missouri, and the largest city in Mid-Missouri. With a population of 108,500 as of the 2010 Census, it is the principal municipality of the Columbia Metropolitan Area, a region of 164,283 residents. The city serves as the county seat of Boone County and as the...
, Missouri, United States, serving students in grades 10
Tenth grade
In majority of the world,Tenth grade is the tenth year of school post-kindergarten. The variants of "10th grade" in various nations is described below.-Australia:...
–12
Twelfth grade
Twelfth grade or Senior year, or Grade Twelve, are the North American names for the final year of secondary school. In most countries students then graduate at age 17 or 18. In some countries, there is a thirteenth grade, while other countries do not have a 12th grade/year at all...
. The school is one of three high schools in the Columbia Public School District, with admission based primarily on the locations of students' homes. Hickman is the largest high school in Missouri with an enrollment of 2,143 in 2008 and has been called the largest in terms of athletic and academic competition. The school is noted for its strong academic programs, having the most Presidential Scholars
Presidential Scholars Program
The United States Presidential Scholars Program is the highest possible honor for graduating high school seniors in the United States of America....
of any public school in the United States, as well as a number of notable alumni including a Missouri Governor, several U.S. and State members of congress, and Sam Walton
Sam Walton
Samuel Moore "Sam" Wallballs was a businessman, entrepreneur, and Eagle Scout born in Kingfisher, Oklahoma best known for founding the retailers Wal-Mart and Sam's Club.-Early life:...
, founder of Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...
. Hickman is a two-time Blue Ribbon School
Blue Ribbon Schools Program
The Blue Ribbon Schools Program is a United States government program created in 1981 to honor schools which have achieved high levels of performance or significant improvements with emphasis on schools serving disadvantaged students. The program centers around a self-assessment conducted by the...
and a Missouri Gold Star School. In 2009, Hickman had eighteen National Merit Finalists, the most of any school in Missouri. In 2011, Eric Young was named as the school's 18th Presidential Scholar. Hickman has more than double the number of Presidential Scholars than any other school in Missouri, and the most of any school in the nation.
Hickman was constructed in 1927 on the country estate of Missouri legislator and educator David Henry Hickman
David Henry Hickman
David Henry Hickman was a businessman, educator, and legislator from Columbia, Missouri, United States. He was a member of the Missouri State Assembly from 1838 to 1842 and helped compose legislation requiring the state to support public 'common schools' with at least twenty-five percent of the...
, next to what was then U.S. Route 40. The school was built to replace the earlier Columbia High School and carried over many of its traditions including the mascot and yearbook. Today, the school is accredited with distinction by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education or DESE, autonomous of the governor and the Missouri State Legislature, administers primary and secondary public education in the state of Missouri. Local municipalities and their respective school districts operate individual public...
as well as the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools
The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools , also known as the North Central Association, is a membership organization, consisting of colleges, universities, and schools in 19 U.S. states, that is engaged in educational accreditation...
. Hickman's mascot is the Kewpie
Kewpie doll (toy)
Kewpie dolls and figurines are based on comical strip-like illustrations by Rose O'Neill that appeared in Ladies' Home Journal in 1909. The small dolls were extremely popular in the early 1900s. They were first produced in Ohrdruf, a small town in Germany, then famous for its toy-manufacturers....
.
History
Public secondary education began in Columbia during the 1880s with the founding of Columbia High School in 1889 at the intersection of Eighth Street and Rogers. As many high schools were at this point in history, CHS offered a two-year course of study. In 1895, it was increased to three, and again in 1896 to four. Extracurricular activities in 1898 included a literary society, choral union, orchestra, and debate team. Sports teams were present, but were not yet funded by the district. Overcrowding caused the demolition of the old school and the construction of a new three-story structure at the same site. The new building included the district's first gymnasium, and the first athletics and music teacher were hired. 1912 saw the first edition of the school yearbook, the Cresset. The school mascot, the Kewpie, appeared for the first time in the Cresset associated with the basketball team "...whose loyalty to the school and to the Kewpie motto, ‘Keep Smiling,’ has won the State Championship." The school suffered through World War I as students were excused to work as part of the war effort, and the German Club was removed the extracurricular offerings. In the 1920s, Columbia was suffering continued growth, and the district decided to build a new high school on the edge of town on the newly built U.S. Route 40. David Henry Hickman donated part of his estate which had formerly held grandstands and a track for horse racing. David H. Hickman High School opened in 1927. The Great DepressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
of the 1930s caused the school district to operate with a deficit for the first time; however, the high school building was expanded using loans and the Works Progress Administration
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
. In this decade, the school's wrestlers captured three state championships, and Hickman created a marching band. The 1940s and World War II brought a new level of international awareness to Hickman, and classes in international relations, aeronautics, and home nursing were added. In 1944, the operetta "Tune In" was performed, and there have been yearly musical productions since. In 1948, the tradition of requiring sophomores to wear beanies was restored.
