Columbus High School (Columbus, Georgia)

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Columbus High School Liberal Arts Magnet
CHSseal.png
Location
1700 Cherokee Ave.
Columbus, GA 31906
United States
Coordinates Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Information
Type Public magnet school for the liberal arts
Established 1890
Principal Dr. Marvin Crumbs
Enrollment 1300
Color(s)          Orange and blue
Mascot Blue Devils
Information (706) 748–2534
Ratio 24 students to 1 teacher
Partners in Education AFLAC
Website Columbus High School

Columbus High School is located in Columbus, Georgia, USA. It serves as one of the Muscogee County School District's[1] Liberal Arts Magnet schools. It opened in 1890.

In the 2006–2007 school year it was ranked first in the state and 38th in the nation. In 2005, the school shared the ranking as the top high school in the state of Georgia[citation needed] with John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School in Augusta, Georgia. Columbus High School was awarded Gold Status in the "2012 Best High Schools in the Nation" by U.S. News & World Report.[2]

Graduation requirements

All Liberal Arts College Preparatory Magnet students entering the program as 9th graders must earn a total of 32 Carnegie units. To stay in the magnet program, a student must maintain at least a "C" average in any taken course. Failure to do so can result in the removal of the student from Columbus High School, the one exception being for freshmen who fail during their first semester, as the transition to high school may be overwhelming. Students take one core course each year in English, math, science, and social studies.

Course type Credits needed
English 4 units
Foreign Language 3 units
Math 4 units
Science 4 units
Social Studies 4 units
Physical Education 1/2 unit
Health 1/2 unit
Humanities 1 unit
Academic Electives 3 units
Student Choice Electives 6 units
Fine Arts Elective 1 unit

Community involvement

Each year, students serve 20 hours of volunteer work around the area as part of their social studies class. 12th graders do a senior project in which they must pick an activity they have never tried before, and have a mentor teach them what to do and how to do it. Each senior must spend 100 hours on this and maintain a portfolio documenting their progress from the summer before their senior year until the final presentation in April. Then they must present their project in the form of a speech to a board.[3]

Eligibility

Students qualify for entrance into the program based on:

  • 8th grade course averages of an 82 or better with the exception of algebra and foreign languages.
  • Recommendations from middle school counselor, math, and English teachers.
  • Entrance exams performance in math, reading, and composition.
  • Students must maintain a "C" average in each academic course with the exception of one "F" in their first semester of freshman year.

Location

The school sits atop a hill in the Lakebottom area of the city and across Cherokee Avenue from Lakebottom/Weracoba park, where the school shares athletic facilities with the Columbus Parks and Recreation Department.

Discipline

Students are required to wear ID cards around their necks at all times during school hours. This serves as the students' library card and can only be removed at the end of the day once off of school property. Lack of wearing student ID can result in detention, and is the most common disciplinary problem at the school.

The second most common infraction results from the district's cell phone policy. In accordance to the policy, if a cell phone is used in class and discovered, it is confiscated and a student is assigned detention. The cell phone may be retrieved by the parents after a few days, depending on the regularity of the offense.

Activities

Students can spend their time out of class in the following extracurricular activities.

Athletics

Columbus High School is ranked fourth (2004) in AAAA schools in Georgia. The school is rated 5A by student population. Two thirds of the students participate in 41 teams:

  • Boys'/Girls' Cross Country
  • Boys'/Girls' Track
  • Boys'/Girls' Basketball
  • Boys'/Girls' Tennis
  • Boys'/Girls' Golf
  • Boys'/Girls' Soccer
  • Baseball
  • Football
  • Marching Band - Drumline/Colorguard
  • JROTC Drill Team
  • JROTC Colorguard
  • JROTC Raiders
  • Swim Team
  • Softball
  • Cheerleading (Competition, Football, and Basketball)
  • Wrestling
  • Rifle Team
  • Girls' Volleyball
  • Girls' Lacrosse

GHSA Class AAAA State Champions

  • Baseball[4] - 1984, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012
  • Boys' Golf - 2010, 2011
  • Cheerleading - 2008, 2010
  • Cross Country - 2008, 2010 (Girls')
  • Softball - 2009
  • Volleyball - 2007, 2013
  • Wrestling - 2006
  • Boy's Tennis- 2013

Fine Arts

I graduated from Columbus High School.

Clubs/organizations

Clubs and organizations at CHS include Young Activists; Junior Civitan; GSA; Ballroom Dance Club; Fellowship of Christian Athletes; National Art Honor Society; National Honor Society; Beta Club; National English Honor Society; National German Honor Society; Students Against Destructive Decisions; Language Clubs: Spanish, Japanese, German, French, Latin; Science Club; Robotics Club (Georgia State BotBall competition winner); Dead Poet's Society; Competition Mathematics Team; Academic Decathlon; Thespians Drama Society; Dance Team; Model UN; Gavel Club; Fired Up; Debate; Youth Alive; Student Council; Chess Club; Mock Trial Club; Future Business Leaders of America; and Health Occupations Students of America.

