Hillsborough High School (Florida)

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Hillsborough High School
Location
Tampa, Florida 33603
USA
Information
Principal Dr. William T. Orr
Type Public secondary
Grades 9-12
Campus Urban
Mascot Terriers
Color(s) Red and black
Established 1885
Homepage

Hillsborough High School is the oldest high school in Hillsborough County, Florida. It is one of three county schools with an International Baccalaureate program.

Hillsborough High School was established in 1885 on Franklin St., in a very small building. General class size was 19 students with one teacher. After several relocations, Hillsborough moved to its current location (5000 North Central Avenue) in 1927. Hillsborough's exterior is known to be one of the most beautiful and historic in the Seminole Heights region of Tampa, Florida. Its capacity is over 2,000 students.[citation needed]

Contents

[edit] History and Traditions

Hillsborough High School, is one of the South's oldest high schools and the oldest high school in the county, is full of history, tradition, and pride. While its existence as a school probably dates closer to 1880, a room over a Franklin Street livery stable in 1885 is recognized as the first location of the school. After several moves, the present building was opened in 1927. The school "strives" to provide a positive educational environment and to meet and respect the needs of its students, by providing a rich liberal arts education, offering namely; college prep, vocational, and international baccalaureate programs. Its football team is ranked one of the best in the state. Last year recruiting speedsters from various middle schools; including IB-freshman QB/WR utility man Ravi Kanthi from Williams Middle, Sophomore CB/WR Damarcuss Russel from Memorial Middle, Freshman RB Tony Freeman Memorial Midlle, and Sophomore CB Carlos Flores. HIllsborough High School not only leads in sports- they are ranked very high on Newsweek Poll for the best high school in the country.

Beginning with the first teacher (who also served as principal) and the first graduating class of four students in 1885, the students, faculty and administrators of Hillsborough High School have established a framework of history, tradition, spirit, and pride. One of the oldest traditions is the wearing of red and black, the school's colors, every Friday to show spirit and unity. Hillsborough has many illustrious alumni who have served as state attorneys, senators, judges, state representatives, mayors, professional athletes, and in many other notable professions.

Hillsborough produced the first high school newspaper in Florida in 1889, The Red & Black[1], and the first yearbook in Florida, "The Hillsborean", in 1911. In 1913 and 1914, Hillsborough's basketball and baseball teams defeated teams from the University of Florida and Southern College. In 1929, Hillsborough won the high school national football championship.

The alma mater, "The Red and Black" was written in 1923. In 1931, Hillsborough High became the first home of the University of Tampa, established by Frederic Spaulding in 1931 as Tampa Junior College. In 1933, UT moved to its current home in the old Tampa Bay Hotel, now named Plant Hall. Students purchased the Tower Clock in 1949 to honor Hillsborough's casualties in World War II. The names of Hillsborough students who were killed were placed on a plaque under the tower. The Terrier Creed was written in 1954; it received much publicity as the only one of its kind in the South. The bronze terrier that guards the trophy case was originally placed in the courtyard. The sacred "H" on the patio was dedicated in 1964 in honor of Mr. Hamilton, an assistant principal. Various groups provided the stained glass windows in the auditorium in 1963. [2]

Over the years, Hillsborough High School, garnered some interesting nick names. such as "Harvard on the Hill" which was due in part to the fact that Hillsborough High School was built on the highest geographical elevation in Hillsborough County, had graduated many illustrious people, and to the fact that Hillsborough High emulated much of Harvard's traditions with regards to its alma mater and school color scheme a crimson shade of red and black, not to mention the big letter "H". Historically, the colors red and black represent heart and soul. And later, Hillsborough High also picked up the nick name "Peyton Place," probably sometime in the late 1960s or early 70's, because the opening scene of the tower in the popular Peyton Place (TV series) soap opera somehow reminded some individuals of Hillsborough High's clock tower, and also because as one teacher put it; the reason she referred to Hillsborough High as "Peyton Place" was; "...it seemed there was always some sort of soap opera going on at the school."

