- Evanston Township High School, or ETHS, is a public four-year high school located in Evanston, Illinois, a city directly north of Chicago, in the United States. It is part of Evanston Township High School District 202.
- History
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The first high school in Evanston, the Preparatory School of Northwestern University, established in 1857, was private. In 1873, public school superintendent Otis E. Haven began teaching Evanston's first public high school class in an upper room of the Benson Avenue School. In 1875, Evanston's first Board of Education voted to establish a "high school" in the room, and the first class, consisting of two students, graduated in 1876. Enrollments grew rapidly and, despite multiple relocations to various buildings, by 1882 the school took four prizes in a statewide competition and was ranked third best in Illinois. Shortly thereafter, voters in April, 1882, passed a referendum and bond issue establishing a township school. Construction began promptly in October, 1882, and the first building opened in 1883, at Dempster and Benson.
- Enrollment grew rapidly and by 1913, despite multiple additions to the original building, 740 students occupied space meant for only 600. Crowding increased as several attempts to pass bond issues for further addition were defeated at the polls. In 1915, the Board determined to build a new school at a new location, but progress was stalled for years by a bitter fight over the campus location, which included lawsuits that went all the way to the Illinois Supreme Court. Finally, in 1921, the Board and voters approved a site at the school's current campus in central Evanston. Construction began in 1923, and the school opened in 1924 although still incomplete.
- With a campus currently listed as 65 acres (263,000 m²), ETHS provides its students with state-of-the-art facilities. With more than 2 million square feet (180,000 m²) indoors, it is the largest high school facility under one roof in the United States. The school's science facilities include a planetarium, greenhouse, and a two acre (8,000 m²), on-site nature center/classroom. The Bacon Computer Center (BCC) houses over 200 computers in seven networked labs. Computer software is available for many courses in the curriculum.
- Students investigate careers in computer-based SMART Labs. An on-site day-care center serves as a lab for child-study classes. Applied Sciences/Technologies students run an auto-repair lab and learn engineering applications in computer-aided design, lasers and robotics using state-of-the-art equipment. Electronic music students have their own computerized lab.
- The school's library, which is networked to all Illinois libraries, has a 90,000-volume collection and extensive audiovisual resources. Performance facilities include a 1,500-seat auditorium, two additional theaters, and a cable TV broadcasting studio.
- There are 15 gyms, a dance studio and fitness/wellness center, two swimming pools, and a field-house with an indoor track and tennis courts. Outdoor facilities include a new track, as well as a FieldTurf stadium, baseball and soccer fields and 18 tennis courts.
- Academics
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In 2008, Evanston had an average composite ACT score of 23.1.
- Since 1985-86, 45 students have become semifinalists in the Intel Science Talent Search (until 1998, the Westinghouse Science Talent Search). Six students were in the top 40 and one was in the top 10.
- In 2003, Evanston placed first nationally in the Junior Engineering Talent Search contest.
- Evanston Township High School is ranked #662 on Newsweek's 2006 list of the Best High Schools in America, down from #429 on the 2005 list.
- The ETHS competitive mathematics team regularly places highly in its division, and has competed at the state math competitions in Champaign-Urbana for many years running, always placing in the top ten schools. Evanston's math team also sends many students to Chicago's ARML team.
- Athletics
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Evanston's mascot is Willie the Wildkit, based on local Northwestern University's "wildcat".
- Evanston is a member of the Central Suburban League, and participates in state championship tournaments sponsored by the Illinois High School Association (IHSA).
- The school sponsors interscholastic teams for young men and women in basketball, cross country, golf, gymnastics, soccer, swimming & diving, tennis, track & field, volleyball, and water polo. Men may compete in baseball, football, and wrestling. Women may compete in badminton, cheerleading, and softball.
- The following teams have placed in the top four of their respective IHSA sponsored state championship tournament:
- As of 2009, the Evanston boys swimming team has 53 top ten finishes in the state finals; the second highest number of top ten finishes in state history. The boys track & field team, similarly, has 47 top ten finishes, the second highest number of any team in the state. The 25 top ten finishes by the girls track & field team is, however, a state record.
- Music
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The ETHS music department involves over 280 students in bands, choirs, jazz groups, and orchestras. Resources include a MIDI computer lab, multiple practice rooms, and a dedicated faculty. The department has won three GRAMMY awards, and takes students on semi-annual trips, most recently to Montreal, New York, Orlando, and New Orleans.
- Annual student honors include a highly-selective honors' recital, in which up to four performers from each of grades 9 through 12 in addition to four chamber groups perform. Additionally, there is a senior concerto competition--four to five seniors annually perform a concerto with the band or orchestra.
- ETHS also has an extensive jazz program, including eleven jazz combos and three jazz big-bands. There is an annual Jazz Festival, which has featured past artists including Maynard Ferguson, Peter Erskine, Phil Woods, Joey DeFrancesco, Henry Johnson and the Chicago Jazz Ensemble.
- Activities
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ETHS sponsors a number of extracurricular clubs ranging from artistic and cultural, civil rights, academic, and hobby oriented groups ( the entire, current list is found here).
- The following competitive teams have finished in the top four of their respective IHSA Sponsored state championships:
- Chess: 4th place (1989–90, 90–91, 2002–03, 06–07); 3rd place (1995–96, 98–99); 2nd place (1981–82, 83–84, 2005–06); State Champions (1969–70, 70–71, 78–79, 82–83, 97–98, 99–2000, 2000–01, 04–05)
- Debate: 3rd place (1970–71); 2nd place (1971–72); State Champions (1967–68, 70–71, 78–79)
- Drama: 2nd place (1960–61); State Champions (1957–58, 62–63)
- Individual Events: 4th place (1949–50, 60–61); 3rd place (1966–67, 69–70); State Champions (1950–51)
- Speech: 4th place (1971–72); 3rd place (1960–61, 67–68); 2nd place (1950–51, 57–58, 70–71)
- The 8 state titles and 23 top 10 finishes in chess is the Illinois state record.
- Controversies
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The school made national news when its students responded to comments made by Rush Limbaugh on his nationally syndicated radio show in May 2005. Limbaugh criticized the school's award winning global perspectives history program, saying the school's students, "don't know anything about World War II," and, "they've probably never heard the name Adolf Hitler." Evanston students at the time attempted to challenge Mr. Limbaugh to a history debate, but he declined to respond.
- Notable alumni
- Notable Staff
- John T. Riddell was school's football coach. While coach, he invented the removable cleat, and later invented the plastic suspension football helmet. He went on to found Riddell, a sporting goods company best known for its football helmets, and later helmets for the U.S. military.
- External links
- Official Website
- Profile of Evanston Township High School, 2005-2006 (PDF file, requires Adobe Reader)
- 2004 Illinois School Report Card - Evanston Twp High School, Evanston Twp H S Dist 202 (PDF file, requires Adobe Reader)
- A partial list of distinguished alumni
- Source: Wikipedia; it is used under the GNU Free Documentation License. You may redistribute it, verbatim or modified, providing that you comply with the terms of the GFDL.
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