Publications

The school newspaper and Sampler pieces are written by students as part of their creative writing class.

  • 'The Blue Streak, Newspaper
  • The Sampler, Literature/Art magazine
  • COHISCAN, Yearbook (Columbus HIgh SChool ANnual)

History

Notable alumni

  • Reggie Abercrombie, Major League professional baseball player[5]
  • Garey Ingram, Major League professional baseball player, current AA hitting coach for the Mississippi Braves
  • Nunnally Johnson, class of 1915, screenwriter and filmmaker[6]
  • Carson McCullers, class of 1933, American writer[7]
  • Sam Mitchell, NBA player and head coach[8]
  • Skeeter Newsome, former professional baseball player (Philadelphia Athletics, Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies)
  • Ketia Swanier, WNBA basketball player (Phoenix Mercury)[9]
  • Frank Thomas, class of 1986, Major League professional baseball player[10]
  • John F. Suhr - class of 1954, Columbus advertising icon, composed the 1964 pop hit "I want a Beatle for Christmas," famous for his Pant-O-Rama commercials featuring "Captain Britches" and the talking Barrington Fiat's
  • John McNally – class of 1974, distinguished pistol marksman, member of the 1984, 88, 92, 96 and 2000 Olympic teams (International Rapid Fire Pistol event)

Timeline

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  • 1890: the high school opens with co-educational classes. Classes are held in the existing boys' school at 10th Street and 2nd Avenue.
  • 1891–1892: the high school moves into the Bussey Home.
  • June 1892: Columbus High School graduates its first class: sixteen girls and two boys. Graduation exercises are held at the Springer Opera House.
  • 1897–1898: a building is constructed to house CHS at 11th Street and 4th Avenue.
  • Fall 1898: the new building opens for classes.
  • 1900: three curricula are adopted for students – college preparation, classical, and scientific.
  • 1913: The first COHISCAN, the CHS annual, is published. The name is derived from COlumbus HIgh SChool ANnual.
  • 1919: Junior ROTC is added.
  • 1921: Edwina Wood, class 1892, is appointed to the School Board. She is the first woman appointed to this board and serves for twenty years.
  • 1923: the "Blue Devil" nickname is first applied by General John J. Pershing in reference to spirited game play exhibited against Phillips High in Birmingham, Alabama. Previously, several other nicknames had been used for the CHS sports teams. The "Orange Avalanche" is perhaps the best known.
  • May 31, 1924: a bond election is held to approve the purchase of land for and the building of a new high school. The bond passes overwhelmingly.
  • 1924–1925: sixteen acres in Wildwood Park are selected as the site of the new high school. Starrett and Van Vlock of New York are chosen as designing architects, with Hickman and Martin as local architects.
  • September 2, 1925: the cornerstone for the new building is set at 1700 Cherokee Avenue.
  • September 16, 1926: the dedication exercises for the new building take place.
  • 1934: Home Economics is added to the curriculum.
  • 1943–1945: Annie Massey, the first female CHS principal, leads the school during the war years.
  • 1962–1963: the building is expanded and additions are made.
  • 1971: This is the last year that military dependents from Fort Benning attend CHS. The following year these dependents are bussed to Wm. H. Spencer High to achieve racial desegregation as ordered by the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals.
  • June 12, 1981: fire ravages the original section of the building.
  • 1981–1983: construction and renovations to the building are undertaken. Air conditioning is added. Grades are split and classes are held at two locations, Rosemont School and Columbus Junior High School.
  • August 27, 1983: rededication ceremonies are held.
  • 1988: construction of the alumni wall begins with the first students of the class of 1988.
  • 1990: Wilfred Graves, Jr. becomes the first African-American valedictorian of Columbus High School.
  • 1990–1991: Centennial Celebration. Ceremonies are conducted including recognizing AFLAC as our Partner In Education.
  • 1991–1992: the first year of the Liberal Arts Magnet program; entering freshman class includes the first magnet students. Linda Kellett is the founding lead teacher of the program. The first section of the Alumni Wall is completed.
  • 1999–2000: Susan Bryant replaces Dr. Ronnie Shehane as principal. Block scheduling is adopted in a modified 4x4 arrangement with year-long AP courses meeting on alternate days. The Commemorative Plaza is added in front of the cafeteria.
  • 2000–2001: renovations are made to the gym.
  • 2001–2002: CHS Liberal Arts Magnet becomes a total magnet school.
  • Summer 2005: the school and parking area are renovated.
  • 2009: Judy Whitt replaces Susan Bryant as principal.
  • 2011: Marvin Crumbs replaces Judy Whitt as principal.
  • 2013: Girl's Varsity Volleyball wins the state championship.
  • 2015: JV and Varsity Public Forum Debate wins the state champions.

References

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External links

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