On Friday, August 31, 2007, the Hillsborough High School football team celebrated its 100th anniversary season opener with a 43-20 win over Jefferson High School at Chelo Huerta Field. [3] The Hillsborough High football team began competing interscholastically in 1907. Football was the first competitive high school sport played in Florida. The five schools in the initial football league were Duval (Jacksonville), Hillsboro (Tampa), Ocala, Orlando and Summerlin Institute (Bartow). Of those five schools, only Hillsboro - now spelled Hillsborough - still exists today. The FHSAA -Florida High School Athletic Association was not formed until 1920.[4]

[edit] Renovations and Expansions

In the mid 1970s, Hillsborough High went through a massive renovation. The school's students, faculty and staff were forced to temporarily move back into the old Hillsborough High School building, built in 1917, located a few miles away in Tampa Heights (Tampa), FL, then the Home of George Washington Jr. High School[5]. Hillsborough High students were forced into triple session, while the two schools shared the old HHS building, until the renovations of the HHS were completed in 1978.

In 1979, HHS students launched a successful fundraising campaign to pay for the chimes in the HHS clock tower. In 1980, a plaque was donated by the class of 1980, and mounted over the doorway leading to the inner courtyard from the trophy case area of the main building dedicated to the classes of the 1980s and "the Decade of New Ideas." During the early 1980s, HHS's student population swelled to over 3,000 students, spanning two campuses, referred to as North and South Campuses. HHS's South Campus included all of the buildings which now comprise Memorial Middle School [6], adjacent to HHS on its south side.

In the mid 1980s, the Alumni Building, commonly referred to as the 400 Hall, was added to the school. In around 1995, another addition was made, the 500 Building/English Hall, in which most 10th grade homerooms and English classes are housed.

On May 3, 2008, HHS completed renovations to restore the high school to its pre-1960s luster, when it reopened its newly named gymnasium. In 2005, many classes were forced into portable classrooms during the renovation. The major improvements to HHS were divided between maintenance and restoration, and construction of a new gymnasium.

Previously, Hillsborough High's gym had been famously and affectionately known to Hillsborough High students and alums as the "Big Red Barn", more commonly "The Barn" probably due in part to its architectural design: its steep "skylighted" roof and red brick facade cause the gym to resemble a barn from a distance. "The Barn" was known for being a hostile environment for Terrier opponents to compete in, for the HHS student body seldom stood for anything short of winning. "The Barn" was one of the harshest gyms in the county to play in, as there was no air conditioning in it for many years. That, coupled with the loud fans and the many talented Terrier teams opposing schools had to face made "the Barn" a very difficult place to come out of with a win, much to the delight of generations of Hillsborough fans.

On May 3, 2008, a ceremony was held in Hillsborough High's newly remodeled gym to dedicate the gym, naming it; the Don Williams Athletic Center, in honor of former HHS boys basketball coach Don Williams, who led the Terriers to a 2A state championship in 1959. Coach Williams went on to become the first University of South Florida men's basketball coach in 1970-71. Coach Williams died in February of 2008.[7]

[edit] Sports Team Championships

Due to the range and volume of boys and girls team and individual championships and awards garnered over Hillsborough's 100+ year history, only dates of state championships and runner-ups, and a listing of the number of state playoff appearances are presented.

Football (practices and home games played on Marcelino "Chelo" Huerta Field)

  • National Championship: 1929*
  • State Championships: 1910, 1926[8], 1929*, 1942, 194x, 194x, 1948 (13 total State Championships) +Prior to 1968, the state champions were the winners of the state's "HSS Big Ten Conference", and included games against some state universities and colleges such as the University of Florida, Stetson University, and Rollins College.)[9]
  • State Playoff Appearances (since 1968): 15 (most recent: 2007)

Baseball (practices and home games played on Billy Reed Field)

  • State Championships: 1935, 1937, 1967 (2A)
  • State Tournament Appearances: 23 (most recent: 2006)

Boys Basketball (practices and home games played in the Don Williams Athletic Center)

  • State Championships: 1924, 1947 (A), 1959 (2A),
  • State Tournament Appearances: 48 (most recent: 2002)

