A. L. Brown High School

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A.L. Brown High School (also sometimes referred to as Kannapolis or simply Brown) is a comprehensive public high school in Kannapolis, North Carolina. It is the only high school in the Kannapolis City Schools district as well as the city of Kannapolis. As of the 2005-06 school year, the current enrollment is 1,350 students.

Brown was recognized by DPI as a "School of Distinction" under the state's ABC standards for public education for the 2003-04, 04-05, and 05-06 school years.

[edit] History

During the expansion of the Cannon Mills Corporation during the 1920's, James William Cannon donated a piece of land just east of the town for a school. Centerview School was constructed in 1924, about the same time that the first Concord High School opened. Later in the early 1930s Centerview School was renamed J.W. Cannon High School, after the town's founder. A few years later Cannon High School was destroyed by a fire, then later rebuilt. In 1951 A.L. Brown High School was constructed southeast of J.W. Cannon and opened in the following year. Cannon High School then became J.W. Cannon Junior High School. In 1974, A.L. Brown was almost destroyed by a fire started in the attic; fearing auditorium damage, graduation was moved to the primary gymnasium. Then on January 10th, 1982, James William Cannon Junior High School was completely destroyed by a fire. Many additions have been built on to Brown and there is a separate vocational building as well as a free-standing gymnasium. During the 2006-07 school year, a newer gymnasium/PE facility will open on campus. These free-standing buildings give A. L. Brown its unique character. Instead of a traditional single building like most high schools, Brown has a small, college-like atmosphere with numerous buildings around a central courtyard. All of the buildings on the campus are built in the Colonial Williamsburg style of architecture. All of the buildings are brick with white trim, modeled after most of Kannapolis.

A photograph of A.L. Brown High School today (As of February, 2006.

[edit] Timeline

• 1924- Central High School Opens
• 1930- Renamed J.W. Cannon High School
• 1933- J.W. Cannon High School burns down because of faulty wiring
• 1934- Cannon HS is rebuilt
• 1950-51- A.L. Brown High School is constructed 50 yd southeast of Cannon High. Cannon High becomes J.W. Cannon Junior High School.
• 1957- An 8-classroom science wing is added to the west end of the main building.
• 1958- The W.J. Bullock Physical Education Building is constructed. Kannapolis Memorial Stadium is built and the central courtyard is added.
• 1967- The Samuel B. Stroup Vocational Arts Building, The Ruth Coltrane Cannon Musical Education Center and the Administrative Annex is constructed (Now the Central Office).
• April 17, 1974- Roof Burns; graduation is moved to W.J. Bullock Gymnasium.
• 1976- The W.J. Bullock Physical Education Building is extensively renovated under the supervision of Coach Bob Boswell.
• January 10, 1982- J.W. Cannon Junior High School burns down. (Fire was caused by accident). Gymnasium, Cafeteria and Home Economics buildings remain.
• 1991- Media Center Wing is constructed.
• 1993- Cafeteria Addition is built
• 1994- Main Office Renovated
• 1995- Music building roof pitched, W.J. Bullock Gym roof replaced.
• 1995- An 8-classroom science wing is added to the existing science wing
• 1997- Cyber Campus comes online.
• 2003- Science wing basement is renovated. Becomes the Mathematics wing.
• 2005- Cannon Cafeteria and Home Economics Building are demolished
• 2006- Auxiliary Physical Education Building is constructed and the Auditorium is extensively renovated. An addition is built for the Central Office and the Main Office is renovated.

[edit] Athletics

A.L. Brown's athletics teams are known as the Wonders. The school is an AAA member of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) and competes in the South Piedmont Conference (SPC). The school sponsors interscholastic football, volleyball, tennis (boys and girls), cross country (boys and girls), basketball (boys and girls), wrestling, swimming (boys and girls), baseball, softball, golf, which the 2006 team won the SPC Conference for the first time in school history, track and field (boys and girls), indoor track and field (boys and girls), and soccer (boys and girls). The Varsity football team won titles in 1989 and won another 3A State Championship in 1997.The dominant years of the late 90's featured a team with three all-Americans (Nick Maddox, Cheyne Howell, Nick gill) seven D-1A players and three future NFL players. Capping a high ranking of 9th in the country (The highest for a NC team at the time) Their run was eventually ended by Independence in 2000 ( #1 rated team in country as of 2006) The Varsity football team has been consistently good posting 28 consecutive seasons at .500 or better. They also host an NJROTC unit that is successful. In the last four years the Cross Country team has battled from the conference cellar to be a constant contender for the regional crown, finishing 2nd in the region in 2003 and 2004, those years they finished 7th and 6th in state, respectively.

[edit] The Battle for the Bell

A long-running tradition, The Battle for the Bell is a football game between A.L. Brown and Concord High School. The teams play for a coveted railroad bell that was donated to the school in 1924; The game began in 1931. The Kannapolis/Concord game is the second longest continuous high school football rivalry in the state of North Carolina. The overall record for Kannapolis is 34-37 with Concord in the lead. At the end of each game, the traditional exchange of the bell occurs at midfield. The winning team paints the bell transom in their school colors for display during the entire school year.

[edit] Notable alumni

• Christian Hunt - Rhodes Scholar
• Melissa Morrison-Howard - Olympic bronze medalist (track and field)
• Nick Maddox - professional football player
• Mike Morton - professional football player
• Ethan Horton - professional football player
• Haskel Stanback - professional football player
• Tracy Johnson - professional football player
• James Lott - professional football player
• Lance Smith - professional football player
• George Shinn - owner of the New Orleans Hornets

[edit] External links

• A.L. Brown's Offical Website
• KannapolisFootball.com