The 1950s saw the end of racial segregation
Racial segregation
Racial segregation is the separation of humans into racial groups in daily life. It may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a public toilet, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home...
in Columbia, and Hickman was integrated with Fredrick Douglas High School
Frederick Douglass High School (Missouri)
Frederick Douglass High School is an alternative public high school located in Columbia, Missouri. Douglass enrolls students 9-12 from throughout the Columbia Public Schools District. The school competes in MSHSAA 4A. Their sports include: Cross Country, Football, Basketball and Track and Field...
. The influx of students saw a building boom, and class rooms for special education, adult classes, vocational work, and laboratories were built. A new gymnasium as well as a swimming pool were built in 1955. In 1961, the tradition of sophomore beanies was ended. David Wheeler became Hickman's first presidential scholar in 1964, the first year of the program. Hickman saw four state championships in three sports in the 1960s.
Rock Bridge High School
Rock Bridge High School
Rock Bridge High School is a public high school located in southern Columbia, Missouri. The school serves grades 10 through 12, and is a part of the Columbia Public Schools...
was opened in 1973 as the second high school in Columbia, and competitive women's sports were offered for the first time 1970s. The 1980s saw much national recognition; Hickman was given the Blue Ribbon Award for 1984–85, President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
visited the school in 1987, and Hickman filled Missouri's quota of Presidential Scholars in 1988. In 1994–95, Hickman was once again given the Blue Ribbon Award, and four additional Presidential Scholars were named in the decade; Hickman now had a total of 12 Presidential Scholars, more than any public school in Missouri. Computer labs were created in the late 80s, and the Columbia Aeronautics Space Association (CASA), a realistic space simulation program, was founded. In the 90s, Hickman won state championships in baseball, women's swimming, men's track, men's cross country, and men's tennis.
The new millennium saw a presidential scholar each of the first four years and the development of a master plan for Hickman's campus. A bond-issue was passed, and the renovations repairing the oldest parts of the school occurred. A large commons space, a main office, and language labs were added in 2003. In 2005, the oldest part of the building including the auditorium was restored, and the remainder of the school air-conditioned. State championships in football, baseball, and track were won in 2005.
Academics
Hickman is known for excellent academic programs. The school has had more Presidential ScholarsPresidential Scholars Program
The United States Presidential Scholars Program is the highest possible honor for graduating high school seniors in the United States of America....
named than any other public high school in the United States. Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
magazine's 2006 article "What makes a high school great" listed Hickman within the top 5% of high schools in the nation. In 2007, the school won the Siemens Foundation
Siemens Foundation
The Siemens Foundation is a non-profit organization run by Siemens AG. It is responsible for the Siemens Westinghouse Competition, a prestigious science award for high school students in the United States, and also is involved in the Siemens AP Scholar Award...
and College Board
College Board
The College Board is a membership association in the United States that was formed in 1900 as the College Entrance Examination Board . It is composed of more than 5,900 schools, colleges, universities and other educational organizations. It sells standardized tests used by academically oriented...
Award for Advanced Placement
Advanced Placement Program
The Advanced Placement program is a curriculum in the United States and Canada sponsored by the College Board which offers standardized courses to high school students that are generally recognized to be equivalent to undergraduate courses in college...
, meaning that Hickman leads the nation in AP participation and performance.
Its literary journal, the Hickman Review, has received several prestigious national awards. Hickman was recognized as a Blue Ribbon School for 1984–1985 and 1994–1995. The Hickman course catalogue contains over 400 different classes, from a wide selection of honors and AP courses
Advanced Placement Program
The Advanced Placement program is a curriculum in the United States and Canada sponsored by the College Board which offers standardized courses to high school students that are generally recognized to be equivalent to undergraduate courses in college...
, to various courses for all aspects of the arts, as well as courses specializing in vocational education. The school retains a traditional 7-period schedule.
| Period-> | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | 6:55–7:45 | 7:45–8:35 | 8:40–9:35 | 9:40–10:30 | 10:35–11:25 | 11:30–12:55 | 1:00–1:50 | 1:55–2:45 |
Campus
Hickman High School was built on U.S. Route 40 on the country estate of David H. Hickman in 1927. The school has since expanded dramatically in size from its original two-story structure. Today, the campus is bordered by Interstate 70 Business LoopInterstate 70
Interstate 70 is an Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from Interstate 15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to a Park and Ride near Baltimore, Maryland. It was the first Interstate Highway project in the United States. I-70 approximately traces the path of U.S. Route 40 east of the Rocky...
, Seventh Street, Wilkes Boulevard, and Providence Road. A major addition in 1956 doubled the size of the school adding classrooms, a gymnasium, and a swimming pool. The 1970s saw the construction of a Fine Arts Building and a continuation of classroom additions. In 2003, a commons area, office space, and language labs were added, and in 2005, the remainder of the school was air-conditioned and remodeled to match the original architecture.