Girls Basketball (practices and home games played in the Don Williams Athletic Center

  • State Tournament Appearances: 9 (most recent: 1998)

Boys Track and Field (practices and home meets held at Marcelino "Chelo" Huerta Field)

  • State Championships: 1916, 1929, 1949 (A), 1950 (A).
  • State Meet Appearances: 28 (most recent: 2008)
  • Individual State Championships: 31
  • Relay Event State Championships: 13

Girls Track and Field (practices and home meets held at Marcelino "Chelo" Huerta Field)

  • State Meet Appearances; 5 (most recent 2008)
  • Individual State Championships: 2

Boys Team Decathlon (sport discontinued by FHSAA)

  • State Championships: 1981 (4A), 1982 (4A), 1983 (4A)
  • State Meet Appearances: 3

Girls Team Pentathlon (sport discontinued by FHSAA)

  • State Championships: 1982 (4A), 1983 (4A)
  • State Meet Appearances: 2

Boy's Cross Country

  • State Meet Appearances: 1 (most recent: 1947)

Girls Cross Country

  • State Meet Appearances: 2 (most recent: 2007)

Boys Golf

  • State Championships: 1928, 1934
  • State Tournament Appearances: 3 (most recent: 1934)
  • Individual State Championships: 2

Boys Soccer (practices and home games played on Marcelino "Chelo" Huerta Field)

  • State Tournament Appearances: 2 (most recent: 2007)

Girls Soccer (practices and home games played on Marcelino "Chelo" Huerta Field)

  • State Tournament Appearances: 4 (most recent: 2008)

Boys Swimming (practices and home meets held at Angus Goss Memorial Pool)

  • State Championship: 1946
  • State Meet Appearances: 24 (most recent: 2007 -first appearance at state since 1980- a span of 27 years)
  • Individual State Championships: 25
  • Relay Team Championships: 3

Girls Swimming (practices and home meets held at Angus Goss Memorial Pool)

  • State Meet Appearances: 12 (most recent: 1980)
  • Individual State Championships: 9
  • Relay Team Championships: 1

Boy's Tennis

  • State Tournament Appearances: 1 (most recent: 1940)

Girls Volleyball (practices and home games played in the Don Williams Athletic Center)

  • State Tournament Appearances: 3 (most recent: 2007)

Wrestling (practices and home matches held in the Don Williams Athletic Center)

  • State Tournament Appearances: 8 (most recent: 2008)

Boys Rowing (crew practice is held at the HHS Boathouse, in Julian Lane Riverfront Park)

  • SRAA Nationals Appearances: 2003
  • Men's Senior (single) placed 6th at SRAA Nationals (2003)
  • FSRA State Individual Event Championships: 1
  • FSRA State Team Event Championships;1

Girls Rowing (crew practice is held at the HHS Boathouse, in Julian Lane Riverfront Park)

  • SRAA National Appearances: 2007, 2008
  • Women's Junior Varsity 4 (team) placed 5th at SRAA Nationals (2007)
  • FSRA State IndividuaI Event Championships: 1
  • FSRA State Team Event Championships: 2

[edit] Athletic High School All-Americans And Honorees

Due to the extensive number of All-State athletic honorees from Hillsbrough High over its 100 plus year history, only HHS All-Americans are listed below.

High School All-Americans

  • 1973 -Mike Heath (baseball) C (First Team) All-American.
  • 1986 -Gary Sheffield P/3B (He was named the Gatorade National High School Player of the Year)[10]
  • 1999 -Shannon Snell (football) lineman (Parade High School All American -Lineman) (Named to PrepStar's All-American Dream Team)
  • 2000 -Garnell Wilds (football) DB (All-American selection by Prep Star) also (Pre-Season All-American pick by Lemming)[11]
  • 2006 -Michael Burgess (baseball)-OF (Jackie Robinson Award -National HS Player of Year) [12] (Louisville Slugger HS All-American)
  • 2006 -Matt Schurig (baseball) RHP (Louisville Slugger High School All-American) [13]

