Mumford High School

Located on Detroit's near-northwest side, Samuel C. Mumford High School is a public high school. It was operated by the Detroit Board of Education; the school's namesake served twenty-two years on the Board and was a former president of the organization.^[1]

Following war-delayed construction, Mumford High opened in September 1949; a time when large segments of Detroit's Jewish-American population had already begun an inexorable movement toward the suburban communities of Oakland County.^[2] Mumford's architectural profile featured imported powder blue limestone block and exquisite Art Deco styling similar to other Detroit high schools. During much of the 1950s and early 1960s, Mumford High served a predominantly Jewish student population.

Mumford High School was demolished during the summer of 2012. A new building was constructed at the same Wyoming Avenue address and opened in August, 2012.

When it was operated by Detroit Public Schools (DPS), communities within Mumford's attendance zone included Palmer Park, Palmer Woods and Sherwood Forest.^[3]

History

In 2015 the United States Department of Justice charged former EAA-era principal Kenyetta "K.C." Wilbourn-Snapp with on bribery and conspiracy charges. Wilbourn, who formerly was principal of Mumford and Denby High School,^[4] agreed to plead guilty as part of a plea bargain.^[5] She pleaded guilty to tax evasion and accepting a $58,000 bribe.^[6]

Notable alumni

• Ivan Boesky, a 1955 graduate, came to Mumford after having attended the Cranbrook School in Bloomfield Hills. Ivan Boesky was convicted for his role in the Wall Street insider trading scandal that occurred in the United States during the mid-1980s. Boesky's involvement in criminal activities is recounted in the book Den of Thieves by Pulitzer Prize-winning author James B. Stewart.
• Paul Borman, a United States federal judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan since 1994, was earlier an Assistant U.S. Attorney, Special Counsel to the Mayor of Detroit, and Chief Federal Defender of the Legal Aid & Defender Association of Detroit from 1979 to 1994. He was also a Professor at Wayne State University Law School, and an Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Michigan Law School.^[7]
• Jerry Bruckheimer, film and television producer whose credits include the three CSI television series, the Pirates of the Caribbean film series, and Flashdance.^[8] Bruckheimer also produced Beverly Hills Cop, in which Eddie Murphy's character Axel Foley is seen wearing a "Mumford Phys Ed Dept" T-shirt.
• Gilda Radner, film and television star. Attended Mumford High School for at least one year before being moved to a college-prep private school. Most famous by being an original cast member of Saturday Night Live, where her most memorable character was "Rosanne Rosanna-Danna". The cancer-patient organization Gilda's Club was named for her, created by actor Gene Wilder, her husband.
• Kenneth Ferguson, world-class track and field athlete; ranked 7th globally in the 400-meter hurdles (2007).^[9] During his time at Mumford, Ferguson was a six-time Michigan High School Athletic Association champion in the hurdles and relay events^[10]
• R. Barri Flowers (1974), criminologist, non-fiction and fiction author, inducted into Michigan State University Criminal Justice Wall of Fame in 2006.^[11]
• Cornelius Grant, noteworthy guitarist with Motown Records.^[12]
• Judith Guest (great-niece of Edgar Guest); attended Mumford for one year (1951). Her first book, Ordinary People, published in 1976, was adapted as a 1980 film that won an Academy Award for Best Picture^[13]
• Earl Klugh, jazz musician.
• Ruth Laredo (née Meckler), concert pianist.
• Derrick Mason, played collegiate football at Michigan State University; professionally with the Houston Oilers and Tennessee Titans, where he earned All-Pro recognition.
• Roger Penzabene, was a songwriter for the Motown label. Among his most notable compositions are "The End of Our Road" by Gladys Knight & the Pips and Marvin Gaye, and a trilogy of hits for the Temptations: "You're My Everything", "I Wish It Would Rain", and "I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)".
• Bruce Joel Rubin, screenwriter whose film credits include Deep Impact, Sleeping with the Enemy and Ghost.
• Bob Shaye, movie producer, director, co-founder of New Line Cinema; among his many films, he produced the original Nightmare On Elm Street.
• Marcus Thigpen, CFL player for the Saskatchewan Roughriders and NFL player for the Miami Dolphins.
• Allee Willis, Grammy Award-winning songwriter and multi-media artist, whose hits include "September" and "Boogie Wonderland" by Earth, Wind & Fire; "Neutron Dance" by The Pointer Sisters; theme song to TV series Friends and Broadway musical The Color Purple.
• Jemele Hill, ESPN personality and columnist.
• The Winans, The Clark Sisters, Fred Hammond and Deitrick Haddon, Gospel singers

Athletics

1959 graduate, Barry Shapiro set a city record on his way to winning the 100-yard breaststroke, at the 1959 Detroit Public School League (DPSSAL) swimming finals. In fact, Shapiro's time was superior to the existing Michigan High School Athletic Association record for the event. Barry was among the fastest breaststrokers in the state, during a period (1931–1961) when Detroit schools did not participate in MHSAA championship events; he never had the chance to swim for a state title.^[14]

Another Mumford athlete, Richard Golden made the best of his opportunity to compete at the state level. During the 1963 MHSAA finals, Richard finished third in the 50-yard freestyle; to this day, Golden is Mumford's only All-State swimmer.^[15]

In 1966, in his first year as coach, Sam Taub led Mumford to the east side championship in the Detroit Public School league before losing to Northwestern by 3 points in the city championship game. Mumford went on to win district and regional championships in the state tournament before losing to East Detroit in the state quarterfinals. All-State center Larry Moore averaged 27 points a game to lead the Mustangs.

In 1969, Coach Taub guided the Mustangs to the PSL title; Mumford defeated Northern High 72-55 to claim the trophy. The Mustangs advanced to the state semifinals before losing to Ypsilanti.^[16] Taub was also the school's golf coach and a collegiate basketball referee.

More recently, Mumford's track and field program has been nothing less than dynastic; winning a total of six Michigan High School Athletic Association championships since 1999. The Lady Mustangs won state titles in 2004 and 2005; while Mumford's men brought home the MHSAA crown in 1999, 2002, 03 and 04.^[17][18]

In 2005, Mumford won its first DPSSAL football title; the Mustangs defeated Finney High, 26-13 to claim the championship trophy.^[19]

References

External links

• Mumford High School Official Site
• Mumford HS Lea Application Part II (Archive)

Coordinates: 42°25′17″N 83°09′53″W / 42.4215°N 83.1646°W / 42.4215; -83.1646