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Martinsville High School (Virginia)

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Coordinates: 36°41′41.4″N 79°51′41.6″W / 36.694833°N 79.861556°W / 36.694833; -79.861556
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Martinsville High School
Address
Map
351 Commonwealth Boulevard

Martinsville
,
Virginia
24112

United States
Information
Other namesMartinsville High, MHS, Mavahi
Former nameThe Ruffner Institute (1871–1904)
School typePublic high school
secondary school
Opened1968; 51 years ago
StatusOpen
School districtMartinsville City Public Schools
NCES District ID5102400[2]
SuperintendentZeb Talley
NCES School ID510240000988[1]
DeanGerald Kidd
PrincipalAjamu Dixon
Grades9–12
GenderCo-educational
Enrollment593 (2016-17)[5]
Student to teacher ratio11:1
Hours in school day8:25AM-3:30PM
Campus typeSuburban
Color(s)Red and White
   
Athletics conferenceVirginia High School League (VHSL)
Class 2 Region C
Piedmont District
Sportsbaseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross country, football, Golf, softball, swimming, soccer, scholastic bowl, tennis, track, volleyball, wrestling
MascotLugnut the Bulldog[4]
NicknameBulldogs
RivalBassett High School
Magna Vista High School[3]
AccreditationVirginia Department of Education
YearbookMartinsville
Feeder schoolsMartinsville Middle School
WebsiteOfficial Site

Martinsville High School is a four-year public secondary high school located in Martinsville, Virginia, United States. It is the only high school in the Martinsville City Public School system.

History

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Graduating class of Martinsville High School, Martinsville, Virginia. 1912.

The second Martinsville High School building was completed in 1939 on Cleveland Avenue, and it was used until the newer building was completed in the late 1960s. The last graduating class at the older building was in 1968.

Margaret Shumate Hadden, class of 1941, often spoke about her days there at the older building.[6] "In high school I took the regular courses, English, history, math, Latin, home economics, chemistry and many other subjects."[7]

One notable feature of the second high school building was a large tube-shaped fire escape, that had an enclosed circular and spiral slide inside. During fire drills, students in the upper floors would climb in and then slide down to the bottom exit. The fire escape was also used in numerous student challenges and pranks.

The original high school building in Martinsville was started in 1871. Dr. Ruffner was the first superintendent of schools in Henry County, and the first high school was named in his honor as "The Ruffner Institute", until 1904, when the school was re-named "Martinsville High School".[8] The 1900 graduating class were called "Mavahi", short for "Martinsville High School".[9]

Rev. Albert Harris, a Methodist minister, was influential in establishing a segregated high school for black students in Martinsville in 1917. The high school, known as the Martinsville Training School, became a Rosenwald School in 1920 when a philanthropic grant from Julius Rosenwald was matched by local property taxes and donations from the African Americans community. In 1945 the school was renamed in honor of the Rev. Albert Harris. "In 1958 the original building was demolished and replaced by the Albert Harris High School. When the Martinsville schools integrated in 1968, the former high school building became an elementary school.[10]

"My teaching career began in August of 1948 at Albert Harris High School in the City of Martinsville teaching Health and Physical Education to both boys and girls, believe it or not, during that first year. Also, I headed teams in coaching football, basketball for boys and girls for two years, baseball during the entire period, and teaching driver education to students and adults. In 1959 I received a Master's Degree in Administration from Springfield College in Springfield, Massachusetts. From 1964 to 1968 I was the assistant principal at Albert Harris High School. 1968 to 1974 I was assistant principal at Martinsville Junior High School. 1974 through 1980 I was principal at Martinsville High School, retired with 16 years in the classroom and 16 years in high school administration."[11]

In 2013, Martinsville high completed a $9 million renovation to build TV studios, 21st century science labs, a mock hospital room, and a remodeled cafeteria.[12]

In September 2017, the school was involved in a $9 million dollar lawsuit and sued by its former school principal.[13]

Academics

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Martinsville offers programs such as International Baccalaureate, Piedmont Governor's School for Mathematics, Science, and Technology, Advanced Placement, and Dual Enrollment classes. During the 2006–2007 school year, a joint program, with the assistance of Patrick & Henry Community College, allowed a select group of juniors and seniors an opportunity to earn their associate degrees (64 college hours) before graduation.[14]

In order to graduate, Martinsville High school students are required to complete at least 40 hours of volunteer community service by the end of their senior year.[15]

Athletics

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Martinsville offers a comprehensive athletic program and participates in the Virginia High School League's interscholastic sports competing in the Piedmont District. Sports offered include basketball, baseball, cross country, football, golf, softball, scholastic bowl, swimming, tennis, track, volleyball, and wrestling. Other extracurricular activities include robotics, interact club, chess club, marching band, gospel choir, health occupations students of america (HOSA), and future business leaders of america (FBLA).[16] The MHS Boys' Basketball won back to back VHSL State Championships in 2015 and 2016.[17][18] Competing in the Piedmont District, Martinsville men's basketball has won 15 Virginia High School League state championships, more than any other school in Virginia.[19]