[edit] Collegiate Athletic National Champions, All-Americans, Hall of Famers and Honorees

Collegiate National Champions and All-Americans

Collegiate Hall of Famers and Honorees

[edit] Notable Alumni

National Figures

Decorated Military Heroes

  • Angus R. Goss - USMC Gunner, awarded the US Navy Cross & Britain’s Conspicuous Gallantry Medal for extraordinary heroism in World War II and had a US Navy Ship named after him (designation DE-444) [23]

Professional Entertainment/Music/Arts/Film/TV

Professional Sports

Auto Racing

Major League Baseball [30]

WNBA Basketball

NFL/NFL Europe or WLAF/CFL/AFL

USL Soccer

Career Coaches

Mayors of Tampa [38]

  • Dick A. Greco (D) - 50th & 56th Mayor (1967-1974 and 1995-2003)
  • William F. Poe (D) - 53rd Mayor (1974-1979)
  • Nick C. Nuccio (D) - 47th & 49th Mayor (1956-1959 and 1963-1967)
  • Julian B. Lane (D) - 48th Mayor (1959-1963)
  • Junie L. Young Jr. - 46th (Acting) Mayor (1956)

[edit] Recent HHS and Student National Honors

2006 - The school newspaper, The Red & Black, was considered a National Scholastic Press Association Newspaper Pacemaker Finalist[39]

2006 -- Newsweek drops Hillsborough to rank as the number #21 high school in the nation.[40]

2005 -- Newsweek ranks Hillsborough as the number #10 high school in the nation, causing a stirred debate considering the high school got a D grade from the state and failed No Child Left Behind standards[41]

2004 -- Hillsborough High School student Yangda Ou was selected as a semi-finalist in the U.S. Physics Team.[42]

2004 --National Peace Essay Contest winner (Florida) - Hillsborough High student Gregory M. Goldgof for "Principles of Reconstruction" hosted by the United States Institute for Peace [43]

2003-04 - The school was awarded the Siemens Award for Advanced Placement[44]

1997 - Participated in the National Earlybird Forensics Tournament, hosted by Wake Forest University. Placed Sixth in Sweepstakes, Fifth in Duo-interpretation, Fourth in Humorous Interpretation and First in Senate Two: Speaker Awards.[45]

