Washington Park High School

Washington Park High School
Address
1901 12th Street
Racine, Wisconsin
United States
Coordinates 42°43′5.64″N 87°48′16.6″W / 42.7182333°N 87.804611°W / 42.7182333; -87.804611Coordinates: 42°43′5.64″N 87°48′16.6″W / 42.7182333°N 87.804611°W / 42.7182333; -87.804611
Information
Type Public secondary
Established 1928 (1928)
Principal Dennis Christensen
Grades 9 - 12
Enrollment 2,400 (approx)
Color(s) Orange     , blue      and white     
Mascot Panthers
Yearbook Kipikawi
Website http://www.racinepark.org

Washington Park High School (also known as Park or Racine Park High School) is a public, four-year high school in Racine, Wisconsin, USA, with an enrollment of over 2,400 students. Its school colors are blue and orange. The school's mascot, the panther, was adopted by the Class of 1949, reportedly because of a nearby Native American effigy mound in the shape of a panther.

History

Kipikawi, Racine High School yearbook, 1920, Racine, Wisconsin

The school traces its roots to 1852 when Racine High School,[1] the first public school in Wisconsin, opened. In 1926, the Racine School Board decided to replace Racine High School with a new school that eventually became Park. The new Washington Park High School opened in 1928. The north side of Racine also received its own high school the same year when land donated by the malted milk magnate William Horlick was utilized by the Racine School board for another high school named in Horlick's honor. The school building was designed by the Racine architect J. Mandor Matson.[2] The school mascot is the panther.

Much of the history and memorabilia (including art, awards and traditions) from Racine High School were moved to Park. The statue of Joan of Arc that was donated by the Racine High School Class of 1904 is displayed in Park's foyer. The school's newspaper, The Beacon (a reference to Racine's Wind Point Lighthouse), and the school yearbook Kipikawi (a Native American name for the Root River), were also both carried over from Racine High School.

Athletics

Park's sports teams compete in the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) Southeast Conference with schools from Racine, Kenosha and southern Milwaukee, including Park's long-time, crosstown rival Horlick High School and Case High School, the other major high schools in Racine. Park is the only Division 1 high school in Wisconsin to have won a state championship in football, basketball, baseball and track[3]

Rivalry with William Horlick

Park has a long-standing rivalry with William Horlick athletic teams, known locally as "The Great Rivalry" or more informally as "Park/Horlick". The rivalry began in 1928, when the two schools opened. The rivalry is most notable between the schools' football teams who have played at least once every year since 1928.[4]

State championships

Sport Years
Boys' baseball 1993
Boys' basketball 1943
Girls' basketball 1997
Boys' cross country 1948, 1949
Boys' golf 1931, 1947, 1948, 1958, 1968, 1970, 1973
Girls' gymnastics (combined Racine team) 1997, 1998, 2004
Boys' American football 1988, 2005
Boys' tennis 1931
Boys' track 1974, 1997, 1998, 2000
Girls' track 1978
Boys' wrestling 1967, 1969

School song

Hail to thee, Park High.
Hail thy orange and blue.
Thy light shall guide us,
Thy beacon bright and true.
We'll serve thee always.
This our pledge shall be:
Park High, forever,
Hail, hail, hail to thee

Notable alumni

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Racine High School". vindustries.com.
  2. ↑ Mark Hertzberg, Two men, two visions, Journal Times, May 12, 2002
  3. ↑ sportsindex
  4. ↑ Sweeney, Nicole (May 8, 2004). "Park High School turns 75". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved January 28, 2009.
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