Students & faculty

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The students are 55% African-American, 20% White, 16% Hispanic and 6% two or more races. As of 2024, the student-teacher ratio is 14:1.[20]

Notable alumni

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References

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  1. ^ "Search for Public Schools - MARTINSVILLE HIGH (510240000988)". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  2. ^ "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for Martinsville City Public Schools". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
  3. ^ Wyatt, Bill (January 19, 2023). "Updated: Entry to Friday's game restricted; Martinsville police and county and city school systems investigating Wednesday-night fights". Martinsville Bulletin. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  4. ^ Ward, Lindsey (September 16, 2016). "Martinsville High School mascot is a local celebrity". WSLS.com. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  5. ^ "Martinsville High". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
  6. ^ Martinsville High School Alumni (MAVAHI)
  7. ^ Hadden, Margaret Shumate. My Memoirs. Sterling, Va. [sic]: E. Lunney, 2006. Page 31.
  8. ^ Hill, Judith Parks America. A History of Henry County, Virginia: With Biographical Sketches of Its Most Prominent Citizens and Genealogical Histories of Half a Hundred of Its Oldest Families. Genealogy and Local History. Martinsville, Virginia: J.P.A. Hill, 1925. Page 180.
  9. ^ Martinsville High School (Martinsville, Va.). Mavahi. Martinsville, Va: Graduating Class of the Martinsville High School, 1900.
  10. ^ Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, "Albert Harris Intermediate School (formerly Albert Harris High School)," African American Historic Sites Database, accessed February 1, 2018, [1].
  11. ^ "Interview with Clyde Williams". March 10, 1995.
  12. ^ "Martinsville High School receives renovations". WSET. Retrieved December 17, 2019.
  13. ^ Butterworth, Heather (September 5, 2017). "Former Martinsville High principal sues for 9.5 million, citing discrimination". WSLS10 News. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
  14. ^ Hietala, Callie (October 8, 2021). "Harvest Foundation, P&HCC promise opportunity and hope to a generation of Martinsville and Henry County students". Henry County Enterprise. Retrieved July 3, 2023.
  15. ^ "Career & Technical Education". Martinsville City Public Schools. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  16. ^ "Extracurricular activities & Athletics – Martinsville High School". www.m.martinsville.k12.va.us. Retrieved September 22, 2019.
  17. ^ "Martinsville tops Dan River for 14th Virginia boys state basketball title". www.roanoke.com. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
  18. ^ "Martinsville repeats as 2A State champs in rout of Greensville County". www.roanoke.com. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
  19. ^ Epperly, Ron (January 1, 2003). "Martinsville Basketball = 12 State Titles". Virginiapreps.rivals.com. Retrieved January 6, 2023.
  20. ^ "Martinsville High School Profile". U.S. News & World Report Education. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
  21. ^ "Carter". Martinsville Bulletin. 1999-04-05. p. 2. Retrieved 2024-10-04 – via Newspapers.com.Open access icon
  22. ^ Cooper, Cara (November 28, 2016). "Bulldogs' golden moment: Martinsville grad Carl Hairston comes home". Martinsville Bulletin. Retrieved June 4, 2020.
  23. ^ "Carl Hairston". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
  24. ^ Kozelsky, Holly (May 3, 2019). "Two Martinsville-area children injured in a road-rage shooting last month are gaining worldwide support inspired by the famous Hodgetwins". Martinsville Bulletin.
  25. ^ "Shawn Moore". Pro-Football Reference.Com. Retrieved December 3, 2019.
  26. ^ "Shawn Moore Biography – Virginia Athletics". Virginia Cavaliers. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  27. ^ "Martinsville community remembers their little angel; slain WDBJ reporter Alison Parker". myfox8.com. August 27, 2015. Retrieved April 11, 2022.
  28. ^ Vinograd, Cassandra (August 26, 2015). "WDBJ7 Reporter Alison Parker, Photographer Adam Ward Killed on Live TV". NBC News. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  29. ^ "Jesse Penn". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved June 16, 2024.
  30. ^ "Lou Whitaker". Pro-Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved June 14, 2024.
  31. ^ Cooper, Cara (August 6, 2022). "It's one in a million that you find a lou Whitaker: Martinsville's own is celebrated ahead of special honor in Detroit". Martinsville Bulletin. Retrieved June 16, 2024.

Bibliography

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36°41′41.4″N 79°51′41.6″W / 36.694833°N 79.861556°W / 36.694833; -79.861556

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