[edit] References

  1. ^ The Red & Black Florida's_First_High_School_Newspaper (English). The Red & Black. Retrieved on May 11, 2007.
  2. ^ Hillsborough County Public Schools History Hillsbrough_High_School_Home_of_the_Big_Red (English). Hillsborough County Public Schools. Retrieved on May 14, 2007.
  3. ^ Sports Preps Hillsborough_43,_ Jeffereson_20 (English). St. Pete Times.Com. Retrieved on Sep 01, 2007.
  4. ^ Wildcats' football on short list 100 years later (English). Ocala.Com. Retrieved on Sep 01, 2007.
  5. ^ George_Washington_Junior_High_School This site is dedicated to preserving the history of: (English). Retrieved on May 23, 2007.
  6. ^ Memorial Middle School (English). Retrieved on June 11, 2007.
  7. ^ Don_Williams,_First_USF_Basketball_Coach_Dies (English). TBO.com. Retrieved on April 20, 2008.
  8. ^ News Bryant_Stadium_Kicks_Off_the_1940s_and_50's (English). The Ledger .Com. Retrieved on June 7, 2008.
  9. ^ Hillsborough High School The_First_One_Hundred_Years (English). Retrieved on May 7, 2007.
  10. ^ Jock Bio.Com Gary_Sheffield (English). Jock Bio .Com. Retrieved on May 22, 2007.
  11. ^ Players 2000_Virginia_Tech_Football (English). Retrieved on May 23, 2007.
  12. ^ Aflac Press Release Story Burgess_Wins_2006_Jackie_Robinson_Award_as_Aflac_National_High_School_Player_of_the_Year (English). Aflac .Com. Retrieved on June 11, 2007.
  13. ^ Baseball News .Com 2006_Louisville_Slugger_High_School_All-Americans (English). Baseball News .Com. Retrieved on June 11, 2007.
  14. ^ Wanda Gutyon .Com (English). Retrieved on May 23, 2007.
  15. ^ TBO.Com Sports Tampa's_Champs (English). Retrieved on Jan 06, 2008.
  16. ^ Gator Zone Official_Website_of_the_Florida_Gators (English). Retrieved on May 22, 2007.
  17. ^ Seminoles.Com Official_Athletic_Site_of_Florida_State_University (English). Retrieved on Oct 04, 2007.
  18. ^ UM Sports Hall of Fame .Com 2007_Induction_Banquet (English). Retrieved on Oct 04, 2007.
  19. ^ Obama_tasks_local_business_leader_to_run_fundraising_efforts (English). Tampa Bay Business Journal. Retrieved on May 31, 2008.
  20. ^ Familiar_names_back_mayorial_candidate-Mayor_Dick_Greco_is_trying_to stay_quiet,_but_many_of_his_supporters_back_Frank_Sanchez (English). St. Petersburg Times On-line. Retrieved on May 31, 2008.
  21. ^ Arlington National Cemetery Website Charles_Edward_Bennett (English). Arlington Cemetery. Retrieved on May 9, 2007.
  22. ^ Korea The_hero_from_Hillsborough High (English). St. Pete Times. Retrieved on May 7, 2007.
  23. ^ Goss, Angus (06). Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (English). Retrieved on May 6, 2007.
  24. ^ Bay Legends Tampa Bay Legends (English). Retrieved on April 28, 2007.
  25. ^ Paper Pursuits Fashion_& _Design Print Collectibles (English). Retrieved on May 20, 2007.
  26. ^ The Internet Movie Database Leo Corey Castellano (English). IMDB .Com. Retrieved on May 31, 2008.
  27. ^ Jody Espina Biography (English). JodyJazz .Com. Retrieved on May 31, 2008.
  28. ^ Big13 WTVT_Sports (English). Retrieved on May 20, 2007.
  29. ^ My Best Years.com Hooked_on_Hot-Rodding (English). Retrieved on May 11, 2007.
  30. ^ Hillsborough Baseball (English). Retrieved on April 28, 2007.
  31. ^ Wanda_Guyton (English). WNBA .Com. Retrieved on May 31, 2008.
  32. ^ Graphics. Fans Only .Com Photos Schools Miami Football Hurricanes_In_The_Pros (English). Graphics.Fans Only .Com. Retrieved on June 12, 2007.
  33. ^ GeoCities .Com Colosseum 1871 World_Bowl_II (English). Retrieved on June 12, 2007.
  34. ^ S.I. .Com NFL Shannon_Snell_Player_Page (English). Retrieved on June 12, 2007.
  35. ^ Sunshine State Conference:SSC_Hall_of_Fame_Profiles (English). Retrieved on May 6, 2007.
  36. ^ City Times What's_in_a_name?_Calling_plays_and-changing_lives (English). St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved on June 2, 2007.
  37. ^ The National Football Foundation And College Hall of Fame Inc. 2002_College_Football_Hall_of_Fame_Divisional_Class_Announced (English). Retrieved on June 2, 2007.
  38. ^ City of Tampa Florida Tampa's_Mayors (English). City of Tampa. Retrieved on May 14, 2007.
  39. ^ NSPA-Contest Winners (English). Retrieved on April 22, 2007.
  40. ^ The Complete List: 1,200 Top U.S. Schools (English). Retrieved on April 22, 2007.
  41. ^ A D from the state, but on magazine's honor roll (English). Retrieved on April 22, 2007.
  42. ^ 2004 Physics Olympics (English). Retrieved on April 28, 2007.
  43. ^ National Institute for Peace National_Peace_Essay_Contest 2004_Wards_Week_in_D.C._Winner's_Pictures_And_Bios (English). Retrieved on June 11, 2007.
  44. ^ 2003-04 Siemens Awards for Advanced Placement (English). Retrieved on April 22, 2007.
  45. ^ Results 1997 National Earlybird Forensics Tournament (English). Retrieved on April 22, 2007.

[edit] External links