- Danville High School (Illinois)
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Danville High School Address 202 E. Fairchild
Danville, Illinois, 61832
United StatesCoordinates 40°08′17″N 87°37′36″W / 40.1381°N 87.6267°W Information School type public secondary Motto Service Opened 1870 School district Danville District 118 Superintendent Mark Denman[1] Principal Mark Neil[2] Staff 189[3] Grades 9–12 Gender coed Enrollment 1,585[4] Average class size 20.8[4] Campus type urban Color(s) maroon
white[5]Athletics conference Big Twelve[5] Mascot Odin[6] Team name Vikings/Lady Vikings[5] Average ACT scores 18.5[4] Newspaper 'Maroon & White[7] Yearbook 'Medley[7] Website www.danville.k12.il.us/Schools/DHS_Site Danville High School (DHS) is a public high school located in Danville, Illinois. DHS is part of Danville District 118, which also includes two middle schools and eight elementary schools.[8]
The school is perhaps best known for three of its alumni who went on to success in acting: Gene Hackman, and the brothers Dick and Jerry Van Dyke, and one who became an important figure in popularizing early twentieth century popular music, Bobby Short.
Contents
History
Principals of DHS
Mark Neil, the current principal of Danville High School, is the school's 29th principal since 1870.[6]
Principal Years Belle Spillman 1870-1874 Cornelia Branch 1874-1876 Annie Hoff 1876-1878 M. A. Lapham 1878-1879 Silas Y. Gillan 1879-1886 E. C. Williams 1886-1887 Lawrence A. McLauth 1887-1891 Stratton B. Brooks 1891-1892 S.A.D. Harry 1892-1897 B. D. Billinghurst 1897-1900 B. A. Sweet 1900-1902 Edwin D. Martin 1902-1905 Zora Mayo Smith 1905-1909 Charles E. Lawyer 1909-1912 A. W. Smalley 1912-1916 William C. Baer 1916-1930 John E. Wakeley 1930-1934 Russell M. Duffin 1935-1948 E. D. Milhon 1948-1967 Richard L. Burrer 1967-1969 Arthur F. Mathisen 1969-1980 Blaine E. Bonynge 1980-1989 Dr. Carl Esslinger (interim) 1989-1990 Dr. Ellen S. Russell 1990-1994 Dr. Carol A. Stack 1994-1996 Nanette L. Mellen 1996-2001 Mark Denman 2001-2004 Gail Garner 2004-2006 Marla Bauerle-Hill 2006-2008 Mark A. Neil 2008- Academics
In 2008, DHS had an average composite ACT score of 18.5, and graduated 75.3% of its senior class.[4] Danville High School has not made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) on the Prairie State Achievement Examination, which the state of Illinois uses to fulfill mandates set forth in the federal No Child Left Behind Act.[4] The school, overall, failed to meet minimum expectations in mathematics and reading, in addition to two of the three student subgroups.[4]13.7% of juniors last spring scored high enough on at least three of the four parts of the ACT to be considered “college-ready” for key freshman classes.[4]
In September 2009, the school hosted several education administrators from Taiwan who were visiting to not only see how the school functions, but to participate in a learning opportunity for the school's Global House.[9]
Student life
Activities
The school offers approximately 30 clubs and activities ranging from service oriented clubs to academic competition, to art appreciation.[10] Among the clubs which are chapters for more national organizations are Key Club, and National Honor Society.[10]
The choral music program supports a choir, show choir, and madrigal program.[11]
The instrumental music program supports two symphonic bands, a pep band (the Maroon Maniacs), percussion ensemble, jazz ensemble, madrigal brass band, and marching band (Band of Vikings).[12]
In 2004, the school staged the musical Bye Bye Birdie, which (at its 1958 Broadway premier) had starred alum Dick Van Dyke in the role of Albert Peterson. For the 2004 production, Van Dyke returned to the school, and learned one of the numbers (Put On a Happy Face) alongside the students, performing both nights of the show. Van Dyke, who joined the military before receiving his diploma, was also granted his high school diploma at a ceremony.[13][14]
Athletics
DHS competes in the Big Twelve conference and is a member of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA); the organization which organizes most interscholastic high school sports and competitive activities in the state of Illinois. Teams are stylized as the Vikings (or Lady Vikings for women's teams).
