Walter Johnson High School
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Walter Johnson High School |
|
 |
|
| Established | 1956 |
| Type | Public Secondary |
| Principal | Dr. Christopher S. Garran |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Location | Bethesda, Maryland, USA |
| District | Montgomery County Public Schools |
| Campus | Suburban |
| Colors | Green and White |
| Mascot | Wildcat |
| Newspaper | The Pitch |
| Website | http://walterjohnson.com |
Walter Johnson High School, (WJHS) is located at 6400 Rock Spring Drive in Bethesda, an unincorporated region of Montgomery County, Maryland.
As of 2006, the school principal is Dr. Christopher S. Garran and the assistant principals are Ms. Amye Lang, Ms. Nicole Morgan, Mr. Christopher Merrill, and Ms. Janan Slough.
WJHS serves areas in Bethesda, North Bethesda and Rockville as well as the towns of Garrett Park and Kensington.
Contents |
[edit] History
Walter Johnson High School was founded in 1956 as part of the Montgomery County Public School system (MCPS). The school is named in honor of the late Washington Senators' baseball pitcher, Walter Johnson, who resided in a Bethesda house, which still stands just a few short miles away from the school on Old Georgetown Road. After retiring from baseball, Walter Johnson became a county commissioner of Montgomery County.
During the late 1950s and early 1960s, when the "outer" suburbs of Washington were within five minutes' drive of the Beltway, Walter Johnson was viewed as a country or outer-suburban school. The school was surrounded by the farms and cows that were then typical of Upper Montgomery County. Yearbooks show that, in those days, Walter Johnson's rival high school was Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville, Maryland. Richard Montgomery was responsible for "Mighty Moo," which is discussed under "Mascots," below.
Enrollment has increased from just a few hundred students in 1956 to 2,000 students by 2005, with much of this growth occurring during the late 1960s and early 1970s (as shown by the school's yearbooks). During the tremendous growth of the D.C. metropolitan area, particularly during the Vietnam Era of the late 1960s and early 1970s, the school's environment changed from countryside to that of a major metropolitan suburb. The school was typical of its time and place.
During 1972-73 academic year, "WJ" experimented with a 90-minute mid-day "activity period" in which no formal classes were held and students were encouraged to occupy themselves voluntarily with extracurricular activities, which could include simply socializing or reading a book, as well as organized extracurricular activities. This unstructured approach to education was intended to encourage creativity and individuality. The activity period was cut back to two days a week in subsequent years. During this time period, writer Rudy Maxa profiled the social structure of the school in a Washington Post article in which the school was reported to be divided into three major cliques, "jocks," "freaks," and "brains," each with its own distinct subculture within the student body.
In later years, WJHS came to view itself as the second high school in Bethesda and a rival to Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, so that a fierce cross-town rivalry emerged. The "Battle of Bethesda," as it came to be known, became the hot point of sporting events between the two schools.
Despite numerous renovations, the original building still stands. Additional wings have been added to the school on either end and classrooms have been modernized. A new student common area and cafeteria were added to the school in 2003. "The Clock," well-known to students, is still in working order and resides in the front hallway above the two golden plaques of the Wildcat and Spartan. Walter Johnson High School is undergoing a renovation set to be completed in 2010.
[edit] Traditions
[edit] Mascots
When it first opened in 1956, its original mascot was the Spartan. Two decades later in 1987, neighboring Charles W. Woodward High School merged into WJHS, bringing their mascot, "Wild Thing the Wildcat", with them. WJHS retained their fight song and school colors (green and white).
The unofficial, but better known, mascot is "Mighty Moo", a large brown cow. Early in Walter Johnson's history cows used to roam onto the football fields at various times. As evidenced by Walter Johnson yearbooks of the early 1960s, the Mighty Moo character originated as a prank played by rivals from Richard Montgomery in Rockville, who painted a cartoon cow on the brick chimney at the back of the school, overlooking the football field, large enough to be clearly visible from cars passing by on Democracy Boulevard. Able to take a joke, Walter Johnson adopted the cow as its unofficial mascot under the name Mighty Moo. Later yearbooks show that, even as the area became urbanized, the cows remained nearby and continued to graze across Rock Spring Drive from the school, pasturing in the shadows of high-rise office buildings through the late 1970s. Even though the cows are now departed, Mighty Moo remains.
[edit] Fight song
(To the tune of "Across the Field")
Walter Johnson, now's the time to lead us to our fame! Alma Mater, sing our praises and we'll take this game. RAH! RAH! RAH! Hit 'em hard and hit 'em again. Show 'em now that we're gonna' win. Wildcats you've shown your might, So we'll cheer for the green and white.
Words by Mrs. Jane Grube - PE teacher 1956-1964
[edit] Chimney Painting
For decades, the senior class would climb up on the roof of the school and paint their names on the large brick chimney. At the start of each school year, the names would be painted over with the new senior class. This practice was even school-sponsored until the Fall of 2002 when the administration determined it was too dangerous for students to be up on the roof of the school. Instead of painting their names on the chimney, the senior class of 2003 was instructed to paint their names on the athletic shed. Although many seniors were upset at the sudden change and continued the tradition of painting their names on the chimney against the new school policy, shed painting has become the new tradition for WJ seniors.