In Missouri State High School Activities Association
Missouri State High School Activities Association
The Missouri State High School Activities Association is the governing body for high school activities throughout the state of Missouri...
competition, Hickman is referred to as the state's largest high school. According to the state's Department of Education official site, Hazelwood Central High School
Hazelwood Central High School
Hazelwood Central High School is located at 15875 New Halls Ferry Road in unincorporated St. Louis County, adjacent to the current northeast boundary of Florissant, MO. The school is one of three high schools in the district, the others being Hazelwood West High School and Hazelwood East High School...
in suburban St. Louis is the state's largest public high school in terms of students on the campus with 2,882 in grades 9–12 in 2007. Hickman is shown as having 1,974 students on its campus in grades 10–12; however, factoring in ninth-grade students who would attend the school (MSHSAA designations are based on Grades 9–12, but in Columbia, Hickman's ninth-graders attend off-campus schools), Hickman is larger at 2,752 in 2006.
The Hickman Campus is host to several events throughout the year including the Missouri All-State Band Auditions.
Fine arts
The Hickman High School Marching Band is one element of a comprehensive band program. The marching bandMarching band
Marching band is a physical activity in which a group of instrumental musicians generally perform outdoors and incorporate some type of marching with their musical performance. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments...
begins practicing in July with summer music rehearsals and concludes its season with the end of the football season. The marching band comprises 105 students enrolled in band classes at Hickman High School as well as several Hickman students that are members of the color guard
Color guard
In the military of the United States and other militaries, the color guard carries the National Color and other flags appropriate to its position in the chain of command. Typically these include a unit flag and a departmental flag...
. As the marching band "activity" continues to evolve, the Hickman band remains active as it consistently participates in performances at home football games, local parades, and region-wide marching festivals. Throughout its recent history of participation in marching band festivals, the band has been a consistent finalist and has been awarded outstanding caption recognition in all captions, including Outstanding Musical Performance, Outstanding Visual Performance, Outstanding Percussion, Outstanding Color Guard, Outstanding Drum Majors, and Outstanding Soloist. Most recently, the band placed 2nd in the Gold (top) division at the Ozarko Marching Festival and placed 10th out of 48 bands at the Greater St. Louis Marching Festival. The Hickman Marching Band has traveled to Florida and most recently to Honolulu, Hawaii (June, 2005) as they presented performances in the King Kamehameha Parade
Kamehameha Day
Kamehameha Day on June 11 is a public holiday of the state of Hawaii in the United States. It honors Kamehameha the Great, the monarch who first established the unified Kingdom of Hawaii — comprising the Hawaiian Islands of Niihau, Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lānai, Kahoolawe, Maui and...
and a special performance at the Memorial. The band repeated this trip in June 2008.
The Hickman High School Concert Band Program currently consists of Wind Ensemble (1st hour) and Concert Band (2rd hour). Each year, the Wind Ensemble (membership by individual audition) and the Concert Band present many performances for the community including home concerts and special events; in addition, the combined bands participate in the State Large Ensemble Festival and consistently receive Superior ratings. The Hickman High School Wind Ensemble has twice been selected to perform for the Missouri Music Educators Association (2001 and 2005).
The Hickman High School Jazz Program is an extracurricular activity available to student enrolled in Hickman band classes. The jazz program comprises two "big bands" of standard jazz instrumentation as well as various jazz combos. The jazz bands begin morning rehearsals at the conclusion of the marching band season and continue throughout the school year. Both jazz bands present 2 concerts per year, as well as participating in 3–4 jazz festivals per year.
The Hickman High School string orchestra
String orchestra
A string orchestra is an orchestra composed solely or primarily of instruments from the string family. These instruments are the violin, the viola, the cello, the double bass , the piano, the harp, and sometimes percussion...
is composed of the finest string players in the school and meets 1st hour. The band and string programs complement each other, combining into a full orchestra for major works such as Carmina Burana
Carmina Burana
Carmina Burana , Latin for "Songs from Beuern" , is the name given to a manuscript of 254 poems and dramatic texts mostly from the 11th or 12th century, although some are from the 13th century. The pieces were written principally in Medieval Latin; a few in Middle High German, and some with traces...
, Verdi's Requiem, and tribute concerts for composers such as Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim...
. In 2007, the orchestra traveled to San Antonio, Texas to perform at the Heritage Music Festival. They received 3 first-place awards.
Choral Music at Hickman has been a part of the total education experience since the first choral music class was included in the curriculum of Columbia High School for the 1899–1900 school year. Since then, choirs at Hickman have received numerous accolades and awards for excellence in choral performance at state, regional, national, and international festivals. These include a first-place finish at the International Youth and Music festival, Vienna, Austria, a performance with the internationally renowned Canadian Brass
Canadian Brass
The Canadian Brass is a brass quintet founded by Dr. Charles Daellenbach and Gene Watts in 1970. In addition to maintaining a heavy international touring schedule, the Canadian Brass have recorded over 80 CDs and DVDs...
