Carthage Senior High School (Carthage, Missouri) Explained

Carthage High School
Principal:Dr. Angela Holman
Type:Public
Established:2009
Address:2600 S River St
Zipcode:64836
Country:United States
Enrollment:1,561
Faculty:452
Team Name:Tigers
Colors:Royal blue and white
[1]
Website:https://hs.carthagetigers.org

Carthage High School is a public high school located in Carthage, Missouri, United States.

History

Carthage's first school likely opened around 1848, on the town square's north side. (Surviving records are unclear at best, but numerous sources make mention of such a school.)

The first high school opened its doors at the present location in 1860, with Samuel Kealand acting as its first Principal. Officially named the Carthage Male and Female Academy, the school was built at a cost of $1,000, on donated land. As was fashionable at the time, the wood-framed building included a cupola, complete with a 125 lb (275 kg) cast iron bell, that was imported from Sheffield, England. The Male and Female Academy was destroyed in an 1861 fire, when the city was razed during the American Civil War. The bell is the only part of that original building that survives. It was restored and placed on permanent display in the current school in 1917, through donations from alumni.

Following the Civil War, the Central School was built in 1872, on the location of the destroyed Male and Female Academy. A stately red brick structure, it stood on the corner of Main and Chestnut Streets for the next 79 years. After construction of the current school building to its north, the old Central School building was converted to an annex and renamed the Manual Arts Building. The building was eventually demolished in 1951, to make way for the current school's gymnasium addition.

Due to the post-war zinc and lead mining boom in southwest Missouri, Carthage saw significant population growth. This led to the need for a larger high school. In 1904, the high school (the current 6th Grade Center) was completed, at a cost of $100,000.

Location and campus

The new campus was completed in March 2009 and opened that same year in August. The building houses 9th through 12th grades and the former senior high, now the 6th Grade Center, is home to the 6th graders in Carthage. Carthage High School is now located on the southeastern edge of town on River Street close to the facilities of the Fair Acres YMCA. In fact, the high school softball and swim teams use the YMCA's pool and softball fields to practice. The South Technical Center on the High School campus opened in 2010 on the high school campus, and it received an addition in 2021, adding the west wing to the building.

Notably, the school's old football stadium and related practice facilities are still located on the campus of the Carthage Junior High, on Centennial Avenue. There is a new stadium on the land adjacent to the high school along with a separate soccer/track and field complex and much more.

Nearing the end of 2016, there was a new stadium/field house being constructed on the land adjacent to the current school. David Haffner Stadium was completed and released to the public in June 2017.

Academics

Carthage High School has continued to receive high marks from the Missouri State Accreditation Counsel for distinction in academic performance. Additionally, the school's ACT Test average score is higher than the national average. Carthage High school offers students the opportunity to engage in college level coursework through Advanced Placement Classes and Dual Credit Enrollment from the surrounding colleges. CHS has also received high scores on student End-Of-Course Examinations, mandated by the State of Missouri. In 2011, Carthage the "5 Star Leadership School" Distinction, which encourages students to become even more active in regard to sportsmanship, character, education, and citizenship. Carthage was one of few schools to receive this award.

Notable alumni

Sources

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Carthage High School. 2024-03-17. Missouri State High School Activities Association. en-US.
  2. News: . October 11, 1951 . 10th Infantry Chief to Quit . The Parsons Sun . Parsons, KS . 2 . Newspapers.com.
  3. News: December 14, 1942 . Col. Bell Named 81st Assistant Commander . . Dothan, AL . 1 . Newspapers.com.
  4. News: August 23, 1936 . To Observe Golden Wedding . . Corpus Christi Caller, TX . 7 . Newspapers.com.
  5. Driscoll . Caroll . August 16, 2021 . Emily Newell Blair, Missouri's Suffragette . Missouri Life . Rocheport, MO . Missouri Life Magazine Inc. . July–August 2020.
  6. News: Coleman . Jordan . October 24, 2018 . Giant Leaps for Mankind: NASA'S Dr. Janet Kavindi, '80, Talks Next Generation of Space Travel . Crossroads . . Joplin, MO . May 27, 2022.
  7. Book: Hansford, Michele Newton . 2000 . Images of America: Carthage, Missouri . Chicago, IL . Arcadia Publishing . 75 . 978-0-7385-0765-1 . Google Books.
  8. Web site: Arkell Smith . . July 16, 2024.
  9. Web site: Biography, Rep. Cody Smith . Missouri House of Representatives . 2022 . Member Details, 101st General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session . . Jefferson City, MO . May 27, 2022.
  10. News: April 30, 1987 . Profiling Big Red Draft Picks: Round 10, Charles Wright, Tulsa, CB . . St. Louis, MO . 4D . Newspapers.com.
  11. Web site: Football Statistics, Charles Wright . StatsCrew.com . Stats Crew - The Home of Sports Statistics . May 27, 2022.
  12. News: Henry . Jim . January 19, 2019 . Carthage native Felix Wright played for Chiefs in 1994 championship game . . Joplin, MO.