Thomas M. Cooley High School is located on the northwest side of Detroit, Michigan, at the intersection of Hubbell and Fenkell Avenue. The impressive three-story structure is one of the most aesthetically pleasing buildings operated by the Detroit Public Schools. During the mid-1920's, thousands of homes were built upon land acquired through Detroit's annexation efforts in Redford and (the former) Greenfield Township; Cooley High School was constructed to accommodate a rapidly growing populace on the city's burgeoning northwest side. Named to honor the contribution and memory of Thomas M. Cooley, a nineteenth-century jurist and Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court, the school long enjoyed a fine reputation for high academic standards and scholastic achievement. Student athletes from Cooley regularly engaged in titanic struggles for city league supremacy with interscholastic rivals Central, Northwestern, Redford, and Mackenzie; Cooley's athletic program consistently ranked as one of the most successful in the state of Michigan.
As of 2005, the school principal is Mr. T Woodhouse. 98% of the pupils today are Black and 48.5% of the students in attendance qualify for the free or reduced lunch program. The 1976 feature film, Cooley High, is unrelated to this school. [1]
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Gang-related violence
On November 4, 2004, a 16-year old boy was stabbed in the chest, puncturing his lung in what police believed was a gang-related attack. [2] On September 26, 1994, the squad leader of the high school's JROTC shot another student twice in the thigh. [3]
Inexplicable retention
In 1998, the school reported enrolling 618 new freshmen, and failing 711 freshmen at the conclusion of the school year. The school principal at the time said the number of retentions in the state report for the class was "definitely wrong." "I know it wasn't that high," he said, adding that the actual number was closer to 200 rather than 711.
Truancy problems
On March 2, 1998, six police squad cars and approximately 50 police officers raided the school in an attempt to curb truancy problems at the school. Ninety (90) students were searched, handcuffed, and driven to jail. Two weeks later a second sweep was instituted by the school principal, with 17 more students arrested.
Notable Alumni
- Mike Ilitch, entrepreneur and owner of the Detroit Tigers and the Detroit Red Wings.
- Richard Watson (1946); as a Wayne State University fencer, Watson was the sport's first four-time NCAA All-American, 1947-1950.
- Milt Pappas (1957), former MLB pitcher; won 209 games during 17 seasons with Baltimore, Cincinnati and the Chicago Cubs.
- James P. Hoffa (1959), All-DPSSAL & All-State football player; renowned lawyer and current President of the Teamsters Union
- Bill Jennison (1963), DPSSAL & MHSAA Champion swimmer; former National High School Record Holder in the 100 yard butterfly.
- Epatha Merkerson (1970), actress; appeared on Pee Wee's Playhouse and on Law & Order.
- Ben Kelso, former NBA player, coached at Cooley High School for 14 years, leading the team to three state championships.
- Black Milk, hip-hop producer/rapper affiliated with Slum Village, Phat Kat, and Guilty Simpson.
Other famous Cooley High Graduates include: Chris Floyd, who played in the NFL; Rich Fisher, television news anchor; Michael Talley, basketball star; Roy Tarpley (former NBA star), and rap music artist Obie Trice
References
- Audit: 5 high schools in Detroit misspent thousands, Detroit Free Press (February 3, 2004)
- Detroit graduation rate elusive, Detroit Free Press (May 13, 2000)
- High schools or holding pens?, World Socialist Web Site (March 20, 1998)
- Derelict buildings haunt school kids, Detroit News
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Zoned high schools |