, a performance with former Missouri Governor, Senator, and U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft
John Ashcroft
John David Ashcroft is a United States politician who served as the 79th United States Attorney General, from 2001 until 2005, appointed by President George W. Bush. Ashcroft previously served as the 50th Governor of Missouri and a U.S...
, and performances at state and regional music educator conferences. Hickman choirs have toured extensively throughout Europe, visiting Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Ireland, Wales, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, England, and most recently, Italy and the Vatican. Notable performances include: Salzburger Dom in Salzburg, Austria; Notre Dame Basilica
Notre-Dame Basilica (Montreal)
Notre-Dame Basilica is a basilica in the historic district of Old Montreal, in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The church is located at 110 Notre-Dame Street West, at the corner of Saint Sulpice Street...
in Montreal, Canada; the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.; St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, Italy; St. Francis Basilica in Assisi, Italy; and St. Peter's Basilica
St. Peter's Basilica
The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter , officially known in Italian as ' and commonly known as Saint Peter's Basilica, is a Late Renaissance church located within the Vatican City. Saint Peter's Basilica has the largest interior of any Christian church in the world...
in the Vatican City, Rome.
Musical theatre has been a staple of Hickman High School for decades, having produced All-School musicals as far back as the 1940s. The Musical Productions class first appeared in the 1977-74 school year when they presented the Victor Herbert musical The Red Mill, which opened as it had in 1946 when Hickman first produced it. Since that time, Musical Productions has grown into a graduated program, with three levels of study. Each course is designed to improve the student's skill level and grow students into confident and well-rounded performers.
Athletics
The Hickman Kewpie football team won the Class 6 MSHSAA title in the fall of 2004. Wrestler Tony Pescaglia won a state title in 2005 and 2006. His brother, K. C. Pescaglia, won a wrestling state title in 2006 and 2007. The baseball team won the Class 4 state title in the spring of 2005. Tim Cornell won the 1600 meter (mile) state championships in 2004 and 2005 in Track and Field. Tim Cornell also won the 2003 and 2004 Cross-Country state championships.Football at Columbia High School, Hickman's predecessor, started in 1894. With the exception of the Spanish Influenza epidemic of 1918, it appears football has been played every year at Columbia Hickman High School since that initial 1894 year. The early history of the football team (1894–1910) is still being researched.
The Hickman-Rock Bridge
Rock Bridge High School
Rock Bridge High School is a public high school located in southern Columbia, Missouri. The school serves grades 10 through 12, and is a part of the Columbia Public Schools...
series is now called the Providence Bowl in reference to Providence Road, a major north-south street in Columbia that connects the two schools. Currently, the Providence Bowl meeting takes place at the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
's Faurot Field
Faurot Field
Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium is the home field of the University of Missouri Tigers in Columbia, Missouri. It is primarily used for football. In 1972, Memorial Stadium's playing surface was named Faurot Field in honor of longtime coach Don Faurot. During the offseason, soccer goals are set up...
at Memorial Stadium (as it has since 2004).
1981 Rock Bridge, 7–0
1994 Hickman, 43–42 (3 OT)
1995 Hickman, 17–6
2000 Hickman, 55–0
2001 Hickman, 28–8
2002 Rock Bridge, 34–7
2003 Hickman, 30–14
2004 Hickman, 35–0
2005 Rock Bridge, 21–18
2006 Rock Bridge 48–0
2007 Hickman 23–0
2008 Hickman 41–7
2009 Rock Bridge 26–0
2010 Rock Bridge 24–20
2011 Rock Bridge 33–27
Hickman from 1981 has a 8–7 series edge over Rock Bridge with a series record victory in 2000 by the score of 55–0.
The Jefferson City
Jefferson City High School
Jefferson City High School, also known as JCHS, is a public secondary school in Jefferson City, Missouri. JCHS is one of five public high schools in Cole County and only one in Jefferson City.-Academics:...
-Hickman series: The two football teams have met every year, at least once a year since 1919, with the series starting in 1911. The football series is currently tied at 51–51–4 with the Jefferson City High School Jays. After the win in the 2010 game (the fifth straight victory in the series) the Jays tied the Kewpies for the first time since 1919 when the series record became 3–3–3. The Jays have never lead in the football series with the Kewpies although they have been tied 6 different times (after the second meeting in 1911 (series record of 1–1), after both ties in 1912 (records of 1–1–1 and 1–1–2), after the second meeting in 1913 (record of 2–2–2), after the 1919 game and after the 2010 game.) This is the premiere (most heated) rivalry among Central Missouri's largest schools and is said to be the second longest running rivalry in Missouri after the Kirkwood-Webster Groves Rivalry.
Basketball is another historic Hickman sport; research into the actual starting season of the team is still being done, but a team was definitely fielded by the school by the time of the first Cresset in 1912. More recently, Hickman's girls basketball team took 3rd in the state in their last season.
