Rogers High School (Newport, Rhode Island)

Infobox School
name = Rogers High School

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city = Newport
state = Rhode Island

Rogers High School is the sole public high school in Newport, Rhode Island. Their football team is the Rogers Vikings.

History

In the late 1700s and early 1800s Robert Rogers conducted Newport Academy, a private school providing classical education to youth. In 1843 Newport established one of the first public high schools in the state primarily for college preparation. In 1872 William Sanford Rogers, son of schoolmaster Rogers, bequeathed $100,000 to Newport "for the education of youth of both sexes.... the income to be applied to the support of teachers of the highest qualifications" [http://www.rhsalumni.org/Alumni_history.htm] . Of this, $100,000 was designated to be used to aid in the erection of a new building to be named. In 1873 the new building on Church Street was opened with an enrollment of about 100 pupils [http://www.newportrischools.org/RHS/aboutrhs.html] . This building was used until 1905. It became Thayer School, and is now a [http://www.bgcnewport.org/index.asp Boys and Girls Club] . In 1874 there were 3 courses offered-college preparatory, scientific, and general. There were no electives. On Arbor Day of 1889, the boys of Rogers High School formed a shovel brigade and marched out at shoulders arms to plant trees along outer Broadway [http://www.newportrischools.org/RHS/aboutrhs.html] . Rogers has been represented in football since 1890, in baseball since the 1800s and in basketball since 1906 [http://www.newportrischools.org/RHS/aboutrhs.html] . In 1905 Rogers High School moved to a new, larger building on Broadway. In, 1931 Rogers students voted to use the coat of arms from the Rogers family as the school symbol [http://www.newportrischools.org/RHS/aboutrhs.html] .

In 1957 Rogers High School opened at the present location on Wickham Road with an enrollment of 1,216. The Red and Black, the school newspaper, was first published in 1920 in the form of a four-page newspaper [http://www.rhsalumni.org/Alumni_history.htm] . The Newport Area Career and Technical Center was completed in 1968 [http://www.newportrischools.org/RHS/aboutrhs.html] .

The school has the second oldest JROTC program in the country, founded in 1916. It also holds the Honor Unit With Insignia rank, the highest unit rank possible. [http://www.rhsalumni.org/Alumni_history.htm]

Noted Alumni

*Teddy Gibbons - one of the great Rhode Island athletes
*Kristin Hersh - founder, vocalist & guitarist of the band Throwing Muses
*Tanya Donelly - co-founder & guitarist of the band Throwing Muses, lead vocalist of the band Belly and the guitarist for The Breeders
*Van Johnson - actor
*David Narcizo - drummer for the band Throwing Muses
*The Cowsills - 1960s singing act
*Joanna Going - actress
*Kevin Smith - pro football player
*Bebe Buell - model, singer, mother of actress Liv Tyler
*Paul Gordon - keyboardist and guitarist with Goo Goo Dolls, New Radicals, Lisa Marie Presley and currently B52's

External links

* [http://www.newportrischools.org/RHS/index.html Rogers High School] Class of 1972 Online Memory Book, https://home.comcast.net/~rhs72, has a wonderful Newport slide show and music from the era.