University High School (Morgantown, West Virginia)

University High School is a high school located in Morgantown, West Virginia that houses just over 1,250 students. The school mascot is the hawk and the school colors are scarlet red, old gold, and black.

History

The school was established as University Demonstration High School in September 1925 by West Virginia University. It was not uncommon in the south for colleges to found "demonstration schools", ostensibly as a place for education students to learn educational techniques, but also because many professors were unwilling to send their children to the poor public schools of that era.

It was originally located in the Old Tea Room on the corner of Willey and Spruce Streets. This original school had 35 students and three teachers, and quickly attracted more people. In 1928, strained with over two hundred students, the school was relocated to the third and fourth floors of a building on the corner of Stewart Street and University Avenue. In 1930, construction on an official school building for University Demonstration High began. During the interim period, the school occupied the old library on the West Virginia University Campus until 1933 when the official school building was finished at an estimated cost of $283,837. This school was, and still is, located at the top of North Price Street.

In 1972, West Virginia University eliminated the demonstration school and turned University High School over to the Monongalia County Public School System, when then divided the Morgantown High School district in half and established University High School as a second regular public high school, allowing major renovations to take place, including the addition of a gymnasium, an annex, and various refurbishments.

In 2006, construction began on a new campus for University High. This new facility, part of a bond issue passed by the citizens of Monongalia County in 2003, is located north of Morgantown along Bakers Ridge Road. The $35 million project includes a two story classroom building, a greenhouse, a 2000 seat gymnasium, an 400 seat auxiliary gymnasium and an approximately 700 seat auditorium. In addition to the building, the campus also includes a new 4000 seat stadium for field sports, as well as multiple athletic and physical education fields. The building was designed by the award winning Charleston WV architectural firm of Williamson Shriver Architects.

While the football team played its 2008 home games at the new high school (Mylan Pharmaceuticals Stadium), students did not arrive at the new University High until December 2008. On Wednesday, November 19, 2008 the old school on Price Street welcomed students for the last time, and students started school at the new location on December 3, 2008.

The building that once held University High School now houses Mountaineer Middle School, formerly Cheat Lake Middle School. ^[1]

Notable alumni

• Rich Braham - Former American football player for the Cincinnati Bengals
• Josh Judy - Professional baseball player for the Cleveland Indians
• Jedd Gyorko - Professional baseball player

References

External links

• University High Home Page
• History of UHS