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Central High School (Detroit)

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Coordinates: 42°23′1.6″N 83°6′43.3″W / 42.383778°N 83.112028°W / 42.383778; -83.112028
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For schools of a similar name, see Central High School (disambiguation).

Central Collegiate Academy, previously Central High School, is the oldest secondary school in Detroit, Michigan; it is owned by the Detroit Public Schools. As of 2012 Education Achievement Authority operates the school.[citation needed]

Central High School
Address
Map
2425 Tuxedo Street

Detroit
,
Michigan
Information
School typePublic
School districtDetroit Public Schools
PrincipalSteven McGhee
Grades9-12
LanguageEnglish
AreaUrban
Color(s)navy blue and white
MascotTrailblazers
Central High School in 1904; this building is now Old Main at Wayne State University

History

In 1858, Detroit's first high school opened on Miami Avenue. By 1863, due to increased enrollment, the school was moved to a building that had formerly housed the State Capitol - becoming Capitol High School. In 1871 the University of Michigan granted accreditation to the school.[1]

In 1893 a fire destroyed Capitol High School; it continued to function temporarily at the Biddle House on East Jefferson Avenue. In 1896, Capitol became Central High School, located at the intersection of Cass and Warren Avenue; the structure is still in use as Wayne State University's Old Main.[1]

During 1904, innovative educator David Mackenzie returned to his hometown as the new principal of Central High School. By 1913, under Mackenzie's direction, a one-year, college-level premedical curriculum was established at Central High - the first junior college curriculum organized in Michigan. In 1916, the program was extended to two years, and in 1917 the state legislature approved Mackenzie's plans for establishing the Detroit Junior College, forerunner of Wayne State University. In 1919, David Mackenzie was officially appointed first Dean of the college.[2]

In 1926, due to a further increase in the student population, Central High School moved to its current location, at 2425 Tuxedo Street.[3]

Sports headliners

As Detroit's oldest high school, Central has enjoyed a tradition of athletic success.

Central High School dominated city league men's basketball during the early twentieth century, winning championship titles in 1906, 1907 and 1909. Despite the absence of tournament play (1910–1919), Central High was a perennial fixture atop the standings at season's end. CHS also won city tournament titles in 1934, 42 and 1980.[4] In 1998, Coach Oronde Taliaferro marched his Trailblazers through the postseason, all the way to the Michigan High School Athletic Association championship game. In the final, Central dispatched Belleville High 63-47 to claim the state title.[5]

During the 1980s, Central's track and field program stamped an indelible mark in the record books; Coach Woody Thomas and his track men won a total of four MHSAA team titles - in 1980, 81, 82 and 1984.[6]

Alumni

  • Michael Dann (1939) was a former senior vice president of programming for CBS television[8]
  • Jerome Horwitz (1937) spearheaded the research effort resulting in development of AZT, an antiviral drug used to treat HIV[8]
  • Leon Jaroff (1945) was founding editor of Discover magazine and a senior editor of Time magazine; wrote more than 40 cover articles for Time, among them "Race for the Moon", "The Test-Tube Baby" and "Did Comets Kill the Dinosaurs?"
  • Robert Niftily (1956), chairman of Michigan State Tax Commission and former chief operating officer of Michigan Blue Cross Blue Shield[8]
  • Marvin Schlossberg (1939) adopted the stage name Sonny Eliot; became a well-known Detroit television weatherman[8]

References

  1. ^ a b "Central High School". Detroit Public Schools. Archived from the original on April 5, 2010.
  2. ^ Walter P. Reuther Library David Mackenzie Papers
  3. ^ "Inside Detroit Public Schools » Central High School." Detroit Public Schools. Retrieved on April 18, 2009.
  4. ^ Detroit PSL Basketball » PSL Champions
  5. ^ Yearly Champions | Boys Basketball | MHSAA Sports
  6. ^ Team Champions | Boys Track & Field | MHSAA Sports
  7. ^ http://broadeducation.org/asset/1042-090412detroitfreepress.pdf
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h http://www.michjewishhistory.org/pdfs/vol45.pdf
  9. ^ Selbst, Jeffrey (January 22, 1978). "For Gael Greene, the 'Skies' are grey". The Michigan Daily. p. 8.
  10. ^ Individual Champions | Girls Track & Field | MHSAA Sports
  11. ^ Carl Levin - United States Senator for Michigan: About Carl
  12. ^ Representative Sander Martin Levin (Sandy) (D-Michigan, 12th) - Biography from LegiStorm
  13. ^ Detroit PSL Basketball » PSL Prep All-Americans
  14. ^ Thomas Wilcher


42°23′1.6″N 83°6′43.3″W / 42.383778°N 83.112028°W / 42.383778; -83.112028

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