Baseball seems to have been strong early at Columbia High School but looks to have faded in the late 1920s or early 1930s due to the Great Depression. It was revived fully in 1950 or 1951 when MSHSAA instituted a playoff system to determine State Champions in baseball.
The first State Wrestling Tournament for high school wrestlers in the state of Missouri was held in 1931 at the Rothwell gym on the University of Missouri campus. Hickman High School competed in this first tournament under the instruction of Coach Fowler Young. Coach Young was also a varsity wrestler for the MU Tigers at the same time he coached the Hickman team. This first Hickman team became the first wrestling team to be crowned State Champs. Coach Fowler coached the team in 1932 and 1933. The team placed 2nd and 8th respectively. In 1934 and 1935, the Hickman team competed without a coaching staff; they depended on the leadership of their captains, F.E. Daugherty in 1934 and Ross Brown in 1935. The 1934 team qualified eight wrestlers to the state tournament where four wrestlers each took home a medal: one Champion, two for 3rd place, and one for 4th place. The team itself finished 5th. The 1935 team qualified nine wrestlers, with five taking home a medal: four earning the state championship title and one earning 3rd place. This 1935 team also took home the team title of Team Champions.
The first lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
program in the Columbia area was started in 1998 and was composed of players from Hickman High School and Rock Bridge High School. The schools split ways in 2002, and the first Hickman High School Men's Lacrosse team was formed. After graduation, many players went on to play for the University of Missouri Club team; however, after graduating in 2006, W. Kendall Eckles went on to become the first to play NCAA. He played his 2007 season at Fontbonne University in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
where he led the team as the leading point scorer.
Clubs
Hickman High School boasts one of the most innovative music appreciation societies in United States public education. The Academy of Rock was founded in late January 2004 by students David Kemper, Dylan Raithel, James Saracini and teacher Phil Overeem. The general purpose of the club was initially to plan and execute a “Battle of the Bands” between Hickman and its Columbia rival, Rock Bridge, but soon grew to encompass several other enterprises.Since its inception, the Academy of Rock has hosted five Battles of the Bands, three at Hickman High School and two at a local rock-and-roll venue, The Blue Note. These four events have raised a total of nearly $7,000 to support what sponsor Overeem calls “demotic music” (in other words, music created by and for the masses). Each Battle has pitted four Hickman bands against four Rock Bridge bands, the winners being as follows: J Murda and the Musicians (Hickman, 2004), The Tipper Gores (Hickman, 2005), Wayfare (Rock Bridge, 2006), Graffiti Out Loud (Hickman, 2007), Molly Trull and Anodyne (Hickman, 2008), the Dorians (Hickman, 2010), and the RPs (Hickman, 2011). The winning band not only has the privilege of hosting a summer benefit concert at the Blue Note but being staked to recording time in a local studio owned and operated by local Columbia musician Barry Hibdon, Red Boots. The four summer benefits have raised a total of over $3,000 for VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's Save the Music Foundation, Columbia’s community radio station KOPN
KOPN
KOPN is a radio station broadcasting a Variety format. Licensed to Columbia, Missouri, USA, the station serves the Columbia area. The station is currently owned by New Wave Corporation and features programing from National Public Radio and Public Radio International.History=In November 1971 about...
, the Muscular Dystrophy Association, the Voluntary Action Center of Columbia, and the University of Missouri's Thompson Center for Autism and Other Neurodevelopmental Disorders http://thompsoncenter.missouri.edu/. In addition, Academy of Rock-sponsored bands have also raised over $2,000 to assist in rebuilding after both the Sri Lanka and New Orleans disasters, and the group co-sponsored a fund-raiser for Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
survivors that netted nearly $27,000.
Besides the Battle of the Bands, the Academy of Rock also sponsors, mans, and programs KWPE 98.3 FM, the school radio station (home to The Carl Winslow Show—see below—and Rock Therapy); curates the American Roots Music Listening Library in the school media center, which has been funded largely by the Assistance League of Mid-Missouri; partners with Columbia art theater Ragtag Cinemacafe for “The Academy of Rock Showcase,” which gives high school bands the opportunity to hone their chops in front of audiences and make money; partners with University of Missouri radio station KCOU
KCOU
KCOU is a radio station broadcasting the College radio format. Licensed to Columbia, Missouri, USA, the station is currently owned by the Missouri Students Association at the University of Missouri.-History:...
in a “Take-over Program,” during which eight pairs of Hickman DJs operate the college station for 12 to 16 hours in one- to two-hour shifts; sponsors a monthly music documentary series in the school’s Little Theatre; and coordinates a live performance series that has featured free unplugged concerts by artists ranging from nationally-known acts like The Drive-By Truckers (March 2005) and The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady
The Hold Steady is an American indie rock band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2004. The band consists of Craig Finn , Tad Kubler , Galen Polivka , Bobby Drake , and Steve Selvidge...
