William Chrisman High School

Infobox School
name = William Chrisman High School

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imagesize = 180px
caption = School Crest
motto =
established = 1888
type = Public
principal = Mr. Jason Dial
enrollment = 1,700+
free_label = Colors
free_text = Blue and Gold
free_label2 = Mascot
free_text2 = Bears
location = 1223 North Noland Road
Independence, MO 64050
information = [phone]
website = http://www.indep.k12.mo.us/chrisman

William Chrisman High School is a High School located in Independence, Missouri. The school was founded in 1888 and was originally known as Independence High School. The first building was located at the intersection of Pleasant and Truman Road, the current location of the Palmer/Central Office Building. It is from this location that President Harry S. Truman, First Lady Bess Truman, and Truman White House Press Secretary and Pulitzer Prize winner Charles Griffith Ross graduated from in 1901.

In 1917 the Independence School District passed a levy and bond to build a new high school building. Margaret Chrisman Swope offered to sell the district land for the new school at the southeast corner of Union and Maple for $1 in exchange for naming the school after her father - William Chrisman. Chrisman had served as a member of the first school board in 1866 and was also a prominent lawyer and banker in the community. The new building opened in 1918 as William Chrisman High School. The high school moved to its current site in 1956 when a major addition was added to Ott Elementary School and the building was converted into the high school. Since that time the building has undergone numerous additions.

Demographics

William Chrisman is currently home to approximately 1,700-1,800 students.Fact|date=May 2008

Sports

Recently, the Independence School District invested money into covering the football field with artificial turf.

The first Class 5, District 7 football championship won by William Chrisman was in the year 2002. It was Chrisman's first trip to the state playoffs, where they lost in the first round to Park Hill High School. Their overall record was 6-5 (including playoffs).

On October 27, 2006 WCHS's football team again defeated cross-town rival Truman to retain the Wagon Wheel trophy. The same football team won the Class 5, District 7 Championship for the second time, defeating Raytown, North Kansas City, Truman, and Raytown South. However, they lost in the state playoffs to, once again, Park Hill High School.

In November, 2006 WCHS's varsity cheerleading squad won first place honors in the 5A Large Division of the Missouri State Cheerleading Championships. The squad, under the direction of Debbie O'Renick has placed in the top five in the state competition fifteen times since the late 1980s, including a state championship 1995. The 2006-2007 squad has also qualified for the UCA National Cheerleading competition, which will be held in Orlando, Florida in February 2007.

Recently, the William Chrisman High School Special Olympics 5-on-5 basketball team won first place at the state tournament in St. Charles, Missouri.

Other Extracurriculars

Chrisman's Debate and Competitive Drama Team is highly accomplished. It has been ranked among the top high schools in the National Forensics League for years.Fact|date=May 2008 Chrisman is home to the Blue and Gold Singers, led by Dr. Ron Patch. I The Blue and Gold Singers, as well as the Women's Chorus, received Superior 1 Ratings at the KC Metro Large Ensemble Contest at Blue Springs High School on March 1. Concert Chorale and Men's Chorus received Excellent 2 Ratings. Chrisman has, in an equal partnership with Truman High School, also produced a robotics team mentored by Dr. Clothier and Math teacher Libby Sparks. The team took Rookie of the Year at Regionals in St. Louis at the FIRST Robotics competition in 2006, and went to nationals in Atlanta, Georgia.Fact|date=May 2008 The Foreign Language Department is also an active part of Chrisman. The Foreign Language Festival is an annual event that involves dances, food, and games that represent the Spanish, German, and French Cultures.

Other Extracurriculars include:
*ACE
*AFS
*Chess Club
*Club Revolution
*Common Ground
*DECA
*FCA
*FBLA
*French Club
*German Club
*Harry Potter Book Club
*Knitting Club
*Math Club
*NAHS
*Pokemon Club
*Scholar's Bowl
*Science Club
*Spanish Club
*Thespians
*and more

School Song

*Faithful and true-hearted,
*Let us cheer our dear old high,
*We revere her and defend her,
*And her colors proudly fly.
*We will stand for her united,
*Of her deeds we gladly tell.
*Her colors streaming,
*Glad faces beaming.
*So here's a cheer for her,
*For her we love so well.

Chorus
*Joyous and ever loyal
*Let us boost for Chrisman High
*Let every heart sing,
*Let every voice ring,
*There's no time to grieve or sigh.
*It's ever onward, our course pursuing.
*Let defeat ne'er our ardor cool,
*But united we will boost for her,
*Our own high school.

Notable Alumni

* Harry S. Truman - 33rd President of the United States
* Bess Wallace Truman - First Lady of the United States
* Charles Ross - White House Press Secretary/Pulitzer Prize Winning Journalist
* Forrest "Phog" Allen - KU Basketball Coach
* Paul Henning - TV Producer (The Beverly Hillbillies, Petticoat Junction, Green Acres)
* Tava Smiley = TV Actress