Davenport Central High School
Encyclopedia
Davenport Central High School is a four-year comprehensive high school
located in Davenport, Iowa
. Opened in 1907 as "Davenport High School," Central is one of three public high schools part of the Davenport Community School District. The school, whose western side is located along U.S. Highway 61, draws students primarily from the southern and central portions of the city.
The school has an enrollment of approximately 1,450 students in grades nine through 12, and offers over 200 courses in a four-block schedule. Central also has a variety of extracurricular activities, clubs, and teams. The school also houses the Davenport School District's high school autism
program. The school complex is part of the College Square Historic District
, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
In 1900, a site for a future high school was secured at the old Griswold College property, roughly where 12th and Main streets are today. The school board agreed to purchase the property from the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa
for $53,000, and voters agreed to move forward with the purchase. The Davenport history described the site as "an ideal one for the high school of this city. The ground covers a block in the central part of Davenport; it is beautifully situated, centrally located and readily accessible."
School board members spent time studying "the best high school structures in the Mississippi Valley," and after outlining their wishes, the architectural firm of Clausen & Burrows were hired to draw up a blueprint for the new building. The H.B. Water Construction Co. of Danville, Ill., was hired as general contractor, and construction began in 1905. The groundbreaking was described as a "great outpouring of the inhabitants of this city," with students and Bishop Morrison
of the Diocese of Iowa participating. The building's facade was made of Marquette rain-drop sandstone and red tile roof, floors of terrazo mosiac and hardwood maple, and French plate-glass windows.
Construction of the four-story tall (three stories above a "tall basement"), 202-by-204-foot building, was completed in January 1907, with a capital cost $347,000 and capacity for 1,600 students. The new building included a gymnasium, a 1,300-seat auditorium, a manual training room, science laboratories, a library, mechanical and free-hand drawing rooms, cafeteria and administrative offices. The science laboratories were described as being "the most abundantly supplied with the most modern apparatus and other means of successful instruction."
F.L. Smart was principal when the new high school opened; George Edward Marshall was named principal in 1907, and served until his death in 1932. The gymnasium, with seating for 4,000 people, is named after Marshall.
In 1910, there were seven course of study, each 40 weeks long and "sufficient to meet the wants of all students of high school age." Academic disciplines 100 years ago covered Latin, German, science, English, commercial business, manual training (for those entering industrial and technical careers) and domestic science. One hundred years later, much different courses of study are in place.
did not have its own high school until 1951, meaning many Bettendorf students wanting to further their education chose Davenport High. The same was true for many northern Scott County students prior to 1958, the year North Scott High School
opened in Eldridge
.
As for Davenport, by the late 1950s, the city had grown to more than 80,000 residents, and one high school campus was no longer enough to meet the city's needs. West High School opened in 1960 to accommodate students from the fast-growing west and northwest parts of the city, plus the surrounding rural areas of which the Davenport School District encompassed. "Davenport High" then became Davenport Central, and served the central, southern and northeast areas of Davenport. The city's third high school - North
- opened in a renovated junior high school building in 1985.
Many additions and renovations have been made to the original 1905 high school building.
, and athletic teams are known as the Blue Devils. School colors are red
and blue
. The school fields athletic teams in 21 sports, including:
The school also has a cheerleading squad and a competitive dance team.
Davenport Central is classified as a 4A school (Iowa's largest 48 schools), according to the Iowa High School Athletic Association and Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union; in sports where there are fewer divisions, the Blue Devils are always in the largest class (e.g., Class 3A for wrestling, boys soccer, and Class 2A for golf, tennis and girls soccer). The school is a member of the 10-team Mississippi Athletic Conference
(known to locals as the MAC), which comprises schools from the Iowa Quad Cities
, along with Burlington, Clinton and Muscatine high schools.
Davenport Central's biggest rivalries are with intercity rivals West and North high schools as well as Bettendorf High School.
For many years, Central - and Davenport High before that - enjoyed unprecedented success in sports, including football, basketball, wrestling, track and baseball. Football teams, coached by the legendary Jesse Day, A.J. "Butch" Stofa and Jim Fox won numerous state titles in football, including Class 4A playoff titles in 1973, 1976 and 1983. Many former Blue Devil players won all-state honors, and several went on to illustrious careers in professional football, including Roger Craig of the San Francisco 49ers
. Overall, Central has won the most state championships in athletics of any high school in Iowa.
From 1941 through 1970, Central - and Davenport High before that - won seven state titles and two runner-up trophies in boys basketball. Since then, Central teams have appeared in three state tournaments, winning two state runner up trophies (in 1979 and 2008).
Many girls' programs at Central have experienced success. One example is the volleyball program, which in 1981 won the Class 2A state title under coach Cindy (Smoker) Fredrick. Fredrick later became a successful women's volleyball coach at Washington State University
and the University of Iowa
.
Others who attended Davenport High, or its succcessor Davenport Central, but did not graduate were Bix Beiderbecke
(jazz musician) and Michael Nunn
(professional boxer).