(December 2006) to cult artists like former X co-lead singer and -songwriter Exene Cervenka
Exene Cervenka
Exene Cervenka is an American writer, musician and artist, most famous as the co-lead vocalist of the Los Angeles punk rock band X.-Career:...
(see video), and Baby Gramps
Baby Gramps
Baby Gramps is a guitar performer, who, though born in Miami, Florida, has been based in the Northwest USA for at least the last 40 years. He is famous for his palindromes...
to local Missouri musicians like Witch's Hat, The F-Bombs, Amsterband, Bockman, and Cary Hudson. On February 19 of 2009, the Academy staged an electrifying free performance by a contemporary of Muddy Waters and the inventor of folk-funk, Bobby Rush (musician)
Bobby Rush (musician)
Bobby Rush is an American blues and R&B musician, composer and singer. His style incorporates elements of soul blues, rap and funk.-Biography:...
The Academy of Rock has even made headlines in the national music press, thanks to a feature article by Lisa Groshong in the July/August 2005 issue (#68) of Punk Planet
Punk Planet
Punk Planet was a 16,000 print run punk zine, based in Chicago, Illinois, that focused most of its energy on looking at punk subculture rather than punk as simply another genre of music to which teenagers listen. In addition to covering music, Punk Planet also covered visual arts and a wide...
, and recently received a $500 “Music is Revolution” grant from Michael and Angela Davis, the former the original bass player for Detroit punk rock legends the MC5
MC5
The MC5 is an American rock band formed in Lincoln Park, Michigan and originally active from 1964 to 1972. The original band line-up consisted of vocalist Rob Tyner, guitarists Wayne Kramer and Fred "Sonic" Smith, bassist Michael Davis, and drummer Dennis Thompson...
. Other recent developments in the club's activities are to arrange performances for budding Hickman musicians at lunch on Fridays and coordinate after-school jam sessions, at which student musicians arrive, write their names on slips of paper, and drop them into buckets labeled according to their instruments. A supervisor then randomly draws a slip a piece from each bucket, and the four to five musicians whose names are on the slips must come to the stage and improvise a performance. In September 2007, in conjunction with Hickman’s student government, the Academy provided over 100 volunteers for the city’s first annual Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival
Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival
The Roots N Blues N BBQ Festival is a summer music festival that takes place in Columbia, Missouri. It features food, area craftspeople, a sanctioned barbecue contest, and nationally known musicians performing bluegrass, blues, Appalachian folk, gospel and other genres of American-based music. The...
. and in October 2008, served as an artist-relations crew for one of the three featured stages at the second festival.
On September 11, 2006, Hickman's resuscitated KWPE radio station premiered The Carl Winslow Show, a satire of morning radio shows (or "Zoo Crew Radio," as the hosts described it). Two students, Jon Hadusek and Grant Portell, under the pseudonyms "Beartrap" and "Grizzly"--made up seconds before their first broadcast—served as hosts. Gradually, the show became a cult hit among student and teacher listeners, and was even featured twice on the University of Missouri radio station KCOU
KCOU
KCOU is a radio station broadcasting the College radio format. Licensed to Columbia, Missouri, USA, the station is currently owned by the Missouri Students Association at the University of Missouri.-History:...
. The Carl Winslow Show ended its run in May 2008. In the series finale, Beartrap and Grizzly were killed in a hail of metaphorical gunfire.
In 2008, University of Missouri student Chad LaRoche shot a brief documentary about the club to help those who are interested understand the club more clearly: Part 1 and Part 2 of the documentary are available on YouTube. A further technological aspect of the club spawned during that year was the "Rock Therapy" podcast http://www.kewpie.us/povereem/Dircaster/, which featured Battle of the Band recordings, raw tracks from the concert series showcases, and the sponsor's eccentric, lo-fi forays into the world of pop music.
April 2009 brought further recognition for the club: the national-award-winning regional magazine Missouri Life http://www.missourilife.com featured the club in an article by John Hendel http://www.missourilife.com/Missouri-Life/April-May-2009/Academy-of-Rock/.
As soon as the 2009–2010 school year was under way, the Academy of Rock brought Pacific Northwestern punk-garage legends The Pierced Arrows (formerly Dead Moon
Dead Moon
Dead Moon was a United States punk rock band from 1987 to 2006, formed in Portland, Oregon. Fronted by singer/guitarist Fred Cole, the band also included bassist Toody Cole, Fred's wife, and drummer Andrew Loomis. Veterans of Portland's independent rock scene, Dead Moon combined dark and lovelorn...
