Muskogee High School

Muskogee High School
Location
3200 East Shawnee Muskogee, Oklahoma, 74403 United States
Information
Type	Co-Educational, Public, Secondary
Established	August 19, 1970
School board	Muskogee Board of Education
Authority	OSDE
Principal	Dewayne Pemberton
Enrollment	1,700
Color(s)
Mascot	Roughers
Website	Muskogee Roughers

Muskogee High School (MHS) is a four-year comprehensive public high school in Muskogee, Oklahoma. MHS has a steady enrollment of 1,700 students. It is accredited by the Oklahoma State Department of Education and the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association. The school year consists of two 18-week semesters with a 7 class flexible schedule, consisting of 55 minute periods.

Muskogee High School is part of the Muskogee Independent School District No. 20 of Muskogee County, Oklahoma, more commonly known as Muskogee Public Schools (MPS). MHS telephone number: 918-684-3750.

Administration

Office	Officer holder
Principal	Dewayne Pemberton
12th Grade Assistant Principal	Sonja Humphrey
11th Grade Assistant Principal	Kevin Carey
10th Grade Assistant Principal	Coach Terry Scott
9th Grade Assistant Principal	Brian Doerner
12th Grade Counselor	Montie Montgomery
11th Grade Counselor	Anita Benson
10th Grade Counselor	Beverly Harmon
9th Grade Counselor	Micki Akard

School history

The Muskogee Rougher is the mascot of Muskogee High School and Muskogee Public Schools at-large.

The modern history of high school education for students in Muskogee, Oklahoma started with the birth of Muskogee High School in 1970, but the roots for the education of the young adults of this community can be traced back to before statehood.

Muskogee High School came into existence on August 19, 1970, when Central High and Manual Training High were integrated by the Muskogee Board of Education. The two previous high schools were established several years before statehood. When the first Board of Education was established in 1898, one of its initial duties was to create public schools for students of different races to replace the church schools that had missionaries as teachers. Thus creating Central High School and Manual Training High School.

Central High School’s first graduating class was in 1908. In 1909, Central High became the first school in the state to be accredited by the North Central Association.

The legend of Manual Training High School goes back 61 years prior to integration. The construction of Manual Training High started in 1909. The first class occupied the building at the corner of Altamont and Girard Streets before its completion in 1910. The first graduating class was in 1912.

The last graduating classes from both Central and Manual were in May 1970. The following fall, all high school students integrated to what we now know today as Muskogee High School. This integration in 1970 marked the end of two historical institutions but also spawned a single school to carry on the best of both traditions.

In 1925 the Central football team won another state championship and the squad was tagged with the nickname “Roughers” because many of the players performed without helmets, due to lack of funding, and for their rough play. The current Rougher mascot is a roughneck with a bulldog face symbolizing the Oklahoma oil days and the Manual High bulldog mascot. This mascot we see today was created by MHS students in the mid 1970's. Both the mascot and the term “Roughers” are copyrighted and can never be used by any other institution.

Because of the rich history and tradition, the Muskogee High School Roughers have become an icon to the Muskogee community.

Academics

Muskogee High School offers a wide-range of academic courses.

In order to graduate from MHS, a student must complete:

Office	Officer holder
4 Language Arts credits	1 Grammar and Composition, and 3 of the following: American Literature, English Literature, World Literature, Advanced English
3 Mathematics credits	1 Algebra I, and 2 of the following: Algebra II, Geometry, Trigonometry, Pre Calculus, Calculus, and Statistics
3 Science credits	1 Biology I, and 2 of the following: Chemistry I, Physics, Biology II, Chemistry II, Physical Science, Earth Science, Forensics, Botany, Zoology, Physiology, Astronomy, Applied Physics, Principles of Technology, and qualified agricultural education courses (including but not limited to Horticulture, Plant and Soil Science, Natural Resources and Environmental Science, and Animal Science)
3 Social Studies credits	1 United States History, 1/2 or 1 United States Government, 1/2 Oklahoma History, and 1/2 to 1 of the following: World History, Geography, Economics, and Anthropology
2 Fine Arts credits	2 courses of the following: Art, Humanities, Speech and Drama, Video Production, Creative Writing, Native American History, African American History, Modern European History, Ancient Medieval History, Choir, Band, Housing and Interior Design
8 elective credits	All courses at MHS

Advanced Placement Program

The Advanced Placement (AP) Program provides college-level coures to MHS student through AP courses. Through AP Exams, students have the opportunity to earn credit or advanced standing at most of the nation's colleges and universities.

