McGill-Toolen Catholic High School

McGill-Toolen Catholic High School
Address
1501 Old Shell Road Mobile, Alabama, United States
Coordinates	30°41′21″N 88°04′18″W / 30.68917°N 88.07167°W / 30.68917; -88.07167Coordinates: 30°41′21″N 88°04′18″W / 30.68917°N 88.07167°W / 30.68917; -88.07167
Information
Type	Private / Coeducational / Secondary
Religious affiliation(s)	Roman Catholic
Established	1896
President	Rev. W. Bry Shields, Jr.
Principal	Michelle Haas
Asst. Principal	Lisa Robertson Blake Stein John Repoll
Chaplain	Rev. Dan Goode
Grades	9-12
Enrollment	~1100  (2008)
Mascot	Yellowjacket
Accreditation(s)	Southern Association of Colleges and Schools[1]
Interim Athletic Director
Website	mcgill-toolen.org

McGill-Toolen Catholic High School, located in Mobile, Alabama, is a private co-educational high school operated by the educational system of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Mobile.

History

McGill Institute was founded in 1896 by Arthur McGill and his brother, Felix McGill, as a free school for boys. In 1928, the Brothers of the Sacred Heart took over the administration the school. They continue to serve on the faculty of the school today. The original McGill Institute building was located on Government Street, in downtown Mobile. In 1952, the school moved to Old Shell Road, across the street from Bishop Toolen School for Girls. Bishop Toolen School for Girls was founded in 1928, by Bishop Thomas J. Toolen, and was administered by the Sisters of Loretto at the Foot of the Cross until it merged with McGill Institute in 1972 to form the co-educational school known today as McGill-Toolen Catholic High School.

The original McGill Institute building, demolished in 1955.

In December 2007, the Mobile Register reported that supporters of the school have raised $10.3 million to renovate the campus and add a new science building and student center. In addition, a new entranceway will be added along Lafayette Street and a walkway that will go over that street, connecting the two main buildings. The science facility is expected to open in the fall of 2008. The student center will be a two-story building fronting Lafayette Street and including a new cafeteria, chapel and student plaza. The new buildings and entrance will be constructed to match the school's mission-revival architecture. A facade will be added to the McGill building, which fronts Old Shell Road with its more modern style, to make it blend as well. The new science building will give all science teachers larger classrooms and their own labs.

Mission statement

“	McGill-Toolen Catholic High School provides a quality secondary education which enables individuals to grow in faith, to search for knowledge and truth in mind, body, and spirit, and continue building the kingdom of God on earth. By active involvement in the learning process, students are prepared for lives of Christian leadership and service.	”
—School website

Sports and traditions

McGill-Toolen is sometimes called "McT", for short. The school colors are orange and black, and the mascot is a yellowjacket. The McGill-Toolen varsity football team became the 6A Region 1 Champions for the first time in thirty years, by defeating its long-time rival, Murphy High School. The football team repeated in 2007 as the 6A Region 1 Champs. During the regular season the team also managed to obtain a perfect 10-0 record. They advanced to the semifinals of the 2007 playoffs before falling to Prattville High School with a final record of 13-1. In October 2007 the school announced the construction of a football stadium at the Archbishop Lipscomb Sports Complex. The stadium had been completed in time for the 2008 season moving McGill from their longtime home field of Ladd Peebles Stadium. Davidson High School, being close to the newly constructed field, asked McGill if they could also play on the field. Due to odd circumstances in the 2008 season McGill Toolen Catholic played against Davidson High School as the away team.

Alma Mater

Our colors now wave in triumph/ McGill-Toolen banner on high/ We will sing of our Alma Mater/ Songs of Spirit and of tender Love/ Proudly will our voices proclaim thee/ Yellow Jackets swell a ROAR/ Always I will remember/ Thy Love shall rule for aye..

Fight Song

We’re here to help you, Alma Mater, we’ll always be staunch and true. Whether our hopes be bright or cheerless, You know that we’re always backing you. FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! Come on, you fearless Yellow Jackets, we know that you can and will; Come on, and show them the fighting spirit, The spirit of old McGill.

School band

At the beginning of the 2007-2008 school year, the McT Band went under the direction of Mr. Steve Sims. The Marching Band performed at the Gold Medal Classic Marching Contest at Mississippi Gulf Coast Junior College. They received straight superiors, and the best in Class A Color guard. On October 11, 2008 the band traveled to the Prattville High School Heart of Dixie Band Festival and performed a collection of songs from the band Styx. Once again they received straight superiors and best in class Color guard. On October 3, 2009, the Band traveled to Alexander City and performed a collection of songs by the band Aerosmith. They received all but one superiors and one 2. The color guard again received Best in Class. The band went under a new director, Sean Noah, in the year 2010. They travelled to Troy University and performed in the 41st Annual Southeastern States Marching Band Festival on October 2, 2010. On October 9 of the same year, they travelled and performed in Mary G. Montgomery's Azalea City Marching Band Festival. They received straight superiors both times and Best in Class drum line at Mary G. Montgomery. Their theme in 2010 was "Latin Incendia". In 2011, they held the theme "Some Kind of Hero". They traveled to Andalusia High School for the A-Town Marching Band festival. Here they received straight superiors again and Best in Class Drum Major, Band, and Color Guard.

Notable alumni

• Jimmy Buffett, singer and songwriter
• Jeremiah Denton, Jr., retired U.S. Navy Admiral, U.S. Senator, and Vietnam P.O.W.
• Vince Dooley, former Head Football Coach, University of Georgia, (1964–1988), Athletic Director (1979–2004)
• William H. Pryor, Jr., U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
• Sonny Callahan, U.S Representative for the 1st District of Alabama (1985–2003)
• Jim Marshall, U.S. Representative for the 3rd District of Georgia (2003–)
• Oscar Hugh Lipscomb, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Mobile (1980–2008)
• Jonathan Mangum, comedian and actor, announcer on Let's Make a Deal
• John D. New, Medal of Honor recipient

References

1. ^ SACS-CASI. "SACS-Council on Accreditation and School Improvement". http://www.advanc-ed.org/schools_districts/school_district_listings/?. Retrieved 2009-06-23. 

• Private School Review: Statistical Data for McGill-Toolen
• Office of Catholic Schools, Archdiocese of Mobile
• Aerial image of McGill-Toolen campus from USGS via Microsoft Research Maps

External links

• McGill-Toolen official website
• McGill-Toolen Catholic High School Band
• McGill-Toolen Catholic Football
• McGill-Toolen Catholic Baseball