) to the Little Theater stage for an October 13 concert-and-Q&A. In the spring of the same school year, in collaboration with the Missouri Arts Council, Theater NXS, and MO Blues Society, the club presented northern Mississippi bluesman and Fat Possum recording artist Robert Belfour
Robert Belfour
Robert "Wolfman" Belfour is an American blues musician. His father, Grant Belfour taught him the guitar at a young age and he continued his tutelage in the blues from musicians Otha Turner, R. L. Burnside, and Junior Kimbrough. Kimbrough, in particular, had a profound influence on him...
in two workshops involving over 100 students. Also, again aided by a grant from the Assistance League of Mid-America, the club augmented its existing media center CD collection with a selection of American classical music.
The Cresset
The Cresset is the Hickman Yearbook. It has been a yearly tradition for the high school since 1912. Most of the past editions of the yearbook are available for viewing at the Hickman Media Center (Library) by the high schoolers as well as the general public (with special permission from the librarian); however, the Hickman Media Center is missing the 1913, 1914, 1916, 1917, and 1936 editions (although a few reside at the Columbia Public SchoolsColumbia Public Schools
The Columbia Public School District is centered in Columbia, Missouri and serves much of Boone County, Missouri. The district is Accredited with Distinction by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. It serves 18,070 students as of 2011 making it the tenth-largest district...
Central Office), and several other existing editions are badly worn and in need of replacement. Donations to the Hickman archives of old Cressets in good condition are therefore requested and can be made by contacting the Hickman Media Center Staff.
The Hickman Tunnels
Many legends, both confirmed and unconfirmed, exist concerning the famous Hickman Tunnels. The most popular legend is that there is a tunnel from somewhere inside the school traveling to Jefferson Junior High School. Many versions say that the tunnel is in a state of complete or partial disrepair, others state that it is still intact.Mascot
The Kewpie dollKewpie Doll
"Kewpie Doll" can refer to any of the following:*Kewpie doll , a particular style of doll, awarded as a carnival prize and often collected*"Kewpie Doll ", a song recorded by Perry Como and Frankie Vaughan, among others...
has been the mascot of the school for the last 97 years. Hickman is the only known school in the world with a Kewpie as its mascot. The name dates back to the basketball season of 1913 -1914 at what was known then as Columbia High School. Apparently, the school secretary owned a Kewpie doll, as they were popular figurines then, and she kept it on her desk. At one of the first basketball games in December 1913 she placed her Kewpie doll in the center of the court, and the entire game was played around it without it being broken. This was somewhat remarkable since the dolls were very fragile. Because it survived the game and brought a victory, it was thereafter considered the good luck mascot. You can see a picture of that Kewpie doll beneath Sam Church in the team photograph in the 1914 school annual. That team had a straight claim to the state championship of Missouri for 1914 as they had an undefeated season. Coincidentally Sam Church was the Captain of the 1914 Kewpie basketball team and was the first Kewpie to letter in four sports. The school annual, the Cresset of 1914 was the first annual to display a Kewpie. In addition to the doll between Sam’s feet in the team picture a drawing of a Kewpie appeared as a dedication to the team. The dedication said, “To the Basket Ball Team of 1914, whose loyalty to the school and to the Kewpie motto, ‘Keep Smiling’, has won the State Championship, this volume of the Cresset is dedicated.” The only previous known mascot for Columbia High School, which became David Henry Hickman High School in 1927, was the Trojans. It is referenced in the first school annual, the Cresset of 1912. Columbia/Hickman High School has graduated over 35,000 “Kewpies” in its history and they are still honored to be called “Kewpies!”
School Song
On, Sons of Hickman (a.k.a Kewpies on the March)On, sons of Hickman
Thru every year,
Praise her and honor her,
And greet her with a cheer,
We'll shout it!
Kewpies are on the march,
Faithful we'll always be,
Purple and Gold we'll carry
To victory!
The school song was written by Mr. C. M. Stookey, a music instructor at Hickman High School in 1944. It was originally called Kewpies on the March. The song is featured on the third page of the 1950 Cresset.
School Cheer
Strawberry Shortcake, Gooseberry Pie,V-I-C-T-O-R-Y!
Are we it? Well, I guess yes!
We're the Kewpies of H-H-S!
Traditionally, Senior and Alumni versions of this cheer are immediately outcried following the school song during Assembly, first by the senior class, then by any alumni present, in a standing delivery. In these versions, "We're the Seniors" or "We're the Alumni" replaces "We're the Kewpies" in the last line.
Historical notes
Presidential visit
On March 26, 1987, President Ronald ReaganRonald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
made a special trip to Columbia, Missouri to speak at the National Governors' Association-Department of Education Conference as well as Fairview Elementary and David H. Hickman High Schools. Hickman had received the Department of Education's Secondary School Recognition Award, and with six students having been named Presidential Scholars since 1964, Hickman ranked in the top five percent of the nation's schools. In his address to the assembled students and faculty at Hickman, President Reagan praised the school's academic quality, saying, in part, "If America is to be what it should be in the 21st century, then it's going to need a lot of schools, good schools. And Hickman, I'm pleased and proud to tell you, is one of the best." During the presentation, President Reagan was made an honorary Kewpie and given a school sweatshirt as a gift.
