Towson High School
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| Towson High School Towson Law & Public Policy High School  |
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A Tradition of Excellence
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| Location | |
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Towson, Maryland,  United States |
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| Information | |
| Type | Public Secondary |
| Established | 1873 |
| School district | Baltimore County Public Schools |
| Principal | Dr. Jane Barranger |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Enrollment | 1,442 (2008)[1] |
| Campus | Suburban |
| Color(s) | Maroon and White
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| Song | Alma Mater |
| Mascot | "Generals" |
| National ranking | 246th |
| Newspaper | The Talisman |
| Yearbook | Sidelights |
| Website | towsonhs.bcps.org |
Towson High School is a high school in Baltimore County, Maryland, founded in 1873. The school's current stone structure was built in 1949. Located in the northern Baltimore suburb of Towson and serving the surrounding communities of Towson, Lutherville, and Ruxton, it is part of the Baltimore County Public Schools system, one of the nation's largest school systems. Area middle schools that feed into Towson High are Dumbarton Middle School, Ridgely Middle School, and Loch Raven Technical Academy, although students from other areas attend the Law and Public Policy magnet school.[2] In 2008, Towson was ranked #240 in Newsweek magazine's "The 1,300 Top U.S. high schools" annual national survey.[3]
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[edit] Academics
Festooned above the entrance to the auditorium lobby is the school's mission statement: "...to prepare students to become lifelong learners and productive global citizens... and foster the development of scholarship, leadership, citizenship and integrity".
The school has risen steadily in Newsweek's annual nationwide high school survey during the five-year period culminating in its #246 ranking in 2008, having previously placed #292 in 2007, #317 in 2006, #452 in 2005, and #511 in 2003.[3] The #246 ranking is the highest of the ten Baltimore County high schools making Newsweek's list in 2008.[4] Following publication of the magazine's survey in May 2008, Towson High's principal Jane Barranger said: "I'm very proud of our parents and our kids and our teachers. It takes all of their efforts to make sure that students are prepared to take challenging tests." [4]
[edit] Law and Public Policy Program
The law magnet requires seven total law credits, which can be obtained within the span of four years by approved courses. In the 9th grade, students take an Introduction to Law Research and Legal Writing Course. This class is currently taught by Towson High alumnus Randy Dase, longtime soccer coach. In 10th grade, students take a Trial Advocacy and Criminal Law course in a classroom that replicates a courtroom, complete with witness box, jury box, defense/prosecution tables, etc. In the next two years, students can choose from a variety, of electives, including Latin, forensic science, international law, business law, philosophy, and other law-related courses, to fulfill the remaining law credits required for graduation in accordance with the Law and Public Policy magnet.
[edit] History
Towson High School was originally located on East Chesapeake Avenue, in a small brick structure built in 1873. When it burned down in 1906, a replacement was built on Allegheny Avenue. In 1925, the high school moved to a larger 3-story brick structure at an adjacent site on Central Avenue and the vacated building was converted into an elementary school. This old Allegheny Avenue building still stands today, now used for County offices.[5]
Construction of Towson High School's spacious present-day campus on the grounds of the old Aigburth Vale estate began in the late 1940s, as the Towson area's population surged upward following World War II. The Aigburth Vale house, still standing near the school's athletic field, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.[6]
When the current campus at Cedar and Aigburth Avenues opened as Towson Senior High School in 1949, the former Central Avenue building became a Junior High School for grades 7 and 8 and, later, Towson Elementary School. It is now a senior citizen center.[7]
With the end of racial segregation in Baltimore County public schools in 1954, the African-American student body of the old Carver High School on York Road (now the George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology magnet school) was merged with Towson High School.[8]
[edit] Structure
The present, attractive 5-level stone structure completed in 1949 includes a large auditorium with theater-style seating, a gymnasium, and a cafeteria. Classrooms are on the lower three floors. The fourth floor was originally used for administrative offices, then became an art studio, and currently contains two classrooms and a computer lab. The fifth floor of the school may not be used for classes as it would not comply with fire codes for proper evacuation. It is used to store books, and is occasionally used as an office. In the early 1960s, the fifth floor was also used by a student-operated ham radio station.
The library and science wing were added in the mid-1960s and the entire school underwent extensive upgrading in the late 1990s, including the installation of modern heating and air conditioning. As of 2008, only eight of Baltimore County's 23 public high schools are air conditioned.[9] The school exceeded state-rated capacity according to September 2007 enrollment figures.[10]
[edit] Extracurricular activities
There are many clubs and activities in the arts, languages, music, career interests, and recreation from which students may choose. Particularly noteworthy are:
- The school's newspaper, the Talisman.
