- Western Senior High School is the oldest public all-girl high school in the United States. Part of the Baltimore City Public School System, Western was named a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence in 2008.
- History
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Western was founded on November 1, 1844. On November 1, 1844, Western High School officially opened its doors for the first time in Armitage Hall at 100 North Paca Street in Baltimore. In those two small rented rooms, Mr. Robert Kerr, principal and sole teacher, welcomed thirty-six excited young girls. Thus began the unique legacy of Western, a pioneer in women's education in the United States. Before Western was established, there had been no opportunity for Baltimore girls to get an education beyond grammar school. By 1896 Western moved to a new, more expensive building on Lafayette and McCollough Streets. By this time, the girls had opportunities to take clerical courses. After other moves, Western finally opened in its current location at 4600 Falls Road in 1967. Since 1975, Western has been a city-wide magnet program. Students must apply and meet certain entrance criteria to be accepted to Western. The principal of Western is Eleanor Matthews, who replaced Landa McLaurin in the fall of 2006.
- Academics
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Western has a state wide reputation for academic excellence. Western has two academic programs: accelerated college preparatory and honors college preparatory. Western's most rigorous academic program is the Advanced College Preparatory Program (the 'A' course) which was established in 1933 by a joint agreement between Western and Goucher College. Students who graduate from the 'A' course may enter college with advanced standing. Western annually produces championship athletic teams and prize-winning performing arts students and sponsors nearly forty active clubs and organizations. Within the accelerated college preparatory program, students can finish four years of high school work in grade 9–11. During their 12th grade year they are able to pursue advanced placement or college level courses. The Honors college preparatory program allows students to take honors course in the subjects that they are strong in. The classes of 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008 boast a 100% four-year college acceptance rate.
- Athletics
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The Western Doves field teams in soccer, cross-country, badminton, swimming, lacrosse, dance, tennis, volleyball, basketball, softball and track and field. The Western basketball team won the Maryland state championships in 2002, 2005. They were second best in the state in 1998, 1999, 2003, 2004 and 2006. The Western Track and Field team are perennial champions, winning multiple city, regional and state championships. They won 29 Baltimore City Indoor/Outdoor Track Championships, 1995-2007(I) 1990-2005, 2007(O), 27 3A/4A North Regional Indoor/Outdoor Track Championships, 1995-2006(I) 1990-2004, 2006(O) and 3 3A/4A Maryland State Outdoor Track Championships, 2002, 2005-2006. They were 4 times the 3A/4A Maryland State Outdoor Track Championship runnerups, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2004.This 2009 Outdoor Track season, the Doves took citys,regionals and states, becoming the 2009 Outdoor Track State Champs.
- Traditions
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- The Big Sister, Little Sister Program
This is an informal program when the juniors of the new school year pick little sisters from the incoming freshman. Unfortunately, with the incoming class of 2009, the "official" program stopped. But, the ladies of the class of 2007 still found their little sisters and the tradition does continue.
- Freshman Day
The freshman have an outdoor picnic.
- Sophomore Parent-Daughter Tea
Parents of Sophomores join their daughters for a tea in appreciation of the hard work their parents have done for them.
- Junior Day
Assembly is held in honor of the junior, who wear their class colors on this day.
- Senior Inaugural
The new senior are welcomed into the school. Traditionally the seniors wear all white and get the rest of the day off after the assembly.
- Senior Farewell
The entire school says goodbye to the old seniors. The junior sing the farewell song to the outgoing seniors. The seniors also wear all white on this day.
- Revel
The annual spring fair
Western has four sets of traditional class colors. Each class inherits their class colors as freshman. The colors are:
- Purple and Gold
- Maroon and Gold
- Blue and Gold
- Black and Gold
- Graduation
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Western High School's graduation is traditionally held on a Saturday in even years and on a Sunday in odd years, in June. This is because it shares an athletic complex (namely the football field) with its brother school, Baltimore Polytechnic Institute. The girls wear white, ankle-length dresses and carry red roses during the commencement ceremony. For many years now, it has also been customary to release white doves at commencement. The dove, Western's school mascot, symbolizes the Western Lady, flying above the crowd with quiet dignity, gentility, poise, and elegance. The doves released at commencement circle over Western, then fly off, just as the graduates, having completed their Western experience, depart for college.
- Notable alumnae
- Arts and entertainment
- Trazana Beverley, actress
- Tamara Dobson, actress
- Mildred Dunnock, actress
- Anna Deavere Smith, actress
- Education
- Nancy Grasmick, Superindent, Maryland State Department of Education
- Ellen Lupton, graphic designer and educator
- Henrietta Szold, founder of Hadassah
- Government
- Judiciary
- Yvette M. Bryant, 1979, Associate Judge, Baltimore City Circuit Court
- Sarah T. Hughes, judge
- Stephanie Royster, Judge, Baltimore City Circuit Court, (2005-2006)
- Melanie M. Shaw, Judge, Prince George's County Circuit Court, (2001-present)
- Legislative
- Stephanie Rawlings Blake,(D), president, Baltimore City Council
- Jill P. Carter, Maryland state delegate, 41st district
- Belinda K. Conaway, Baltimore City Council District 7, (2004-present)
- Lisa Gladden, Maryland state senator, 41st district
- Cheryl Glenn, (1969) , Maryland State Delegate, District 45, Baltimore City
- Journalism
- Farai Chideya, journalist
- Laura Lippman, author
- Other
- Citations
- Western High School Alumnae Association's website
- Western High School's website
- External links
- Western Doves Girls Basketball Home Page
- 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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