Portland High School, Portland, Maine
Encyclopedia
Portland High School is a public
high school
in Portland, Maine
(Cumberland County
) which educates grades 9–12. The school is part of the Portland Public Schools
district
.
Established in 1821 as a boys' school, Portland High School claims to be the second oldest public high school still operating in the United States, having been the third public high school to be established in the U.S. Joseph Libbey was its first principal. A separate school for girls was added in 1850, and in 1863 the school moved to Cumberland Avenue, its present location. The original school building on that site, which is now the middle wing of the modern school was originally divided into two by a brick wall running from top to bottom of the building to divide the girls from the boys. Much of the wall has been removed, but its remains can still be seen in the basement.
The school was added to the National Register of Historic Places
on November 23, 1984.
In 1989 a new annex was opened containing classrooms, a cafeteria, a theater/auditorium (named for John Ford
) and an athletic facility. Portland High School, however, uses the off-campus Fitzpatrick Stadium
, Hadlock Field
, Portland Expo
, and Portland Ice Arena
for the school's sporting events.
As of 2011, the school principal is Deborah Migneault and her assistants are Kimberly Wike and Kathy Marquis-Girard. Approximately 1000 students are enrolled each year.
In June 2010, 174 students graduated from Portland High School.
Education in the United States
Education in the United States is mainly provided by the public sector, with control and funding coming from three levels: federal, state, and local. Child education is compulsory.Public education is universally available...
high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in Portland, Maine
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
(Cumberland County
Cumberland County, Maine
Cumberland County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maine. As of 2010, the population was 281,674. Its county seat is Portland, and is the most populous of the sixteen Maine counties, as well as the most affluent. Cumberland County has the deepest and second largest body of water in the...
) which educates grades 9–12. The school is part of the Portland Public Schools
Portland Public Schools, Maine
Portland Public Schools is the public school district in Portland, Maine, United States. The district operates 18 primary and secondary schools. It is the largest and most ethnically diverse school district in Maine, with a student body made up of roughly 20% minorities...
district
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
.
Established in 1821 as a boys' school, Portland High School claims to be the second oldest public high school still operating in the United States, having been the third public high school to be established in the U.S. Joseph Libbey was its first principal. A separate school for girls was added in 1850, and in 1863 the school moved to Cumberland Avenue, its present location. The original school building on that site, which is now the middle wing of the modern school was originally divided into two by a brick wall running from top to bottom of the building to divide the girls from the boys. Much of the wall has been removed, but its remains can still be seen in the basement.
The school was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on November 23, 1984.
In 1989 a new annex was opened containing classrooms, a cafeteria, a theater/auditorium (named for John Ford
John Ford
John Ford was an American film director. He was famous for both his westerns such as Stagecoach, The Searchers, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, and adaptations of such classic 20th-century American novels as The Grapes of Wrath...
) and an athletic facility. Portland High School, however, uses the off-campus Fitzpatrick Stadium
Fitzpatrick Stadium
Fitzpatrick Stadium is a 6,300 seat multi-purpose outdoor stadium in Portland, Maine, USA. It is located between Interstate 295, Hadlock Field baseball stadium, and the Portland Exposition Building, the second oldest arena in continuous operation in the United States. It is located across the...
, Hadlock Field
Hadlock Field
Hadlock Field is a Minor League baseball stadium in Portland, Maine. It is primarily home to the Portland Sea Dogs of the Eastern League. It is also the home of the Portland Bulldogs and Deering Rams baseball teams. The stadium is named for Edson J...
, Portland Expo
Portland Exposition Building
The Portland Exposition Building was designed by Fredrick A. Thompson and is located in Portland, Maine. It is the second oldest arena in continuous operation in the United States...
, and Portland Ice Arena
Portland Ice Arena (Maine)
The Portland Ice Arena is an ice hockey arena in Portland, Maine. Located on Park Avenue between Fitzpatrick Stadium and Hadlock Field, the Ice Arena has a seating capacity of 750 and is open 10 months of the year. Since its opening in 1984, it has been home to Portland Pirates hockey...
for the school's sporting events.
