Richard J. Reynolds High School

About 3 pages (1,000 words)

Reynolds High School

Name

Richard J. Reynolds High School

Address

301 N. Hawthorne Road

City

Winston-Salem, NC 27103

Phone Number

(336)727-2012

Principal

Art Paschal, Ed. D

Community

Urban

Type

Public Secondary

Grades

9 to 12

District

Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools

Enrollment

1,687 (05-06)

Nickname

Reynolds

Mascot

Demons

Colors

Black and Gold

Newspaper

Pine Whispers

Distinctions

High standards, diverse community. Historically recognized location.

Website

Home

Email

Link

Richard J. Reynolds High School (often simply R. J. Reynolds High School or Reynolds) is a high school in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Named for R. J. Reynolds, the founder of the R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, the school opened in 1923. The school colors are black and gold, and the school's mascot is a Demon.

1 Establishment
2 Campus
3 Student Body
4 Alumni
5 External links

Establishment

Made possible through the philanthropy of Katherine Smith Reynolds-Johnston, the widow of R. J. Reynolds, who donated the land where the School and Auditorium sit.

Campus

The School and Auditorium sit on a piece of land known as "Silver Hill". Original plans for the School included two grand school buildings sitting on either side of an Auditorium. Construction on the School began in 1919, under the direction of Reynolda House architect Charles Barton Keen. The first classroom building was finished in 1923, but construction on the second building was delayed and eventually abandoned after the Stock Market Crash of 1929. In the early 1990's, the high school building was thoroughly renovated and restored to its original appearance with some modern updating (e.g., a computer lab to replace the former language lab, and central air-conditioning). One of the school's unique features is a tunnel system that connects the main building to the auditorium. The tunnel system was originally used to increase ventilation to cool the buildings and was also used for civil defense purposes after the advent of nuclear weapons. Local legend has it that the tunnel extends to nearby Wiley Middle School. However, the Sanborn map of the West End neighborhood from 1931 shows the tunnel abruptly ending near what is now the auxiliary gym. The R. J. Reynolds Memorial Auditorium is on the campus and is often used for school functions. The auditorium was constructed in 1927, and a formal opening was held the same year, with Harry Houdini performing. An extensive renovation was completed in 2003. A fine arts/performing arts building is currently under construction on the campus between the R. J. Reynolds Auditorium and Hawthorne Rd. On September 25, 2007, Reynolds was given a grant by the state government to become a magnet school in the fine arts.

Student Body

R. J. Reynolds is a long-time chief rival of the nearby Mount Tabor High School. This rivalry is fed by the fact that many students developed friendships across school lines. The schools are close enough that neighborhood friends often wind up split between the two schools. Reynolds was recognized by Newsweek as being the 211th best high school in the United States. RJR's ranking is ahead of Mount Tabor (254th) and West Forsyth High School (356th). More recently, a rivalry has formed between Reynolds and the new Reagan High School due to several students and teachers having left Reynolds to attend or teach at Reagan, including former principal Stan Elrod. Reynolds, situated on a hill, is often referred to as "Society Hill", given that some of the city's wealthiest neighborhoods are but a stone's throw from the campus. However, for decades, the school's student body has been comprised of a broad spectrum of students from varied backgrounds, adding richness to the school's environment. From March 30-April 2, 2007, the R. J. Reynolds Key Club, along with several R. J. Reynolds Junior Civitan members, played a basketball game for 72 consecutive hours to raise money for UNICEF. The club broke the Guinness World Record previously held by students at University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and Duke University. The previous record was nearly 58 hours. Along with breaking the world record, the Reynolds Key Club raised more money for UNICEF than any other Key Club in the nation. In the mid 1980's, the Reynolds Key Club, one of the many clubs at the school, and local promoters and sponsors coordinated to put on a series of benefit concerts at Reynolds Auditorium. Among those acts were Let's Active and the dB's on February 12, 1985, and R.E.M. who played the venue on December 8, 1985. The Reynolds Key Club is the school's principal student service organization. Since 1947 it has maintained an all-male membership, with only two exceptions. Past sponsors include current Winston-Salem Kiwanis President Roby Walls, and past club presidents include Senator Richard Burr and ESPN commentator Stuart Scott. Other student service organiztions include the co-ed Junior Civitans, and the all-female Girls Council, Senior Girls' Service Club, and Reynolds Girls' Club.