Austin Community Academy High School
| Austin High School (Campus) | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
| 231 N. Pine Avenue Chicago, Illinois, 60644 USA |
|
| Coordinates | 41°53′06″N 87°45′45″W / 41.8849°N 87.7626°WCoordinates: 41°53′06″N 87°45′45″W / 41.8849°N 87.7626°W |
| Information | |
| School type | Public Secondary |
| Opened | 1890 2006 (Business & Entrepreneurship) 2007 (Polytech) 2008 (V.O.I.S.E) |
| Closed | 2007 (as Austin Community Acad Hs) |
| School district | Chicago Public Schools |
| Principal | Wayne K. Issa (Business & Entrepreneurship) [1] Ali N. Muhammad (Polytech)[2] Todd Richard Yarch (V.O.I.S.E) [3] |
| Grades | 9–12 |
| Gender | Coed |
| Enrollment | 218 (2013) (Business & Entrepreneurship) [4] 155 (2013) (Polytech)[2] 332 (2013) (V.O.I.S.E)[3] |
| Campus type | Urban |
| Website | http://www.voiseacademy.org http://austinpolytech.org http://www.austinbusinessacademy.net |
Austin Community Academy High School was a public 4-year high school located at 231 N Pine Avenue in the Austin neighborhood on the west side of Chicago, Illinois. The school opened in 1890,[5] and was named after Henry W. Austin, a local real estate developer[6] The online newsletter Chicago-Catalyst.org called it the yellow brick fortress. The campus is now home to three smaller schools.
Contents |
History [edit]
During the mid-twentieth century, Austin High was considered one of the best high schools in the Chicago area.[7] In later years, however, Austin suffered from low test scores, low attendance, and student violence. The Chicago Public Schools began phasing it out in 2004, ordering the school to stop admitting new freshman.[8] The last graduations were held in June 2007 and the phase-out was completed by the end of summer, 2007.[9] Many of the old school records from 1890 to 1970 are now preserved at the Chicago Public Library in the Special Collections for Community History.
As part of the Renaissance 2010 program, the school's campus was then converted into three smaller high schools: Austin Business and Entrepreneurship Academy, which opened in 2006; Austin Polytechnical Academy, which opened in 2007,[10] and VOISE Academy, which opened in 2008. (VOISE stands for "Virtual Opportunities Inside a School Environment"; the school combines an online curriculum with classroom instruction.)[11] The schools on the Austin campus share an athletics program. The sports teams are nicknamed the Tigers.[12]
Athletics [edit]
In 1937, Austin High School's football team played Leo Catholic High School in the Chicago Prep Bowl at Soldier Field. Austin was led by star running back Bill DeCorrevont, one of the best known high school athletes of his day.[13] The attendance was estimated to be as high as 130,000[14]—possibly the largest crowd to ever attend an American football game.[15] (Sources vary on the exact figure, however; the Illinois High School Association provides an estimate of 110,000 attendees.) Austin won 26-0.[14]
Notable Alumni [edit]
- Alf Bauman, NFL player[5]
- Roy Brown, puppeteer and performer-"Cooky the Clown" of Bozo's Circus [16]
- Bill DeCorrevont, NFL player[5]
- Bud Freeman, jazz musician, member of Austin High Gang[17]
- Jim Lanigan, jazz musician, member of Austin High Gang[17]
- Art Lopatka, MLB player (St. Louis Cardinals, Philadelphia Phillies)
- Phil Masi, MLB player (Boston Braves, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago White Sox)
- Dick McPartland, jazz musician, member of Austin High Gang[17]
- Jimmy McPartland, jazz musician, member of Austin High Gang[17]
- Dave North, jazz musician, member of Austin High Gang[17]
- Pete Pihos, NFL player[5]
- Robert Townsend, actor[5]
- Frank Teschemacher, jazz musician, member of Austin High Gang[17]
- Abe Woodson, NFL player[5]
External links [edit]
- Austin High School Reunion page This one seems targeted towards classes around the 1940s and 1950s
- Austin Business and Entrepreneurship Academy
- Austin Polytechnical Academy
- VOISE Academy
- www.Catalyst-Chicago.org has searchable index with articles on Austin Community Academy HS
- Chicago Public Library Special Collections AHSC contain Austin HS records 1879 - 1979 (AUHS)
- CPS.edu is Chicago Public Schools with a search for Austin High School articles Phased-out 2004 to end of summer 2007
- Facebook: Austin Community Ac High School
References [edit]
- ^ "Chicago Public Schools: Austin Business and Entrepreneurship". Chicago Public Schools.
- ^ a b "Chicago Public Schools: Austin Polytech". Chicago Public Schools.
- ^ a b "Chicago Public Schools: V.O.I.S.E". Chicago Public Schools.
- ^ "Chicago Public Schools: Austin Business and Entrepreneurship". Chicago Public Schools.
- ^ a b c d e f "Austin at a glance". Chicago Sun-Times. September 8, 1993. 85.
- ^ Michael Smith. "Austin High School bears name of pioneer who subdivided village". Chicago Tribune. May 13, 1965. W1.
- ^ Michael Marsh. "Austin gets with programs". Chicago Sun-Times. September 8, 1993. 85.
- ^ Rosalind Rossi. "Carothers, leaders demand new West Side high school". Chicago Sun-Times. June 28, 2007. 27.
- ^ http://www.CPS.edu/News/Press_releases/2007/Pages/07_06_2007_PR1.aspx
- ^ Yasmin Tara Ramohan. "New high school to focus on high-tech manufacturing". Chi-Town Daily News. May 31, 2007. Retrieved on January 31, 2010.
- ^ Paul D. Bowker. "New Austin high school focus of meeting". Chi-Town Daily News. December 1, 2008. Retrieved on January 31, 2010.
- ^ Austin Poly/Austin Business & Entrepreneurship/VOISE Academy Basketball. MaxPreps. Retrieved on August 25, 2012.
- ^ Liam T. A. Ford. Soldier Field: A Stadium and Its City. University of Chicago Press, 1937. 83.
- ^ a b IHSA Boys Football All-Time General Records. Illinois High School Association. January 8, 2010. Retrieved on January 31, 2010.
- ^ Steven A. Riess, Gerald R. Gems. The Chicago Sports Reader. University of Illinois Press, 2009. 18.
- ^ "Roy Brown". Chicago Television. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f Austin High Gang. Encyclopedia of Chicago. Retrieved on January 31, 2010.