Concurrent Enrollment

Juniors and seniors of exceptional ability are provided with the opportunity to gain college credit while completing their high school education. School counselors must verify that prerequisites are met and that enrollment in the college course has been completed, including payment for the course(s), prior to concurrent enrollment being changed on a student's schedule.

Special Education Department

Muskogee High School provides comprehensive services to qualifying students.

Technology and Business Department

Through different programs at MHS students are allowed to incorporate work experience into their academic plans. The DECA program allows students to attends MHS half the day and maintain a job the other half. Students interested in technical and career-specific skills to prepare for such careers as automotive, child care, computers, construction, cosmetology, industrial technology, health care, and landscape may enroll in programs at the Muskogee Indian Capital Technology Center, affiliated with the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education.

Athletics

Football

The Muskogee High School Roughers football team has become more and more successful in recent years. Now guided by New Head Coach Josh Blankenship, the Roughers hope to finish better than the 2010 regular season that fell below 500, but with new guidance they look forward to 2011. They excited about the leadership and knowledge the youthful coach Blankenship will brings to the field.

State Championships: 1910 - 1914 - 1919 - 1920 - 1923 - 1925 - 1935 - 1940 - 1947 - 1948 -1949 1950 - 1951 - 1986.

Student Clubs and Organizations

Air Force JROTC African-American Heritage Club Art Club Asian Club Business Professionals of America Muskogee Schools of Character Initiative Chess Club Choir DECA Ecology Club Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) Future Farmers of America (FFA) Film Society French Club Future Educators of America History Buffs

Junior Classical League Math Club 21st Century After School Program National Honor Society National Forensic League Oklahoma Honor Society Pride of Muskogee (MHS marching band) Roughers Against Illegal Drugs (RAID) Revolution Color Guard / Winterguard Science Club Skills USA - VICA Speech Club Muskogee High School Student Council Students Against Drunk Driving Students Working Against Tobacco (SWAT) Teens for Christ

The Chieftain (MHS yearbook) The Scout (MHS newspaper) Young Democrats Young Republicans Youth Volunteer Corps (YVC) All School Musical Academic Pursuit Team Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Nutrition Advisory Council

Notable alumni

• John Tyler Hammons - current mayor of Muskogee
• George Faught - current State Representative for Muskogee
• Drew Edmondson - current Attorney General of Oklahoma
• Ed Edmondson - former Congressman for Oklahoma's 2nd District
• James E. Edmondson - current Oklahoma Supreme Court justice
• J. Howard Edmondson - former Oklahoma Governor and Senator
• Mike Synar - former Oklahoma Congress from Oklahoma's 2nd District
• Ernest E. Evans - Commander, United States Navy. Died in combat 1944.
• Jack Jacobs - former Canadian Football League quarterback and one of the original inductees to the Canadian Football Hall of Fame.
• Glen D. Johnson, Jr. - current Chancellor of the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education

Miscellaneous

Fight song

On! Muskogee. On! Muskogee
Break right through the line.
Throw the ball, and get that first down.
Touchdowns sure are fine! Fine, Fine fine!
On! Muskogee. On! Muskogee
Fight for Rougher fame.
Fight Roughers, fight! fight! fight!
To win this game. Hey!

The book, Sea of Thunder: Four Commanders and the Last Great Naval Campaign 1941-1945 was published in November 2006. It was written by Evan Thomas, editor of Newsweek. The book details Muskogee graduate, Commander Ernest Evans, in one of the last great battles of the Pacific Theater in 1944. Mr. Thomas visited the library media center at Muskogee High School as part of his research for this book.^[1]

References

1. ^ http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001AQVTEE

External links

• Muskogee High School homepage
• Rougher football homepage

Coordinates: 35°46′12″N 95°19′43″W / 35.770015°N 95.328673°W / 35.770015; -95.328673