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| Wichita South High School | |
|---|---|
| Established | 1959 |
| Type | Public |
| Principal | Cara Ledy |
| Students | 1672 (as of 2006) |
| Location | 701 W. 33rd South, Wichita, Kansas, USA |
| Campus | urban |
| Colors | red and royal blue |
| Mascot | Titan |
| Yearbook | Sceptre |
| Newspaper | Torch |
Wichita South High School is part of Wichita Public Schools USD 259. It is also known as Wichita High School South.
Contents |
History
Wichita High School South became the fifth public senior high school when its doors were opened to 1,500 students on September 4, 1959. The sprawling $3,121,957 one-story structure is located on a 40 acre tract near the south city limits of Wichita on West 33rd Street South. A $2,185,200 contract for general construction was awarded to Clarence E. Vollmer Construction in June, 1957. The Moore Robertson Company obtained the $649,725 plumbing and heating contract, and Southwestern Electrical Company installed $287,032 worth of electrical materials. Built-in equipment in the building added another $260,000 to the cost, while movable equipment and furniture amounted to $225,000. The parking lot, outside physical education facilities and other miscellaneous expenses were listed at $120,000. In the building a total of 226,200 square feet (21,010 m²) of classroom and auxiliary facilities enclose 5.2 acres of area under a continuous roof. Another two acres of courtyards and patios add beauty to the setting of the structure designed by Wichita architects Forsblom and Parks. Parking space for 397 cars, the entrance drives and surrounding lawns account for an additional 15 acres. Much of the remaining portion of the site was developed into physical education areas, including a regulation size football field, a quarter-mile track, tennis courts, baseball and softball diamonds, an archery range and other recreational space. Red brick was used as the basic material for the fire-resistant building which is a modification of the plan used for Wichita High School Southeast. Major improvements in the plan used for South High included redesigning the guidance center facilities, adding a secondary hallway to connect four academic wings, changing building materials to improve acoustics in the auditorium, and adding nine new classrooms with almost 15,000 square feet (1,400 m²) of additional space. The former Sims Elementary School building was added to South High beginning the 1988-89 school year. The extra classroom space was needed with the ninth grade added to high school. The enrollment has leveled to an average of 1,300 students. Four wings reach westward from the 450-foot (137 m) north and south main corridor. The cafeteria fronts the main hall and seats 500 persons at one time. The physical education wing includes a boys gym which can seat 1,300 spectators at varsity contests, a girls gym, a rhythm floor, four classrooms, a 60-by-25-foot swimming pool and 2 locker rooms. As enrollment increased, portables were added and by 1969-70, 15 electrically heated and cooled units were necessary to accommodate the 2,567 students. This was an increase of 1,067 above the number enrolled in 1959, the first year of operation. In 1976 the courtyard was enclosed for a new library, and adjacent classrooms made windowless by the construction were renovated. Hall lockers were replaced in 1995.
Athletics
Basketball Dynasty
South was the most dominant high school basketball team for 30 years in Kansas, winning 15 state championships in the period of time including 4 straight in 1978, 1979, 1980, and 1981.
Football Team losing streak
South's football team lost 50 straight games between 1996 and 2002, before ending it against North High in October of 2002 and finished the season with a 1-8 record. South then improved to 2-7 in 2003 and 2004. In 2005 South improved their record to 3-6 was one win away from making its first appearance in the State playoffs since 1973. South recently hired a new coach with NCAA Division I coaching experience, Tony Johnson. Johnson was the offensive-line at Texas Christian University, and coached the offensive line that blocked for NFL all-star LaDanian Tomlinson. The team plays at C. Elmer Carpenter Memorial Stadium, which was built in 1977. Carpenter Stadium is the biggest High School football stadium in Wichita, seating almost 3,000 people.
Wrestling Team Dominance
South's wrestling team has consistently been one of the top high school wrestling programs since it first opened its doors. South has had 11 City League Championships, 2 state championships, multiple 2nd place finishes including most recently in 2006, 50 individual state champions, and 1 legendary coach. South's former head wrestling coach David Nigg is one the all-time winningest wrestling coaches in Kansas history and 2nd all time in the Wichita behind his high school wrestling coach. Nigg demoted himself to a Junior Varsity Coach and gave the head-coaching job to one of his former wrestlers, Mike Church.
The School today
South's 2006-2007 enrollment was 1,672. South's ethnic diversity is (As of 2005-2006): 59% of students are White, 20% are African-American, 11% are Hispanic, 4% are Asian, 3% are American Indian, and 3% are multi ethnic. As 2005, 59% of South's Students, due to a low-income family, qualified for reduced lunches. The student-teacher ratio is 22:1. South teachers had an average of 8.5 years of teaching experience as of 2005. In 2006, 54% of teachers held a masters degree, while 46% held a bachelors degree.
Famous Alumni
Don Johnson - Actor, Star of television Show "Miami Vice"
Lawrence Peete - Former NFL Player for the Detroit Lions
Jenny Croft - Finalist on the "The Bachelor" 2007
Sources
- http://www.south.usd259.org
- http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000467/bio
- The Sceptre (South's Yearbook)