- The school's Yearbook, "Sidelights"
- Colophon, the school's literary arts magazine, has won national prizes from organizations such as the National Scholastic Press Association and Columbia University, as well as state prizes from the Maryland Scholastic Press Association. It is ranked as one of the top magazines in the country.[11]
- Towson High School's Marching Generals Band, though nonexistent for some time, was restarted by band director David Rhen in 2003.[12] As of the 2007 band camp, it now has 68 members.
[edit] Athletics
The "Generals" have won the following Maryland state championships:
SPORT  |
YEAR | |
| Baseball | 2000 | |
| Boys' basketball | 1963 | |
| Boys' lacrosse | 1988, 1989, 1992 1993, 1994, 1997 |
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| Boys' soccer | 1972, 1986•, 1991• 2003•, 2005• |
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| Boys' track and field | 1953 | |
| Boys' cross country | 1952, 1953, 1955, 1974, 1987, 2009 |
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| Girls' cross country | 1980, 1982, 1984 2001, 2008[13] |
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| Girls' lacrosse | 1997 | |
| Mixed-Varsity Badminton | 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 | |
| Volleyball | 2001 | |
| • = denotes co-champions Source: MPSSAA Official Tournament Records[14] |
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Michael Phelps, as a 15-year old student at Towson High School, competed in the 2000 Olympics, the youngest American male swimmer to do so, and later that year he became the youngest man ever to set a world record in swimming.
The traditional rivals of Towson High School's Generals are the Lions of nearby Dulaney High School.
[edit] Notable alumni
The school's alumni association, founded in 1907, says it is "one of the oldest, continuous, public school alumni associations in the U.S.".[7] Well-known alumni include:
- Dr. Walter S. Baird - physicist
- Jean Marie Donnell (1938) - movie and TV actress
- Evan Farmer - actor / TV personality
- Joyce Hens Green - Federal judge
- James M. Kelly, special assistant to President Bush, formerly a Maryland House Delegate.
- Harris Glenn Milstead (1963) - better known as the movie actor and singer "Divine"
- Ellen O. Moyer - politician
- Ken Ono - mathematician
- Santa J. Ono - immunologist and university administrator
- Michael Phelps - 14 time Olympic Gold Medalist and swimming world record holder
- Mary Watters Risteau - politician
- Ellen Sauerbrey (1955) - politician
[edit] Alma mater
Towson High School's alma mater song is:
| Alma Mater |
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Our strong bond can ne'er be broken High school life is swiftly passing, "Amici usque ad aras" |
[edit] References
- ^ "School Profile for Towson High". 2008. http://www.bcps.org/schools/profile.aspx?OrgID=90. Retrieved 2008-10-02.
- ^ "School Profile", Baltimore County Public Schools, Dec. 7, 2006
- ^ a b "The Complete List: 1,300 Top U.S. Schools", Newsweek magazine, May 21, 2008.
- ^ a b S. Ann Johnson, "Towson high schools make magazine's list", Towson Times, p. 10.
- ^ Gunning, Brooke. Towson and the Villages of Ruxton and Lutherville. Arcadia Publishing, 1999.
- ^ "Aigburth Vale (Building), #99001016". National Register of Historic Places. 1999. http://www.nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com/MD/Baltimore/state.html. Retrieved 2009-03-21.
- ^ a b Loni Ingraham, "Alumni group celebrates 100 years, 3 schools", Towson Times, September 19, 2007
- ^ Ingraham, Loni (July 29, 2009). "Bittersweet recollections of segregation, and change". Towson Times: pp. 6–7.
- ^ Gina Davis (2008-07-06). "Air Conditioning is Hot Topic". The Baltimore Sun. p. B1.
- ^ Virginia Terhune (2008-04-09). "No stopping review of school plan". Towson Times.
- ^ "Contest Winners", National Scholastic Press Association, Dec. 23, 2006
- ^ "Towson band marches to proud new beat", Towson Times, Dec. 27, 2006.
- ^ Clary, Craig (2008-11-19). "Generals put their best feet forward". Towson Times. p. 13.
- ^ MPSSAA Official Tournament Records
- ^ "Amici usque ad aras" is Latin for "Friends unto death"
Quotations related to Latin proverbs at Wikiquote
[edit] External links
- Towson High School - official website
- Towson High School Alumni Association
- Towson High School Marching Generals band website
Coordinates: 39°23′29″N 76°36′05″W / 39.39137°N 76.60140°W
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