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
located in Davenport, Iowa
Davenport, Iowa
Davenport is a city located along the Mississippi River in Scott County, Iowa, United States. Davenport is the county seat of and largest city in Scott County. Davenport was founded on May 14, 1836 by Antoine LeClaire and was named for his friend, George Davenport, a colonel during the Black Hawk...
. Opened in 1907 as "Davenport High School," Central is one of three public high schools part of the Davenport Community School District. The school, whose western side is located along U.S. Highway 61, draws students primarily from the southern and central portions of the city.
The school has an enrollment of approximately 1,450 students in grades nine through 12, and offers over 200 courses in a four-block schedule. Central also has a variety of extracurricular activities, clubs, and teams. The school also houses the Davenport School District's high school autism
Autism
Autism is a disorder of neural development characterized by impaired social interaction and communication, and by restricted and repetitive behavior. These signs all begin before a child is three years old. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their...
program. The school complex is part of the College Square Historic District
College Square Historic District
College Square Historic District is located on a bluff north of downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places...
, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Early years
High schools had operated in various buildings and Davenport since 1861, the longest-lived of those sites being in roughly the area where Seventh and Eighth, and Iowa streets are today. An early history of Davenport and Scott County stated that the building was opened in 1875, and "grew from year to year until the building was too small to accommodate the numbers."In 1900, a site for a future high school was secured at the old Griswold College property, roughly where 12th and Main streets are today. The school board agreed to purchase the property from the Episcopal Diocese of Iowa
Episcopal Diocese of Iowa
The Episcopal Diocese of Iowa is the diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America which covers all of Iowa. It is in Province VI. Its offices are in Des Moines, and it has two cathedrals: The Cathedral Church of St...
for $53,000, and voters agreed to move forward with the purchase. The Davenport history described the site as "an ideal one for the high school of this city. The ground covers a block in the central part of Davenport; it is beautifully situated, centrally located and readily accessible."
School board members spent time studying "the best high school structures in the Mississippi Valley," and after outlining their wishes, the architectural firm of Clausen & Burrows were hired to draw up a blueprint for the new building. The H.B. Water Construction Co. of Danville, Ill., was hired as general contractor, and construction began in 1905. The groundbreaking was described as a "great outpouring of the inhabitants of this city," with students and Bishop Morrison
Theodore Nevin Morrison
Theodore Nevin Morrison was a 20th century bishop in the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. He was Bishop of Iowa from 1898 to 1929.-Early life & Ministry:...
of the Diocese of Iowa participating. The building's facade was made of Marquette rain-drop sandstone and red tile roof, floors of terrazo mosiac and hardwood maple, and French plate-glass windows.
Construction of the four-story tall (three stories above a "tall basement"), 202-by-204-foot building, was completed in January 1907, with a capital cost $347,000 and capacity for 1,600 students. The new building included a gymnasium, a 1,300-seat auditorium, a manual training room, science laboratories, a library, mechanical and free-hand drawing rooms, cafeteria and administrative offices. The science laboratories were described as being "the most abundantly supplied with the most modern apparatus and other means of successful instruction."
F.L. Smart was principal when the new high school opened; George Edward Marshall was named principal in 1907, and served until his death in 1932. The gymnasium, with seating for 4,000 people, is named after Marshall.
In 1910, there were seven course of study, each 40 weeks long and "sufficient to meet the wants of all students of high school age." Academic disciplines 100 years ago covered Latin, German, science, English, commercial business, manual training (for those entering industrial and technical careers) and domestic science. One hundred years later, much different courses of study are in place.
Davenport High to Davenport Central
For more than 40 years, the new Davenport High School building served as the city's lone high school, and until the late 1950s, the school also served the secondary education needs of much of Scott County as well. BettendorfBettendorf High School
Bettendorf High School is a four-year comprehensive high school located in Bettendorf, Iowa. Roughly 100 instructors teach more than 1500 students using a four-period block daily schedule with 85 minute blocks, BHS also offers classes as 40 minutes skinny's which meet all year for 40 minutes each...
did not have its own high school until 1951, meaning many Bettendorf students wanting to further their education chose Davenport High. The same was true for many northern Scott County students prior to 1958, the year North Scott High School
North Scott High School
North Scott High School is a four-year comprehensive high school located in Eldridge, Iowa. The school is part of the North Scott Community School District, and has an enrollment of approximately 1,000 students in grades nine through 12....
opened in Eldridge
Eldridge, Iowa
Eldridge is a city in Scott County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,651 at the 2010 census; Eldridge is a part of the Quad Cities metropolitan area and is considered a suburb.-History:...
.
As for Davenport, by the late 1950s, the city had grown to more than 80,000 residents, and one high school campus was no longer enough to meet the city's needs. West High School opened in 1960 to accommodate students from the fast-growing west and northwest parts of the city, plus the surrounding rural areas of which the Davenport School District encompassed. "Davenport High" then became Davenport Central, and served the central, southern and northeast areas of Davenport. The city's third high school - North
Davenport North High School
Davenport North High School is a high school built in the northern area of Davenport, Iowa. North High School was established in 1985 in the building that was formerly Wood Junior High....
