Waycross High School

Waycross High School was a high school in the town of Waycross, Georgia in the United States. In 1993, the Waycross School Board dissolved its charter and merged into the Ware County School System, creating one larger high school, Ware County Senior High.

The school was located on Ava Street--the present site of the Central Baptist Church.

The Ava Street Waycross Senior High was started in 1936 and graduated its first class in 1939. It continued in existence and graduated its last class in 1966. At midterm of the 1967 school year, the new Waycross High school was completed and moved into during Christmas break, thus 1967 was the first class at the new Waycross High School which later became a middle school when the Waycross School System went out of business and all students were transferred to Ware County High School.

Waycross High School won the Georgia State AA football championship in 1960, 1961 and 1977. Also, in 1981 the Bulldogs won the Georgia State Class AAA football title. The WHS mascot was the Bulldogs. The yearbook was named the "Turpicone" (turpentine-pine cone) (Ware County Georgia was the largest producer of naval stores in the world).

The Alma Mater

On the east side of our city, etched against the sky Deep among the murm'ring pine trees, stands our Waycross High.

While our voices join in praises of old Waycross High;

Youthful memories linger ever as the years go by.

Though we wander, Alma Mater, Far from home and thee, We will always sing thy glory, Love and victory.

Refrain: Hail, all hail! our Alma Mater! We will honor thee; Hail to thee, our Alma Mater; Loyal we will be.

Football Tradition

State Titles: 4- 1960(AA), 1961(AA), 1977(AA), 1981(AAA)Region Titles: 7- 1960, 1961, 1977, 1981, 1984, 1985, 1989

Waycross High School's biggest rivalry in its existence was with cross county school Ware County High. Quite possibly the greatest game played between the two, in the 1977 State Championship season's final regular season game #1 Ware County and #2 Waycross faced off at Memorial Stadium. The only score of the game was a second quarter FG by Waycross' Ricky Chaney. Waycross upset the #1 team 3-0 and went on to defeat Ware County yet again, the very next week, 28-7 in the Region Championship game. Waycross won 4 state football titles, Ware County has yet to win one. However, since Waycross High no longer exists and Ware County is the result of the merger, it could be said that Ware County has won 4 state football titles.

Famous alumni

*Pernell Roberts - actor (Bonanza, Trapper John, M.D.)
*Caroline Miller - Pulitzer Prize winning author of Lamb in His Bosom (1934). WHS Class of 1921.
*Rory Segrest - Special Teams coordinator, Philadelphia Eagles. As of 02/23/07.
*Jay Gogue - President of Auburn University. Class of 1965