As of 2011, the school principal is Deborah Migneault and her assistants are Kimberly Wike and Kathy Marquis-Girard. Approximately 1000 students are enrolled each year.
In June 2010, 174 students graduated from Portland High School.
Notable alumni
- Harold Taylor Andrews, killed in action, Battle of Cambrai, 1917; the first Portland native to die in World War IWorld War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
- Rear Admiral Albert Cleaves, World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
commander of Cruiser-Transport Force - LeBaron Coakley, illustrator and political cartoonist for the Richmond Times-DispatchRichmond Times-DispatchThe Richmond Times-Dispatch is the primary daily newspaper in Richmond the capital of Virginia, United States, and is commonly considered the "newspaper of record" for events occurring in much of the state...
and The Washington PostThe Washington PostThe Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation... - John FordJohn FordJohn Ford was an American film director. He was famous for both his westerns such as Stagecoach, The Searchers, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, and adaptations of such classic 20th-century American novels as The Grapes of Wrath...
(John Martin Feeney), film director - John LynchJohn Lynch (congressman)John Lynch was a nineteenth century politician, merchant, manufacturer and newspaper publisher from Maine....
, U.S. Representative - Admiral Robert E. Peary, explorer, first to claim to reach the North PoleNorth PoleThe North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is, subject to the caveats explained below, defined as the point in the northern hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface...
- Edward S. Pennell, USMCUnited States Marine CorpsThe United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
, a Navy CrossNavy CrossThe Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
recipient for his actions at Iwo JimaBattle of Iwo JimaThe Battle of Iwo Jima , or Operation Detachment, was a major battle in which the United States fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Empire of Japan. The U.S...
in February 1945 - Quinton PorterQuinton PorterQuinton George Porter is a Gridiron football quarterback for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats of the Canadian Football League. He was on the practice squad for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was originally signed by the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent in 2006...
, professional football player - Thomas B. ReedThomas Brackett ReedThomas Brackett Reed, , occasionally ridiculed as Czar Reed, was a U.S. Representative from Maine, and Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1889–1891 and from 1895–1899...
, Speaker of the United States House of RepresentativesSpeaker of the United States House of RepresentativesThe Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, or Speaker of the House, is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives... - John Calvin StevensJohn Calvin StevensJohn Calvin Stevens was an American architect who worked in two related styles — the Shingle Style, in which he was a major innovator, and the Colonial Revival style, which dominated national domestic architecture for the first half of the 20th century...
, architect, pioneer of Shingle Style - Sewall C. Strout, U.S. federal courtUnited States federal courtsThe United States federal courts make up the judiciary branch of federal government of the United States organized under the United States Constitution and laws of the federal government.-Categories:...
judge - Dave EpsteinDave EpsteinDave Epstein is a meteorologist for WCVB-TV in Boston, Massachusetts. and member of the American Meteorological Society. He has been an on-air meteorologist for more than twenty years. He was awarded the AMS Seal of Approval in 1991. In 2006 he received the Ronald J. Prokopy Award for individuals...
, Television Meteorologist, WCVB,TV Boston, Massachusetts - Dave LittlefieldDave LittlefieldDavid Littlefield is a former Major League Baseball executive. Littlefield was employed as Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates, a position he held from July 13, 2001 to September 7, 2007. He took over as GM for Roy Smith, who had assumed the position on a temporary...
, Former Major League Baseball executive, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh PiratesThe Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions... - Wyatt AllenWyatt AllenWyatt Allen is an American rower. He won a gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics and a bronze medal at the 2008 Summer games. He is a graduate of Portland High School and the University of Virginia.-References:...
, Olympic gold and bronze medalist in rowing - Captain Robert Russell Williams, Jr., USN, commanding officer, USS Finback (SS-230)
External links
- Portland High School homepage
- Portland High School profile provided by schooltree.org
- Portland High Lacrosse
- Portland High Football
- Portland High Cheering