Western Senior High School (Baltimore, Maryland)
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Western High School | |
“Lucem Accepimus, Lucem Demus” We have received light, let us give light. |
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Location | |
Baltimore, Maryland, United States | |
Website | |
www.westernhighschool.org | |
Information | |
School district | Baltimore City Public School System |
Superintendent | Charlene Cooper Boston (acting) |
Principal | Eleanor Matthews |
School type | Public, Secondary, all-girls |
Grades | 9-12 |
Language | English |
Area | Urban |
Mascot | Dove |
Colors | Red and Black |
Founded | 1844 |
Enrollment | 841 (2006) |
Western High School is the oldest (out of only two) public all-girl high school in the United States. Part of the Baltimore City Public School System, Western is very diverse racially, ethnically, and socioeconomically. Its students come from every neighborhood in Baltimore.
Contents |
[edit] History
Western was founded on November 1, 1844. The first building to house Western was Armitage Hall on Paca Street, with Rober Kerr as the principal and sole teacher. Western was the first opportunity in Baltimore for girls to get an education beyond grammar school. By 1896 Western moved to a new, more expensive building on Lafayette and McCollough Streets. By this time, the girls had opportunities to take clerical courses. After other moves, Western finally opened in its current location at 4600 Falls Road in 1967. Since 1975, Western has been a city-wide magnet program. Students must apply and meet certain entrance criteria to be accepted to Western. The acting principal of Western is Eleanor Matthews, who replaced Landa McLaurin.
[edit] Academics
Western has a state wide reputation for academic excellence. Western has two academic programs: accelerated college preparatory and honors college preparatory. Within the accelerated college preparatory program, students can finish four years of high school work in grade 9–11. During their 12th grade year they are able to pursue advanced placement or college level courses. The Honors college preparatory program allows students to take honors course in the subjects that they are strong in. The classes of 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 boast a 100% four-year college acceptance rate.
[edit] Traditions
- The Big Sister, Little Sister Program
- This is an informal program when the juniors of the new school year pick little sisters from the incoming freshman.
- Freshman Day
- The freshman have an outdoor picnic.
- Sophomore and Junior Days
- Assemblies are held in honor of the sophomores and juniors, who also wear their class colors on these days.
- Senior Inaugural
- The new seniors are welcomed into the school. Traditionally the seniors wear all white and get the rest of the day off after the assembly.
- Senior Farewell
- The entire school says goodbye to the old seniors. The seniors also wear all white on this day.
- Revel
- The annual spring fair
Western has four sets of traditional class colors. Each class inherits their class colors as freshman. The colors are:
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- Purple and Gold
- Maroon and Gold
- Blue and Gold
- Black and Gold
[edit] Graduation
Western High School's graduation is traditionally held on a Saturday in even years and on a Sunday in odd years, in June. This is because it shares an athletic complex (namely the football field) with its brother school, Baltimore Polytechnic Institute. The girls wear white, ankle-length dresses and carry red roses during the commencement ceremony.
[edit] Notable Alumni
- Henrietta Szold, founder of Hadassah
- Stephanie Rawlings Blake, politician, 1986
- Trazana Beverly, actor
- Jill P. Carter, politician
- Farai Chideya, journalist
- Mildred Dunn, actor
- Lisa Gladden, Maryland state senator
- Sarah T. Hughes, judge
- Anna Deavere Smith, actor