Humboldt Senior High School

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Humboldt Senior High School
Established 1889
Type Public
Students 898
Grades 9–12
Location Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
District Saint Paul Public Schools
Campus Urban
Colors Black and Orange
Mascot Hawk (formerly the Indians)
Newspaper The Corner
Website www.humboldtsr.spps.org/

Humboldt Senior High School is a public high school located in Saint Paul, Minnesota which serves students in grades 9-12. Humboldt opened for the 1889-1890 school year in a 316,000 square feet (29,400 m) building, built in 1888.[1][2] The school was the first high school on the West Side and the only one to be built since. The original building housed the school for twenty-three years, until 1911 when a new building was built.[3] In 1971 there was talk of closing the school. [4] [5]

Contents

[edit] Students

Humboldt is the smallest high school in the Saint Paul Public Schools district.[6] As of the 2006-2007 school year, Humboldt enrolled 898 students. The plurality were Black, at 41%, with Hispanics, 20% and Asians, 19% being the other major ethnic groups. 17% of students identified as White. The school has the second highest rate of poverty in high schools from the Saint Paul Public School system with 80% of students qualifying for Free and Reduced Price Lunch. Free and Reduced Price Lunch is the measure of poverty for the district. The school has a large percentage of students who have limited English proficiency (39%). 24% of students qualify for special education. The school has an Adequate Yearly Progress graduation rate of 76% while only 43% of students who initially enroll graduate within four years. 41% of students had grade level reading proficiency and 8% of students had proficiency in mathematics.[7][8]

[edit] Sports

Humboldt is a member of the Minnesota State High School League.[9] competes in the Saint Paul City Conference. The school was one of the founding members of the Saint Paul City Conference.[10]

Humboldt offers nine boys' and nine girls' varsity sports. These include football (boys), wrestling (boys), tennis (boys and girls), basketball (boys and girls), baseball (boys), softball (girls), golf (boys and girls), soccer (boys and girls), volleyball (girls), badminton (girls), cross country (boys and girls) and track and field (boys and girls). Sports that are not offered at Humboldt are played in co-ops with other Saint Paul City Conference members.

[edit] Mascot

Humboldt's mascot was formerly the Indians. School officials spent months deciding whether to change the school's mascot due to the continuing Native American mascot controversy.[11] In 1988, the school's Parent/Community Advisory Committee decided to keep the mascot after a 555 to 64 vote (90%).[12] The school then proceeded to add an Indian education curriculum.[13] There were several attempts to convince the Saint Paul School Board to keep the mascot.[14][15] In 1989, a committee of the school board asked that Humboldt change its logo after the State Board of Education requested all schools in Minnesota change their mascots. Local American Indians viewed the mascot as a "symbol of ethnic and community pride". A week later the school board required Humboldt to change its mascot.[16][17] The school hosted several rallies to try and save the mascot and held walk outs led by American Indian students.[18][19] After the district asked the state department of education for assistance the state department deferred the decision to the district. The district then deferred the change to the community who voted to keep the mascot. The school board attempted to change the mascot again in 1992, when almost 88% of the school's American Indian students voted to keep the mascot.[20] After four years the school board changed the school's mascot with the new logo, the Hawks, being used in the 1992-1993 school year.[21][22]

[edit] Notable alumni

[edit] References

  1. ^ School History Humboldt Senior High School
  2. ^ Statistics of Public, Society, and School Libraries Having 5,000 Volumes and over in 1908 United States Office of Education
  3. ^ Rosenblum, Gene H. (2002). The lost Jewish community of the west side flats: 1882-1962. Dover, N.H: Arcadia Pub, ppg. 80, 96. ISBN 0-7385-1986-3. 
  4. ^ Gilman, Rhoda R. (1991). The story of Minnesota's past. St. Paul, MN: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 53. ISBN 0-87351-267-7. 
  5. ^ http://www.spps.org/sites/dd77441e-b117-423c-90a1-6fcbdcc68b6f/uploads/SPPSF.pdf
  6. ^ (1985) The WPA guide to Minnesota. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society, 223. ISBN 0-87351-185-9. 
  7. ^ Humboldt Senior High Minnesota Department of Education. Retrieved on February 27, 2008
  8. ^ High School Comparisons Choice Catalog Saint Paul Public Schools Retrieved on February 27, 2008
  9. ^ Saint Paul Humboldt High School Minnesota State High School League
  10. ^ History Saint Paul City Conference Retrieved on March 5, 2008
  11. ^ Gonzalez, Diana Ettel (May 26, 1988), "Centennial, others consider dropping Indian symbols", Star Tribune
  12. ^ Suzukamo, Les (April 13, 1989), "HUMBOLDT IS URGED TO DEVELOP NEW LOGO", Saint Paul Pioneer Press
  13. ^ June 1, 1988, "HUMBOLDT WANTS TO KEEP ITS INDIAN NAME", Saint Paul Pioneer Press
  14. ^ Furst, Randy (February 8, 1989), "Humboldt students plead to keep ` Indians ' nickname", Star Tribune
  15. ^ Foster, Jim (February 16, 1989), " Schools take hard look at Indian nicknames - State official, MCLU demand change", Star Tribune
  16. ^ (April 20, 1989), "HUMBOLDT TO DROP INDIAN LOGO", Saint Paul Pioneer Press
  17. ^ Livingston, Nancy (April 23, 1989), " MINNESOTA SCHOOLS STRUGGLING OVER INDIAN -THEME TEAM NAMES", Saint Paul Pioneer Press
  18. ^ Livingston, Nancy (September 25, 1989), "HUMBOLDT GROUP WANTS INDIAN SYMBOL", Saint Paul Pioneer Press
  19. ^ Livingston, Nancy (September 27, 1989), "HUMBOLDT STUDENTS RALLY FOR INDIAN NAME", Saint Paul Pioneer Press
  20. ^ Livingston, Nancy (February 12, 1992), "HUMBOLDT STUDENTS WANT TO KEEP ` INDIANS ' NAME, BUT GAINES FAVORS CHANGE", Saint Paul Pioneer Press
  21. ^ Walsh, James (May 19, 1992), "A new image - Humboldt High's hawk mascot to take flight in fall", Star Tribune
  22. ^ Livingston, Nancy (May 23, 1992), "HUMBOLDT SAYS GOODBYE TO INDIAN LOGO// ANOTHER CEREMONY WILL MARK BEGINNING FOR NEW HAWK LOGO", Saint Paul Pioneer Press
  23. ^ Wilson, Betty (June 9, 1986), "Ex-boy wonder Stassen tries for senior wonder", Star Tribune
  24. ^ Wells, Jim (December 13, 2002), "HUMBOLDT TO HONOR 1912 ATHLETE - HE IS BELIEVED TO BE ST. PAUL'S ONLY HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS CASUALTY", Saint Paul Pioneer Press

[edit] External links