[edit] Hazing
Like many schools in America, Walter Johnson had its share of hazing. In earlier times, if a freshman were to step on the golden plaques in the main hallway, upperclassmen would make the freshman get down on their hands and knees and scrub the plaques with a toothbrush. This practice was stopped in the mid 1990s when school administrators put up a velvet rope around the plaques. Another hazing practice was that of "F-ing." "F-ing" involved an upperclassmen drawing the letter "F" on the face of incoming freshman. This was done with either a marker, pen, or paint. Most freshman went along with the practice, but those who avoided getting the "F" were hunted down and given a larger "F" to mark their disobedience. The practice of "F-ing" was abruptly haulted in 2003 when principal Kevin Maxwell set precedent that suspended anyone caught "F-ing" a freshman. For 'Freshman Friday' (the first Friday of the school year, traditionally when freshman would be 'F-ed') of 2005, principal Chris Garran instituted a pseudo-hazing system, where upperclassmen would 'lei' a freshman student by putting a Hawaiian Lei around their necks. Many students decided to, instead, make stickers that had an F on them and stick them on unsuspecting freshmen. This is not encouraged, but nobody ever gets in trouble for it since freshmen can just peel it off.
[edit] Curriculum
APEX Walter Johnson’s signature program, Advanced Placement Experience, is in its ninth year. The APEX Scholars Program is designed to be a highly competitive four-year course of study. Prospective students apply during their eighth grade year, and are notified of their admission in the early spring prior to their ninth grade year. The application process includes making a list of activities, getting 4 teacher recommendations, and taking an essay test. The program offers a select group of students a comprehensive curriculum combining accelerated honors and intensive advanced placement level coursework. The program is run by T.G. Finkbinder, who is also an English teacher at the school.
[edit] Accomplishments
[edit] Academic
Walter Johnson High School was rated as one of "America's Best High Schools" by Newsweek magazine and was named the 45th best public high school in the nation for 2003. Its academic team won the Washington Area Championship and the mid-Atlantic Super Bowl in 2005.
In 2005 Walter Johnson High School was named 80th best public school by Newsweek magazine as one of "America's Best High Schools".
The College Board ranked Walter Johnson's AP World History class as the best in the world. Details at http://www.nbc4.com/news/6815919/detail.html?subid=10101441
Walter Johnson High School was rated as one of "America's Best High Schools" by Newsweek magazine and was ranked the 101 for best public high schools in the nation for 2006.
Walter Johnson debate and forensics team also achieved notable results. The Walter Johson debate team was County Champions from 1993-2000, and 2003-2006.
They achieved
–Second Place in the county leage for years 2001 and 2002.
–The forensics team has been county champions since 2001-2006 and achieved either 2nd, 3rd or 4th Place in the County League from 1990 to 2000.
[edit] Athletic
All tournaments and finals are conducted by the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA).
[edit] Soccer
Maryland Class A State Champions 1978
Maryland Class 3A State Champions 2000
Maryland Class 4A State Co-Champions 2006~ Lucas Szabo Honorable Mention All-State
Caroline Miller was the first Walter Johnson High School girl to be selected for the NSCAA Adidas All South Regional First Team and to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America All State First Team.
[edit] Cross Country
Maryland Class 3A State Champions (Girls) 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999
[edit] Ice Hockey
Maryland Scholastic Hockey League Public School State Champions 2004-2005
For the 2006-2007 season, the team enjoyed its first-ever undefeated season, posting an 8-0-1 record. WJ entered the playoffs as first seed, but suffered a 5-2 loss to 4th seeded B-CC. However, WJ was given an at large berth in the state playoffs anyway. WJ posted its second consecutive loss in a 3-0 game against Glenelg, ending their playoff bid.
http://www.mshl.org/
[edit] Field Hockey
Maryland Class 4A State Champions 1989
[edit] Track and Field
Maryland Class 3A State Champions (Girls) 2003
[edit] Tennis
Maryland State Champions Mixed Doubles 2003, 2004, 2005
Maryland State Champions Girls Doubles 2003
2006 Division & County Team Champions
Individual County Champions
Lauren Wolman - 1st Singles
Tiffany Lin - 2nd Singles
Jimena Talavera & Alina Marciniak - 3rd Doubles
[edit] Notable alumni
- Anthony Cacace and Ryan Brown [1] class of 2006 co-founders of Below The Belt Productions
- Elliot Berlin, Class of 1971, Director of "Paperclips." - IMDB Elliot Berlin
- Nathaniel Brooks, Class of 1980, game designer.
- Douglas E. Dybowski, Educator
- Georgia Engel, Class of 1966, film and television actress best known from The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
- John Ferris III, Class of 1988
- Tyler Duvall, Assistant Secretary of Transportation, Administration of President George W. Bush
- Jonathan Hadary, Class of 1966, was nominated for a Tony Award in 1990 for the Broadway revival of "Gypsy" - IBDB Jonathan Hadary
- Colleen Haskell, Class of 1994, CBS's "Survivor."
- Bruce Irvine, Class of 1978, well known basketball player.
- Tommy Keene, Class of 1976, singer/songwriter.
- Tim Kurkjian, Class of 1974, ESPN Baseball analyst and author.
- Annie Kim, Class of 2006, competed on reality show Endurance 2 in 2003
- Nils Lofgren, singer/songwriter, attended Walter Johnson.
- Matt McCoy, Class of 1974, has had a career in film and television, IMDB: Matt McCoy.
- Mark R. Miller, noted Criminologist who tracked down the Potomac Strangler
- Scott E. Bartner, Class of 1978, Portrait Artist.
- Sophia Pallas, Pianist.
- Carl Pope, Executive Director of the Sierra Club
- Greg Roberts, Class of 1987, Designer
- Cal Thomas, Class of 1960, Syndicated Columnist and Author.
- Zoo Hamadi, College Basketball Player
- Brian Wayne Transeau, aka the trance musician BT
- Ali Shirazinia and Sharam Tayebi, the DJ/House music producer duo known as Deep Dish
