- Memorial High School (Eau Claire, Wisconsin)
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Memorial High School Address 2225 Keith Street
Eau Claire, Wisconsin, 54701
USAInformation School district Eau Claire Area School District Superintendent Dr. Ron Heilmann School code 500575 Principal David Oldenberg Vice principal Kurt Madsen, Sue Steffes, Trevor Kohlhepp Staff 167 Grades 9-12 Gender coed Enrollment 1704 School Colour(s) Purple and White Fight song On Wisconsin Athletics conference Big Rivers Conference Nickname Old Abes Rival North (Eau Claire) High School Website http://www.cms4schools.com/ecasd/schools/high/memorial/ Memorial High School is one of two public high schools in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, the other being North High School. Built on a three-block campus, its enrollment is 1737, with a staff of over 150. AP classes are offered in English, science, social sciences, math, and foreign language. The school's mascot is Old Abe.
Contents
Music
The standard for music excellence in the Eau Claire School District was set by Sarge Boyd back in the '30s, '40s, and '50s when his bands won nearly every contest they entered.[1] Many of his students went on to play in the Eau Claire Municipal Band, which he also directed. In recognition of his contributions to the school and the cultural development of the community, the bandshell in Owen Park was dedicated to him.
Bands
Memorial High School's band program consists of six concert bands and three jazz ensembles. The top concert band is the Old Abe Wind Ensemble, the next level down being the Memorial Concert Band. Membership in both is through auditions for grades 10-12. The two "Eagle Bands" are open to grades 10-12 without audition. Incoming freshmen are placed in frosh bands. The top jazz band, Jazz Ensemble 1, is an auditioned band open to grades 10-12. Jazz Ensemble 2 is open to grades 10-11 and is also auditioned. A limited number of 10th graders, as well as incoming 9th graders recommended by their 8th grade teachers, are placed in Jazz Ensemble 3.
Memorial's Jazz Ensemble 1 has been selected five times as one of 15 finalists for the Essentially Ellington jazz competition in New York.[2] In 2008 the ensemble received 147 of 150 points for its submitted recordings, which is a school record. The 2009 Jazz Ensemble 1 placed third at the Essentially Ellington Jazz Competition, and was named one of the best bands in the country. A notable Jazz performer from the school is Justin Vernon, the lead man of Bon Iver.[3]
The MHS jazz program has performed with artists such as the Count Basie Orchestra, Ed Shaughnessy and the Tonight Show All-Stars, Geoff Keezer, the Art Blakey Jazz Messenger Legacy Band, Maynard Ferguson, Clark Terry, Phil Markowitz, DIVA, and the United States Air Force Notables Jazz Band.[2]
Memorial also has three orchestras: the Freshman Entry Level Orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra, and the Symphony Orchestra. The orchestras hold an annual Italian dinner fundraiser in February.
Show choirs
The "Eagle Show Choir", a mixed show choir, is open to grades 9-12 and the "Old Abe Show Choir", an advanced mixed show choir, to grades 10-12. Membership in both "Eagle" and "Old Abe" is through audition only.
Athletics
Memorial belongs to the Big Rivers Conference for athletics. It has teams in football, cross country, soccer, golf, swimming and diving, tennis, volleyball, basketball, gymnastics, hockey, wrestling, dance, baseball, softball, and track.
The recently established Old Abe Athletic Hall of Fame highlights many of the great athletes throughout the history of Memorial High School.[4]
Swimming and diving
Memorial girls' swimming and diving team's most recent accomplishments include the 2008 conference championship, sectional runner-up and placing 14th at the WIAA state competition, and the 2009 conference championship, sectional championship and placing 8th at the WIAA state competition. The women's team has also been undefeated in dual meets since 2007. The men's team has been undefeated in conference titles since 1993.[5]
Hockey
The Memorial High School boys' hockey team completed an undefeated season in 2007-2008, defeating Madison Edgewood 3 to 1 in the WIAA state hockey tournament championship game.[citation needed] Home ice for both the varsity and junior varsity teams is the Hobbs Municipal Ice Center.[6]
Cross country
The Memorial High boys' cross country team took second place at the WIAA Division One Sectionals in La Crosse, Wisconsin in 2008, making its first appearance at the state tournament in Wisconsin Rapids since 2004. The girls' cross country team took second place at the WIAA Division One sectionals in 2009, qualifying for the state tournament.
Tennis
Memorial boys' tennis team has lost the Big Rivers Conference title only ten times from 1970 through 2011, winning its sectional meet 31 times. Eight boys from Memorial have been named All-State First Team.[citation needed]
Homecoming election scandal
In the fall of 1992, the student elected as Homecoming Queen, who was seven months pregnant at the time, was secretly denied the title by school officials, and the ballots were burned. An investigation by the superintendent found that the runner-up, who had been named the winner after the votes were counted, had actually lost by over 30 votes.[7] The principal at the time resigned after the allegations were revealed[8], and other administrators were reprimanded.[9] The incident was one of the inspirations for the novel and movie Election.[citation needed]
Notable people
- Larry Balow - Former Wisconsin State Assemblyperson and current member of the Eau Claire City Council
- Donald I. "Sarge" Boyd - Conductor of the Eau Claire Municipal Band (1934-1980) and award-winning faculty member (1929-1963)
- Jake Dowell - Hockey player for the Chicago Blackhawks and University of Wisconsin, Madison
- Geoffrey Keezer - Pianist
- Scott D. Legwold - U.S. National Guard general
- Paul Menard - NASCAR race car driver
- Chuck Mencel - Former basketball player for the University of Minnesota and the Minneapolis Lakers
- Justin Vernon - Frontman for Indie band "Bon Iver"
References
- ^ http://memorialandnorthclassof63.org/band.htm
- ^ a b Jazz at MHS
- ^ http://www.jalc.org/about/news/2007/pdf/2008-03-04_ESSENTIALLY%20ELLINGTON.pdf
- ^ Hall Of Fame
- ^ BRC Winter Champions List
- ^ http://www.cms4schools.com/ecasd/schools/high/memorial/athletics/MHSAthleticFacilities.cfm
- ^ http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1817&dat=19921009&id=QTcdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=v6UEAAAAIBAJ&pg=3700,2282641
- ^ http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/keyword/principal-s-resignation
- ^ http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,976864,00.html
- ^ Tom Lawin (27 June 1969). "Municipal Band, Durable Local Institution". Eau Claire Leader-Daily Telegram.
- ^ http://www.ecmemorial59.com/MHSMusic.htm
- ^ http://www.allbusiness.com/humanities-social-science/visual-performing-arts-music/14645863-1.html
- ^ http://memorialandnorthclassof63.org/band.htm
- ^ http://www.ecmemorial59.com/MonthlyNews/MonthlyNewsJune2010.pdf
- ^ http://www.allbusiness.com/companyprofile/Wisconsin_Historical_Foundation_Inc/BB3099B6855752A34A6581BAA15A0666-1.html
External links
Categories:- High schools in Wisconsin
- Eau Claire, Wisconsin
- Education in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin
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