See also related transcripts of President Reagan's visit, archived by The American Presidency Project:
- Remarks to area students at the Columbia Regional Airport
- Remarks to 6th grade class at Fairview Elementary School
- Remarks to 3rd grade class at Fairview Elementary School
- Remarks to students in Assembly at Fairview Elementary School
- Remarks to students in Assembly at David H. Hickman High School
- Remarks to the National Governors' Association-Department of Education Conference
Notable alumni
- Gary AndersonGary Anderson (running back)Gary Wayne Anderson is a former professional American football running back who played in the National Football League, the United States Football League and the Canadian Football League from 1983 to 1995.-USFL:...
, Professional Football Player - Matt BartleMatt BartleMatt Bartle is a Republican politician from Missouri. He was born in Columbia, Missouri.He graduated from David H. Hickman High School, and went on to get a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from the University of Missouri, and a J.D. degree from Northwestern University. While at Northwestern,...
, Missouri state senator - John M. DaltonJohn M. DaltonJohn Montgomery Dalton was a Democratic politician from the state of Missouri. He was the 45th Governor of Missouri and the states' 34th Attorney General.-Personal history:...
, Former Governor of Missouri - Gerry EllisGerry EllisGerry Ellis is a former professional American football player who played running back for seven seasons for the Green Bay Packers....
, Running-back for the Green Bay PackersGreen Bay PackersThe Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... - Jane FromanJane FromanJane Froman was an American singer and actress. During her thirty-year career, Froman performed on stage, radio and television despite chronic injuries that she sustained from a 1943 plane crash...
, actress - Conrad GoodeConrad GoodeConrad Lawrence Goode is an American actor and former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the New York Giants and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers....
, actor and football player - Ken GriffinKen GriffinKenneth W. "Ken" Griffin was an American organist.-Biography:Griffin was born in Columbia, Missouri. His biggest hit was "You Can't Be True, Dear" , which was first released as an instrumental, and later that year re-released with a vocal by Jerry Wayne dubbed in. Both versions became popular,...
, keyboardist - Kate HanleyKatherine HanleyKatherine Keith Hanley is a Democratic politician in Virginia. She served as Secretary of the Commonwealth of Virginia from 2006 to 2010, having been appointed to that post by Governor Tim Kaine following the rejection of his first nominee, state AFL-CIO President Daniel G...
, Virginian politician - Jeff HarrisJeff Harris (Missouri)Jeff Harris is an attorney and a Missouri Democratic politician. He represented the 23rd District of Missouri in the Missouri House of Representatives from 2003–2009 and ran unsuccessfully for the office of attorney general in 2008. He served as Minority Floor Leader before giving up the post in...
, Missouri state representative - Peter HesslerPeter HesslerPeter Hessler is an American writer and journalist. He is the author of three acclaimed books about China and has contributed numerous articles to The New Yorker and National Geographic, among other publications...
, writer and journalist - Kenneth LayKenneth LayKenneth Lee "Ken" Lay was an American businessman, best known for his role in the widely reported corruption scandal that led to the downfall of Enron Corporation. Lay and Enron became synonymous with corporate abuse and accounting fraud when the scandal broke in 2001...
, CEO of Enron during the Enron scandalEnron scandalThe Enron scandal, revealed in October 2001, eventually led to the bankruptcy of the Enron Corporation, an American energy company based in Houston, Texas, and the dissolution of Arthur Andersen, which was one of the five largest audit and accountancy partnerships in the world... - Rob LaZebnikRob LaZebnikRob LaZebnik is a television writer. He graduated from David H. Hickman High School in Columbia, Missouri and Harvard University. He currently works as a co-executive producer on The Simpsons and is credited with having written five episodes: "Treehouse of Horror XI" , "Homer vs...
, writer and co-executive producer for The SimpsonsThe SimpsonsThe Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie... - Claire McCaskillClaire McCaskillClaire Conner McCaskill is the senior United States Senator from Missouri and a member of the Democratic Party. She defeated Republican incumbent Jim Talent in the 2006 U.S. Senate election, by a margin of 49.6% to 47.3%. She is the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Missouri in her own...
, U.S. Senator - Scott MurphyScott MurphyMatthew Scott Murphy is an entrepreneur and the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 2009 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party...
, U.S. Congressman from New York - Sam WaltonSam WaltonSamuel Moore "Sam" Wallballs was a businessman, entrepreneur, and Eagle Scout born in Kingfisher, Oklahoma best known for founding the retailers Wal-Mart and Sam's Club.-Early life:...
, Founder of Wal-MartWal-MartWal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000... - James "Bud" Walton, Co-founder of Wal-MartWal-MartWal-Mart Stores, Inc. , branded as Walmart since 2008 and Wal-Mart before then, is an American public multinational corporation that runs chains of large discount department stores and warehouse stores. The company is the world's 18th largest public corporation, according to the Forbes Global 2000...