- Morse High School (Maine)
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For the school of the same name in San Diego, see Samuel F. B. Morse High School.
Morse High School Address 826 High Street
Bath, Maine, 04530
United StatesCoordinates 43°54′51″N 69°49′12″W / 43.9141°N 69.8200°WCoordinates: 43°54′51″N 69°49′12″W / 43.9141°N 69.8200°W Information Established 1904 School district RSU #1 Superintendent William Shuttleworth Principal Peter Kahl Asst. Principal Jay Lemont Faculty 52 Grades 9–12 Enrolment 654 Number of students 654 Color(s) Blue and White Song The Blue and The White Mascot the Shipbuilder Website mhs.rsu1.org/ Morse High School in Bath, Maine, draws on the communities of Bath, West Bath, Phippsburg, Woolwich, Georgetown, and Arrowsic, Maine. The original school building, a gift to the city from Charles W. Morse, burned down March 24,1928 and was later rebuilt in 1929. A large addition was made in 1969, and an expanded vocational center was added in 1996. As of 2011, Morse's population is 654 students, 94% Caucasian. The student/teacher ratio at Morse is 14:1.
Morse's mascot is the Shipbuilder, because of Bath's shipbuilding legacy at Bath Iron Works, and the school colors are blue and white.
Contents
Rivalry
Morse High School has a long-time rivalry with the neighboring town, Brunswick High School, dating from the early 1900s. The Morse/Brunswick rivalry is one of the oldest in the state.
Athletics
Morse students participate in many athletic and social clubs. The students take pride in the school's proud tradition of championships, including six state championships in boy's basketball (1956, '62, '63, '87, '88, and '89), two state championships in baseball (1953 and '88), five state championships in football (1968, '69, '70, '71, and '72), and one state championship in Boys' soccer in 1988. Morse's boy's swim team won the state championship in the 2005–2006 swim season. The girl's swim team has also enjoyed recent success, winning the 2009-2010 state championship after finishing runners-up or third for several years. Morse is a member of the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference.
The Morse football team has not been a contender since its last state championship in 1972. In 2006, Morse finished 3–5 and gained the 8th and final seed in the playoffs before suffering a 63–12 loss to unbeaten Gardiner in the quarter-finals. Morse was the surprise team of the 2007 season, when it defeated previously unbeaten Gardiner in week 7 and finished the season 7–1 as the second seed. Morse went on to its first post season victory since its '72 state championship season by beating Oak Hill High School of Wales, Maine, 35–6 in the quarter-finals. Morse faced their biggest challenge of the season in the semi-finals when the Shipbuilders played host to the defending Class B PTC Champion, Winslow. Winslow has been a perennial contender since it moved to Class B in 1989. Morse shocked the Pine Tree Conference by entering the locker room with a 22–12 lead at half time. In the second half, Winslow held Morse scoreless and was able to win the game 28–22. In 2008, the Shipbuilders avenged that loss with a 27–0 win over Winslow, and went on to win the PTC Championship allowing just 7 points in three playoff games. They went on to play Mountain Valley in the Maine Class B State Championship game. The schools first appearance in the football state championship game since 1972.
The Arts
Home to the Montgomery Threatre, Morse High School has long had an active drama club, which took the district title in the One Act Play competition two years in a row in 2004 and 2005.
Each November for more than 75 years, Morse has held the MOHIBA (MOrse HIgh BAzaar), a talent show where students can perform individually, or in acts with their class, club or team.
From 1981 to 1983 MHS students ran a 5 watt radio station whose call letters were changed to WMOS 98.3 "The Rock and Roll Clipper."
Alumni Association
The Bath High School Alumni Association is one of the oldest in the country. In 1891 a small group of graduates met to form the association. One hundred graduates attended first Alumni Banquet on June 22, 1892. The Alumni Banquet on June 10, 2011 was the 120th such banquet. The objective of the B.H.S.A.A., according to the 1982 bylaws, is "to encourage sociability among the graduates and incidentally aid in promoting the welfare of Bath High School."
Miscellanea
Old Morse High School c. 1905
Morse High is one of the few high schools in the state which does not have its own gym for basketball games, instead using Bath Middle School's gym. Morse does have 'The Pit', a gym used now for phys ed, wrestling meets, and as a place to practice for other teams. The Pit is more than 80 years old and was voted the "Nicest gym in the state of Maine" when it was first opened in 1929. The pit caused many issues being dug out when the school was built due to ledge under the foundation.
MTV's Made was filmed at Morse High School in the fall of 2005, starring Jackie Buck, a then junior wanting to "step out of her sister's shadow" and have a part in the school's talent show, MOHIBA.
Sources
- Morse High School
- PublicSchoolReview.com profile
- Morse High School Student & Parent Handbook 2008–2009
- Bath High School Alumni Association
Morse High School was filmed briefly in the video "Where's My Mind" by the Pixies.
External links
Categories:- High schools in Maine
- Schools in Sagadahoc County, Maine
- Bath, Maine
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