The school sponsors interscholastic teams for young men and women in basketball, cross country, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, and track & field.[15] Young men may participate in baseball, football, golf, and wrestling, while young women may compete in cheerleading and softball.[15] While not sponsored by the IHSA, the Athletic Department also sponsors a poms team (Pompettes).[15]
The following teams finished in the top four of their respective IHSA sponsored state championship tournament or meet:[16]
- Basketball (boys): 3rd place (1970–71, 92–93); 2nd place (1935–36, 49–50)
- Football: 2nd place (1976–77) semifinals (2009-10) semi finals(2010-2011)
- Golf (boys): 4th place (1938–39); State Champions (1981–82)
- Swimming & Diving (boys): 3rd place (1939–40, 40–41)
- Tennis (boys): 4th place (1952–53, 58–59, 66–67); 3rd place (1946–47, 47–48, 2002–03); 2nd place (1951–52, 59–60); State Champions (1945–46, 53–54)
- Track & Field (boys): 3rd place (1983–84, 89–90); State Champions (1924–25)
Traditions
The school has two songs: a fight song and a cheer song. The cheer song's lyrics were borrowed from the cheer song written for Illinois Wesleyan University, substituting "Danville High" for "Wesleyan" and "maroon" for "green".[6][17]
The school claims no knowledge as to why the school colors were chosen, though they date to at least 1906.[6] The school's teams were originally stylized as the Maroons.[6] The school's teams briefly used the name Silver Streaks before adopting Vikings in 1960.[6] While the Vikings name stuck, an attempt to change the school's primary color from maroon to light blue failed to catch on.[6]
Notable alumni
- Susan Wittig Albert is an author, best known for her works in the crime and mystery genres.[citation needed]
- Jason Anderson is a former Major League Baseball relief pitcher (2003–05).[18][19]
- Irving Azoff is a personal manager to several notable musical talents. He is the former head of MCA Records, and has produced several films (Fast Times at Ridgemont High). In 2008, he became Chairman of Ticketmaster.[20]
- Kenneth D. Bailey was a major in the United States Marine Corps. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at Matanikau River during the Battle of Guadalcanal in 1942. The destroyer USS Kenneth D. Bailey was named in his honor.[20]
- William B. Black is a member of the Illinois House of Representatives (1986–2010).[20]
- Keon Clark is a former NBA basketball player (1998–2004). He was selected in the first round of the 1998 NBA Draft.[21]
- Gene Hackman is an Academy Award winning actor, best known for his work in film (The French Connection, Unforgiven).[20]
- Greg Meidel is a television producer.[20]
- Donald O'Connor was an Emmy Award winning actor and dancer, perhaps best known for his role in the film Singin' in the Rain.[citation needed]
- Scott Shaw is a photojournalist who received the 1988 Pulitzer Prize for spot news photography.[20]
- Bobby Short was a singer and musician known for his interpretations of early 20th century American usic, and for promoting the compositions of African American composers.[20]
- Matthew Stover is an author who writes predominantly in the genres of science fiction and fantasy. In addition to works such as Heroes Die, he has also written novels set in the Star Wars universe, including Revenge of the Sith.[20]
- Joseph R. Tanner is a former NASA astronaut. He flew into space four times as a mission specialist where he performed work on the Hubble Space Telescope and International Space Station.[20]
- Edward R. Telling was the Chairman and CEO of Sears, Roebuck and Company (1978–85).[20]
- Dick Van Dyke is an Emmy and Tony award winning actor. He was in the original Broadway cast of Bye Bye Birdie, in addition to his work on film (Mary Poppins) and television (The Dick Van Dyke Show, Diagnosis: Murder).[20]
- Jerry Van Dyke is an actor and musician best known for his work on television (My Mother the Car, Coach).[20]
- Reg Weaver is the former president of the National Education Association, and is a vice president for Education International.[20]
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Maj. Kenneth D. Bailey, USMC
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Gene Hackman
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Bobby Short (center, at piano)
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Joe Tanner
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Dick Van Dyke
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Jerry Van Dyke
References
- ^ "Jackson Building Directory - District Administration". directory. Danville District 118. http://www.danville.k12.il.us/ASC/asc_directory.htm. Retrieved 31 October 2009.
- ^ "Danville High School Principal". Danville High School. http://www.danville.k12.il.us/Schools/DHS_Site/staff/principal.htm. Retrieved 31 October 2009.
