Benton High School (Missouri)

Benton High School
Address
5655 S 4th St, St Joseph
Saint Joseph, Missouri, Missouri, 64504
United States
Information
Founded 1905
School district Saint Joseph School District
Number of students 896
Team name Cardinals
Website http://www.sjsd.k12.mo.us/page/9

History

In 1905, the St. Joseph, Missouri Board of Education charged J. A. Bell with establishing a high school in South St. Joseph. In September of that year, Benton High School opened its doors for the first time as the BOE rented a hall at the corner of King Hill and Colorado Avenues until a new building was to be completed. In November, students moved into those new buildings on the corner of Cumberland and Yale Streets. The school had four rooms that held grades one through 12.

In 1929, Benton became a junior-senior high school that offered courses from the 7th through the 12th grade.

In 1938, the BOE purchased a tract of land on 4th Street, overlooking the Saint Joseph, Missouri parkway system and built a new building there on March 21, 1940. The new building contained 37 classrooms, an auditorium, gymnasium, and cafeteria and was three stories high.

In 1961, a non-pillared dome gymnasium was constructed on the north side of the school and named in honor of P.B. "Pop" Springer, longtime coach and teacher at Benton. The dome collapsed from heavy snow in 1971 and was replaced. Many additions were made after 1969, including a two-story, twelve room wing with a spacious library and rooms for the math and social studies departments as well as an athletic field which was constructed in 1974 with an asphalt track and grandstands. Three years later the field was renamed "James Sparks Memorial Field" in honor of a Benton football player who lost his life during a game on the field earlier that season.

Benton currently enrolls between 700 and 900 students annually.

Athletics

Football

The football team won the Class 4 District 16 championship from 2004-2007. They have made the quarterfinals in 2005 & 2006 and the semifinals in 2004. They also have made one appearance in the Missouri state championship in 1991 after defeating Webb City 14-0 in a game now known as the mud bowl.

Basketball

The girls basketball team won the Class 4 District 16 Title in 2006. The boys basketball team made it to the quarterfinals. The girls basketball team won the state championship going undefeated throughout the '06 season, compiling a 30-0 record.

Baseball

The Benton Baseball team has been successful over the past few years. From 2005-2007, the Benton squad, under the coaching of Mike Musser, has composed a 61-7 record. These teams include a 23-3 4th place team in 2005, a 24-1 2006 team who went undefeated during the regular season, however falling in the district championship game, and in 2007 a 24-3 state championship team. In the same stretch, Benton produced multiple division 1 baseball prospects, such as Kyle Heim (Iowa), Ryan Hook (Western Kentucky), Wes Miller (Missouri State), and Johnny Coy (Arizona State and Wichita State)

Tennis

The Benton tennis team also experienced success from 2007-2009. The Benton team posted a 10-1 record in 2008. They became the first Benton team to win districts in over 15 years, finally losing in the quarterfinals of state to St. Pius X.

Theatre

Benton's theatre department performs two plays each school year, one in the fall, and one in the spring. In the past some plays have been And A Child Shall Lead, Dracula, Our Town, The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood, and Big Boys Don't Cry. In November 2010, Benton performed its first musical in twelve years, The Drowsy Chaperone. Benton has plans on performing Phantom of the Opera in the fall of 2011. The Theater Department also holds a one-act show each year, raising money for scholarships for students involved in theatre.

Choir

The Benton Choir is one of the schools best attributes. They've received 1 ratings at the All State Music Festival for the last 11 years in all 3 choirs (Benton Singers, Concert Choir,and Bel Canto Women's Choir). Benton's Choir has successfully taken small ensambles to district and state music festivals.

Notable alumni

Statistics

Race Distribution (Number/Percent)

Attendance Rate - 90.8%

Graduation Rate - 85.2%

Average ACT Score - 19

Suspensions of Ten or More Consecutive Days: 20

Students Eligible for Free or Reduced-Price Lunch - 480 Students/55.7%