William Chrisman High School

William Chrisman High School
School Crest
Location
1223 North Noland Road Independence, MO 64050
Information
Type	Public
Established	1888
Principal	Mr. Jason Dial
Enrollment	1,700+
Information	(816) 521-2720
Colors	Blue and Gold
Mascot	Bears
Website	http://www.indep.k12.mo.us/chrisman

William Chrisman High School is a High School located in Independence, Missouri.

William Chrisman High School has a long tradition of school spirit and community involvement. The school was founded in 1888 and was originally known as Independence High School. The first building was located at the intersection of Pleasant and Truman Road, the current location of the Palmer/Central Office Building. It is from this location that President Harry S. Truman, First Lady Bess Wallace Truman, and Truman White House Press Secretary and Pulitzer Prize winner Charles Ross graduated from in 1901.

In 1917 the Independence School District passed a levy and bond to build a new high school building. Margaret Chrisman Swope offered to sell the district land for the new school at the southeast corner of Union and Maple for $1 in exchange for naming the school after her father - William Chrisman. Chrisman had served as a member of the first school board in 1866 and was also a prominant lawyer and banker in the community. The new building opened in 1918 as William Chrisman High School.

The high school moved to its current site in 1956 when a major addition was added to Ott Elementary School and the building was converted into the high school. Since that time the building has undergone numerous additions and currently is one of the largest high school buildings in the state of Missouri.

Present Day

William Chrisman is currently home to approximately 1,700 students.

Sports

Recently, the Independence School District invested money into covering the football field with artificial turf.

On October 27, 2006 WCHS's football team again defeated cross-town rival Truman to retain the Wagon Wheel trophy.

School Song

• Faithful and true-hearted,
• Let us cheer our dear old high,
• We revere her and defend her,
• And her colors proudly fly.
• We will stand for her united,
• Of her deeds we gladly tell.
• Her colors streaming,
• Glad faces beaming.
• So here's a cheer for her,
• For her we love so well.

Chorus

• Joyous and ever loyal
• Let us boost for Chrisman High
• Let every heart sing,
• Let every voice ring,
• There's no time to grieve or sigh.
• It's ever onward, our course pursuing.
• Let defeat ne'er our ardor cool,
• But united we will boost for her,
• Our own high school.

Notable Alumni

• Harry S. Truman - 33rd President of the United States
• Bess Wallace Truman - First Lady of the United States
• Charles Ross - White House Press Secretary/Pulitzer Prize Winning Journalist
• Forrest "Phog" Allen - KU Basketball Coach
• Paul Henning - TV Producer (The Beverly Hillbillies, Petticoat Junction, Green Acres)