- opened in a renovated junior high school building in 1985.
Many additions and renovations have been made to the original 1905 high school building.
Athletics
The school participates in the Mississippi Athletic ConferenceMississippi Athletic Conference
The Mississippi Athletic Conference is a high school athletic conference whose members are located in the Iowa Quad-Cities, plus three other schools in eastern and southeastern Iowa.-Member schools:...
, and athletic teams are known as the Blue Devils. School colors are red
Red
Red is any of a number of similar colors evoked by light consisting predominantly of the longest wavelengths of light discernible by the human eye, in the wavelength range of roughly 630–740 nm. Longer wavelengths than this are called infrared , and cannot be seen by the naked eye...
and blue
Blue
Blue is a colour, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 440–490 nm. It is considered one of the additive primary colours. On the HSV Colour Wheel, the complement of blue is yellow; that is, a colour corresponding to an equal...
. The school fields athletic teams in 21 sports, including:
- Summer: Baseball, softball.
- Fall: Football, volleyball, girls' swimming, boys' cross country, girls' cross country and boys' golf.
- Winter: Boys' basketball, girls' basketball, wrestling, boys' swimming and boys' and girls' bowling.
- Spring: Boys' track and field, girls' track and field, boys' soccer, girls' soccer, girls' golf, boys' tennis and girls' tennis.
The school also has a cheerleading squad and a competitive dance team.
Davenport Central is classified as a 4A school (Iowa's largest 48 schools), according to the Iowa High School Athletic Association and Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union; in sports where there are fewer divisions, the Blue Devils are always in the largest class (e.g., Class 3A for wrestling, boys soccer, and Class 2A for golf, tennis and girls soccer). The school is a member of the 10-team Mississippi Athletic Conference
Mississippi Athletic Conference
The Mississippi Athletic Conference is a high school athletic conference whose members are located in the Iowa Quad-Cities, plus three other schools in eastern and southeastern Iowa.-Member schools:...
(known to locals as the MAC), which comprises schools from the Iowa Quad Cities
Quad Cities
The Quad Cities is a group of five cities straddling the Mississippi River on the Iowa–Illinois boundary. These cities, Davenport and Bettendorf and Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline , are the center of the Quad Cities Metropolitan Area, which, as of 2010, had an estimated population of...
, along with Burlington, Clinton and Muscatine high schools.
Davenport Central's biggest rivalries are with intercity rivals West and North high schools as well as Bettendorf High School.
Successes
Throughout the school's history, Davenport Central has enjoyed great success in many of its sports, earning many MAC conference titles and producing all-state athletes that have enjoyed success at the collegiate level and in their careers.For many years, Central - and Davenport High before that - enjoyed unprecedented success in sports, including football, basketball, wrestling, track and baseball. Football teams, coached by the legendary Jesse Day, A.J. "Butch" Stofa and Jim Fox won numerous state titles in football, including Class 4A playoff titles in 1973, 1976 and 1983. Many former Blue Devil players won all-state honors, and several went on to illustrious careers in professional football, including Roger Craig of the San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
. Overall, Central has won the most state championships in athletics of any high school in Iowa.
From 1941 through 1970, Central - and Davenport High before that - won seven state titles and two runner-up trophies in boys basketball. Since then, Central teams have appeared in three state tournaments, winning two state runner up trophies (in 1979 and 2008).
Many girls' programs at Central have experienced success. One example is the volleyball program, which in 1981 won the Class 2A state title under coach Cindy (Smoker) Fredrick. Fredrick later became a successful women's volleyball coach at Washington State University
Washington State University
Washington State University is a public research university based in Pullman, Washington, in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1890, WSU is the state's original and largest land-grant university...
and the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
.
Notable alumni
- Roger Craig (class of 1979), NFL football player with the San Francisco 49ersSan Francisco 49ersThe San Francisco 49ers are a professional American football team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the West Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team was founded in 1946 as a charter member of the All-America Football Conference and...
. - Jim Jensen (class of 1972), NFL football player with the Dallas CowboysDallas CowboysThe Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football franchise which plays in the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League . They are headquartered in Valley Ranch in Irving, Texas, a suburb of Dallas...
and the Denver BroncosDenver BroncosThe Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. - Jim LeachJim LeachJames Albert Smith "Jim" Leach is a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa. In August 2009, he became Chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities ....
(class of 1960), United States congressman (1977–2006), Chair of the National Endowment for the Humanities and Princeton professor.
Others who attended Davenport High, or its succcessor Davenport Central, but did not graduate were Bix Beiderbecke
Bix Beiderbecke
Leon Bismark "Bix" Beiderbecke was an American jazz cornetist, jazz pianist, and composer.With Louis Armstrong, Beiderbecke was one of the most influential jazz soloists of the 1920s...
(jazz musician) and Michael Nunn
Michael Nunn
Michael Nunn is a former American boxer. Nicknamed "Second to Nunn," he was a 6' 2" southpaw with great speed. Nunn was the IBF middleweight champion and the WBA super middleweight champion...
(professional boxer).