Clinton High School (Clinton, Tennessee) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Clinton High School |
|
|---|---|
Clinton High School Dragon
|
|
| Address | |
|
425 Dragon Dr
Clinton, Tennessee 37716
|
|
| Coordinates | 36°05′40″N 84°08′40″W / 36.09448°N 84.14456°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Comprehensive Public High School |
| Established | 1903 |
| School district | Anderson County |
| Principal | Dan Jenkins |
| Faculty | 99 |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Enrollment | 1,113 (2016-17) |
| Campus type | Medium Town |
| Color(s) | and |
| Mascot | Dragon |
Clinton High School is a public high school in Clinton, Tennessee. It serves students from Clinton, Oliver Springs, and Claxton. The school is part of the Anderson County, Tennessee school system. As of 2024, most students are white, with about 12 percent from other groups.
Contents
School History
Clinton High School has a long and interesting history. It started as Union Academy in 1806.
Early Years
- 1806 Union Academy was created for Anderson County.
- 1820s The Academy opened in a wooden building in Clinton.
- 1860s The original Union Academy building was destroyed by fire during the American Civil War.
- 1868 A new Union Academy was built.
- 1895 The Clinton City School system took over the Academy. People started calling it Clinton High School.
- 1903 A new brick Clinton High School building was built.
- 1916–17 The first basketball teams were formed.
- 1923–24 The first football team was started. They were called the “Tornadoes.”
- 1927 A new, bigger high school opened. It brought together students from several county schools. The school's mascot changed to the “Dragons.”
- 1954 Clinton High School became officially recognized by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).
Integration and Challenges
In 1956, Clinton High School became the first school in Tennessee to integrate. This meant that black students were allowed to attend the school, which had only been for white students before. This change followed a rule from the U.S. Supreme Court in 1954.
On August 27, 1956, twelve African-American students bravely entered Clinton High School. They became known as "The Clinton 12." Many people protested this change. Some people from outside Clinton came to encourage the protests. To keep everyone safe, the National Guard was called in for two months.
The twelve students walked together to school every day. On December 4, 1956, a white minister who walked with them was badly beaten. The "Clinton 12" included Jo Ann Boyce, Bobby Cain, Theresser Caswell, Minnie Ann Jones, Gail Ann Upton, Ronald Hayden, William Latham, Alvah J. Lambert, Maurice Soles, Robert Thacker, Regina Smith, and Alfred Williams.
Sadly, on October 5, 1958, the school building was badly damaged by explosions. No one was hurt, but the school had to be rebuilt. While the school was being fixed, Clinton High students went to classes in Oak Ridge. The school reopened in its own building in 1960.
In 2006, some of the "Clinton 12" walked the same path they did 50 years earlier. A bronze statue of the "Clinton Twelve" is now displayed outside the former Green McAdoo School. This is where the students went to elementary school. In 2016, Disney Channel shared a short film about Jo Ann Boyce and her grandson. A documentary called The Clinton 12 also tells their story.
Modern Era
- 1963 Plans were made for a new Clinton Senior High School for grades 10-12.
- 1968–69 The new Clinton Senior High School was finished.
- 1977 Vocational programs were offered to students.
- 1989 The school added a new library, science labs, and cafeteria. The 9th grade moved to the school, and it became Clinton High School again.
School Sports
The Clinton Dragons compete in many sports. They are part of the TSSAA (Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association).
Here are some of the sports offered:
- Baseball
- Men's Basketball
- Women's Basketball
- Fishing
- Football
- Men's Golf
- Women’s Golf
- Softball
- Men's Soccer
- Women's Soccer
- Track and Field
- Volleyball
- Wrestling
Environment
Clinton High School cares about the environment. It has a special classroom called the "Net-Zero Building." This small classroom was built by students. It uses solar power from the sun to run things like movies. The school has also worked to restore the creek in front of the school to its natural state.
Notable Alumni
Many successful people have graduated from Clinton High School. Here are a few:
- Charles McRae, a former football player for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
- Larry Seivers, a former football player for the Seattle Seahawks.
- Bobby Cain, a member of the Clinton 12 and the first African American student to graduate from a desegregated high school in the South.
- Gail Ann Epps, a member of the Clinton 12 and the first African-American female student to graduate from a desegregated high school in the South.
- Alfred Williams, a member of the Clinton 12.
- Alvah Jay McSwain, a member of the Clinton 12.
- Anna Theresser Caswell, a member of the Clinton 12.
- Maurice Soles, a member of the Clinton 12.
- Minnie Ann Dickey, a member of the Clinton 12.
- Regina Turner, a member of the Clinton 12.
- Robert Thacker, a member of the Clinton 12.
- Ronald Gordon Hayden, a member of the Clinton 12.
- William Latham, a member of the Clinton 12.
- Jo Ann Allen, a member of the Clinton 12.