- ^ "Danville High School Staff". directory. Danville High School. http://www.danville.k12.il.us/Schools/DHS_Site/staff/staff.htm. Retrieved 31 October 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Illinois School Report Card - Danville High School". Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). 2008. http://www.danville.k12.il.us/Schools/DHS_Site/pdffiles/dhs-reportcard-2008.pdf. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
- ^ a b c "Danville (HS)". Illinois High School Association (IHSA). 30 October 2009. http://www.ihsa.org/school/schools/0403.htm. Retrieved 31 October 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g "About Danville High School". history. Danville High School. 8 October 2009. http://www.danville.k12.il.us/Schools/DHS_Site/aboutus/about_us.htm. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
- ^ a b "Danville High School Production Organizations". Danville High School. 8 October 2009. http://www.danville.k12.il.us/Schools/DHS_Site/activities/clubs/clubs_organizations_production.htm. Retrieved 31 October 2009.
- ^ "District 118 Information - District Statistics". Danville District 118. 29 October 2009. http://www.danville.k12.il.us/about/about_us.htm. Retrieved 31 October 2009.
- ^ Herkamp, Anna (16 September 2009). "Global learning: Taiwanese educational dignitaries tour schools". The Commercial-News (Danville, IL, USA). http://www.commercial-news.com/homepage/local_story_259214521.html. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
- ^ a b "Clubs and Organizations index". directory. Danville High School. 8 October 2009. http://www.danville.k12.il.us/Schools/DHS_Site/activities/clubs/index.htm. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
- ^ "Danville High School Choral Music". Danville High School. 8 October 2009. http://www.danville.k12.il.us/Schools/DHS_Site/academicdiv/dhschoirlindvahl/index.htm. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
- ^ "Danville High School Instrumental Music". Danville High School. 8 October 2009. http://www.danville.k12.il.us/Schools/DHS_Site/academicdiv/dhsbandleeb/index.htm. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
- ^ "Danville High School Choral Music Historic Events". Danville High School. 8 October 2009. http://www.danville.k12.il.us/Schools/DHS_Site/academicdiv/dhschoirlindvahl/historic_events.html. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
- ^ "Dick Van Dyke comes Home to Danville High School", Maroon & White 2 (2): 2–3, June, http://www.danville.k12.il.us/Schools/DHS_Site/aboutus/mwextrapdf/2004_june.pdf, "Choreographed by Michael Weaver and arranged by Robert Hills, the highlight of the production occurred when Mr. Van Dyke himself came out to perform “Put On a Happy Face” with the cast ... Since Dick Van Dyke left Danville High School before the end of his senior year to enter the army, Superintendent Gary Tucker, board members David Groves and Leon Parker, and DHS Registrar Nancy Van Vickle presented him with his Class of 1944 diploma."
- ^ a b c "Danville High School Athletics". Danville High School. 8 October 2009. http://www.danville.k12.il.us/Schools/DHS_Site/activities/athletics/index.htm. Retrieved 31 October 2009.
- ^ "IHSA season summaries". Illinois High School Association (IHSA). 6 October 2009. http://www.ihsa.org/school/records/sum0403.htm. Retrieved 31 October 2009.
- ^ Freese, Ralph S. (8 July 2006). "Illinois Wesleyan Cheer Song". lyrics. fightsonglyrics.com. http://www.fightsonglyrics.com/I/page_1/Illinois_Wesleyan.html. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
- ^ Bleill, Tony (10 July 2009). "Danville's Chuck Robinson, 14, has big-league aspirations". The News-Gazzette (Champaign, IL, USA). http://www.news-gazette.com/sports/prep/story/2009/07/10/danvilles_chuck_robinson_14_has_big-league_aspirations. Retrieved 1 November 2009. "And by the time he enrolls at Danville High in August for his freshman year, he'll be carrying a reputation as one of the best up-and-coming baseball players in central Illinois ... That's high praise, considering the talent that has made Danville a home. The list includes Jason Anderson, a former Illini and major league reliever now pitching in Class AA."[dead link]
- ^ "Jason Anderson". the baseball cube.com. http://www.thebaseballcube.com/Players/A/Jason-Anderson-1.shtml. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Danville High School - Wall of Fame". Danville High School. 8 October 2009. http://www.danville.k12.il.us/Schools/DHS_Site/aboutus/wall_of_fame.htm. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
- ^ "Keon Clark". biographical sketch and statistics. basketballreference.com. http://www.basketballreference.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=ClarkKe01. Retrieved 1 November 2009.
Bibliography
Jones, Lottie E. (1911). History of Vermilion County, Illinois. Chicago, Illinois: Pioneer Publishing Company. pp. 255,334–5.
External links
Categories:- High schools in Illinois
- Schools in Vermilion County, Illinois
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