Sallisaw High School
Encyclopedia
Mission Statement
The mission of the Sallisaw Public Schools is to empower all students to make educated choices and meet challenges of the future as productive citizens.History of Sallisaw High School
After the founding of Sallisaw in 1888, a National School for the Cherokees was established. The other children had to attend private schools or did not go to school at all. The lack of a public school in Sallisaw soon became a major issue.In June 1900, a sizable group of people met to confront the problem. They selected a School Committee (later called a School Board) to secure a building and propose the levying of a school tax to raise money, members of this first committee were: W.H. McDonald, C.F. Ivey and R.W. Hines. Soon after, the town's founder, Argyle Quesenbury, donated property for the school. By 1900, a public school was in operation in a small two-room building with Mr. H.L. Nichols appointed the first Superintendent and teacher. Mrs. W.L. Curtis was hired to be his assistant teacher.
In 1902 to house the ever-growing number of students, a two-story wooden building was constructed just north of the first school building near the northwest corner of Locust and Seminole streets. The first Sallisaw High School was organized on the second floor of this building in 1904 and Mrs. J.D. Miller was approved as the first high school principal. Even with the construction of the second building, in less than six years, the two structures could no longer house the increasing number of students.
During 1908, work began on a three-story brick high school but it would not be completed in time for the graduation of Sallisaw's first seniors, the class of 1908. Their graduation was held in the old Methodist Church that once stood at the corner of Choctaw and Elm where the National Bank of Sallisaw now stands.
Track was probably the first physical education program in Sallisaw High School. A boy's basketball team was organized in 1913 with Baker W. Wall as the first coach. Girl's basketball soon followed with Miss Helen Stout as the first coach. The school colors, Orange and Black, date back to at least the 1915-16 school year and the black diamond Mascot was first used in 1924 by the basketball team. While a Cheerleader in 1929, Irene (Bradley) Green wrote the lyrics for the Sallisaw School song. The first school newspaper, The Cherokee Chieftain was published in 1921 with Wheeler mayo as one of the student editors. The wearing of caps and gowns at graduation began with the Sallisaw High School Class of 1924.
In 1930, Bill Ford, drove the first school bus from Marble City to Sallisaw transporting rural students, especially high school students, to Sallisaw for their education. With the introduction of busing, the Sallisaw High School soon outgrew the old three-story brick building. Not only was it too small but also it had structural problems and it was deemed a firetrap. In 1939 it was razed and at the same site a new yellow brick, one-story building was completed in 1940 by WPA workers. Many architectural elements from the old building were reused in the new one. This building would serve as a high school until 1988. Vacant and in bad condition it was sold to the Old High School Association in 1995. In 2004, arsonists destroyed most of the building. Then, people began to steal bricks from the pathway. And, later on, the entire building was burned. All that remains is the rotunda out front. The wreckage sits near Tommie Spear Middle School. The remains and $3000 in lieu of liens were given to the city as a donation in 2010.
In 1986, work began on a new high school on 105 acre (0.4249203 km²) donated by an anonymous donor. The architect for the new building was Dale Ragland, a 1955 Sallisaw High School graduate. The building was completed and occupied in 1987.
A new High School Gymnasium was completed and occupied on January 11, 1994. Several times during the 1990s, school officials tried to get a bond issue passed to build a High School Auditorium but all failed.