Walter Hines Page Senior High School

Walter Hines Page Senior High School is a public secondary school in Greensboro, North Carolina commonly referred to as Page High School or simply Page. It runs on a traditional type schedule with the hours from 8:55-3:55.

History

Walter Hines Page Senior High School opened its doors in September, 1958, under the leadership of Principal Luther R. Medlin (formerly the principal of Central Junior High School). The school was named for Walter Hines Page, a North Carolina journalist, diplomat, supporter of education, and ambassador to Great Britain.

In 1967, Medlin, who had led the school through its developmental years, left Page to become President of Guilford Technical Institute (now Guilford Technical Community College). He was succeeded by Robert A. Newton, who was principal from 1967-70. Robert A. Clendenin, formerly the principal of Aycock Junior High School, became the third principal in 1970 and remained through 1991. Paul J. Puryear became the fourth principal of Page in the August 1991. Puryear attended Page as a student, served as an assistant principal for nine years, and returned to Page from a two-year term as principal of Athens Drive High School in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Between 1959 and 1965, Page produced two Morehead Scholars each year. A chapter of the National Honor Society was chartered during the 1958-59 school year. From 1981 to 1982, Page's Cultural Arts Department was a national finalist for the coveted $10,000 Rockefeller Foundation Grant.

Athletics

Page teams, whose mascot is the pirate, have been State 4-A champions in football, boys' and girls' soccer, basketball, swimming, and boys' and girls' tennis. In 1982-83 Page was the recipient of the Wachovia Cup, and the News and Record Cup for the best overall winning percentage in varsity competition in the city and county. A rivalry exists between the athletic teams of Page and Grimsley Senior High School. The girls' tennis team won 4 state championships in a row from 2004–2007 and held an undefeated streak of over 80 matches. Page is now 4-AA with 1822 students. The 2009 Page High School Varsity Men's Soccer Team won the 4A State Championship. The 1980, 1983, 1985 & 2011 Page High School Varsity Football Team won the 4AA State Championship. The football players of the 1984 / 1985 State Champion football team were all inducted into the NC Football Hall Of Fame in 2010.

Page High School also won two State Championships in Wrestling 1969 and 1970. Coach Richardson was the head coach in 1969 and Fred Yakin was head coach in 1970.

Music program

The Walter Hines Page High School Marching band is directed by Eddie Deaton.^[2] Mr. Deaton instructs the four band ensembles offered at Page. The basic ensemble is the non-audition based Concert Band. From Concert Band, students may continue into one or more of the three higher, audition-based groups, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, or Jazz Band. Deaton also teaches Page's non-performance classes, which currently consist of IB Music, but has included AP Music Theory in the past. The school's marching band, the Page Marching Pirates, is an extracurricular group that performs at nearly every football game throughout the season. The Marching Pirates also participate in the annual Greensboro Holiday Parade, and in recent years, have participated in other local parades.

Page High School has a String Orchestra directed by Kamine Haghighi. During a normal school year, Haghighi teaches two separate levels of string performance. Both levels perform four regular concerts throughout the year, playing together and on occasion with the Band or Choral groups. The Orchestra often goes to NCMEA Orchestra Contest Festival and is regularly rated at a "superior" or "excellent", the two highest levels available.

Academics

Page Senior High School continues to win new academic honors regionally, statewide, and nationally in such areas as Mock Trial, Science Olympiad, High IQ, and Computer High IQ. Page offers a number of Advanced Placement courses, as well as registering with the International Baccalaureate program in 2008. This option of two advanced-level class selections has given a boost to Page's academics and statistical performance, but has also led to curriculum and staff distribution issues which the school aims to rectify soon.^[3]

Graduation project

Starting with the class of 2010, students were required to complete a graduation project. They picked a topic that interested them, wrote an eight to ten page paper on it, and did a project. Though the project is not required of Guilford County schools, Principal Foley was aware of the $8,000 of bonds for any school who makes their students do the project. This project is no longer required.

Theater

Page Senior High School's performers are known as the Page Playmakers. Page Senior High is Troupe #7253 of the International Thespian Society. The Page Playmakers are currently under the direction of Laura White. The Page Playmakers usually follow a show schedule similar to this:

• Cabaret of Life, a variety show of short skits, songs, and dances based around a central theme.
• Two Winter Repertory Shows, for which the Playmakers find a local director. For the 2011-2012 season, the winter season has been reduced to a single show, a special holiday production of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol
• A spring musical.

Notable alumni

• Lamont Burns; former professional American football player for the NY Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Redskins, and XFL Las Vegas Outlaws.
• Lee Rouson; former professional American football player.
• Rob Godfrey; Communications Director for South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley
• Haywood Jeffires; former professional American football player.
• Spencer Chamberlain, lead vocalist for the Christian band Underoath.
• John Isner; professional tennis player.
• Ken Jeong; physician, comedian and actor. Has appeared in such films as Knocked Up, The Hangover and it's sequels and the television sitcoms Community and Dr. Ken.
• Danny Manning (attended Page through junior year);^[4] former professional basketball player and current head coach of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's basketball team.^[5]

References

Coordinates: 36°06′33″N 79°47′12″W / 36.10909°N 79.78665°W / 36.10909; -79.78665