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Franklin High School (Oregon)
Encyclopedia
Benjamin Franklin High School is a public high school in Portland, Oregon
, United States
. Franklin is located in central southeast Portland in the South Tabor neighborhood
, at the foot of Mt. Tabor
.
Founded in 1914, it is Portland's fourth high school. 136 students attended the first year. The current brick building opened in September 1917. The building was designed by Floyd Naramore
.
Due to the baby boom
and passing of a $25 million building levy by the school district in 1947, a new addition for arts, industrial arts
, and home economics
departments was slated. The Franklin football field, also known as "The Bowl", was actually planned out originally as a walkway towards the school, making the front of the school facing towards S.E. Division street and the back facing S.E. Woodward Ave. The walkway was going to go from Division street all the way to the school, but a heavy rain storm one night caused a 20' sinkhole in the spot where the football field is today. The Bowl was named at one time one of the best places to have a football game.
, for whom the school is named: a wooden figure hand-carved by a local artist in the 1970s and a larger stone statue near the Franklin Bowl athletic field, affectionately known as Benji. Benji is an honorary graduate of the school, having been fitted for a massive mortar-board cap and tassel by the Class of 1976. The wooden statue had his cane stolen sometime around 2007 by vandals who broke into the school.
In 2008, 80% of the school's seniors received their high school diploma
. Of 354 students, 282 graduated, 52 dropped out, 5 received a modified diploma
, and 15 are still in high school. In 2009, 31% of the students were transfers into the school.
Track Coach and Nike
founder Bill Bowerman
coached the football team in 1934. Franklin won the state basketball championships in 1921, 1956 and 1959.
(1992) a teenage slasher movie was filmed on location at Franklin High School.
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Franklin is located in central southeast Portland in the South Tabor neighborhood
South Tabor, Portland, Oregon
South Tabor is a neighborhood in southeastern Portland, Oregon in the United States.The neighborhood is bounded by SE Division, Powell, 52nd, and 82nd Avenues...
, at the foot of Mt. Tabor
Mount Tabor, Portland, Oregon
Mount Tabor is the name of a volcanic cinder cone, the city park on the volcano, and the neighborhood of Southeast Portland that surrounds it, all in the U.S. state of Oregon. The name refers to Mount Tabor, Israel. It was named by Plympton Kelly, son of Oregon City pioneer resident Clinton...
.
History
Floyd Naramore
Floyd A. Naramore was a Seattle architect. He was Seattle Schools Architect from 1919 to 1932, and he was a founding partner, in 1943, of the firm that today is known as NBBJ....
.
Due to the baby boom
Baby boom
A baby boom is any period marked by a greatly increased birth rate. This demographic phenomenon is usually ascribed within certain geographical bounds and when the number of annual births exceeds 2 per 100 women...
and passing of a $25 million building levy by the school district in 1947, a new addition for arts, industrial arts
Industrial arts
Industrial Arts is an umbrella term originally conceived in the late 19th century to describe educational programs which featured fabrication of objects in wood and/or metal using a variety of hand, power, or machine tools...
, and home economics
Home Economics
Home economics is the profession and field of study that deals with the economics and management of the home and community...
departments was slated. The Franklin football field, also known as "The Bowl", was actually planned out originally as a walkway towards the school, making the front of the school facing towards S.E. Division street and the back facing S.E. Woodward Ave. The walkway was going to go from Division street all the way to the school, but a heavy rain storm one night caused a 20' sinkhole in the spot where the football field is today. The Bowl was named at one time one of the best places to have a football game.
Benjamin Franklin statues
The school contains two statues of Benjamin FranklinBenjamin Franklin
Dr. Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author, printer, political theorist, politician, postmaster, scientist, musician, inventor, satirist, civic activist, statesman, and diplomat...
, for whom the school is named: a wooden figure hand-carved by a local artist in the 1970s and a larger stone statue near the Franklin Bowl athletic field, affectionately known as Benji. Benji is an honorary graduate of the school, having been fitted for a massive mortar-board cap and tassel by the Class of 1976. The wooden statue had his cane stolen sometime around 2007 by vandals who broke into the school.
Student profile
The student population is 58% white, 16% Asian/Pacific Islander, 13% Latino, and 8% African American.In 2008, 80% of the school's seniors received their high school diploma
High school diploma
A high school diploma is a diploma awarded for the completion of high school. In the United States and Canada, it is considered the minimum education required for government jobs and higher education. An equivalent is the GED.-Past diploma styles:...
. Of 354 students, 282 graduated, 52 dropped out, 5 received a modified diploma
Oregon modified high school diploma
The Oregon modified high school diploma, also known as the OAR 581-022-1134 Modified Diploma, is a document that is given to students who need special consideration throughout their time in high school...
, and 15 are still in high school. In 2009, 31% of the students were transfers into the school.
Sports
Franklin's colors are Maroon, gray, and white. Their rivals are the Cleveland Warriors and the Marshall Minutemen. Former University of OregonUniversity of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
Track Coach and Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
founder Bill Bowerman
Bill Bowerman
William Jay "Bill" Bowerman was an American track and field coach and co-founder of Nike, Inc. Over his career, he trained 31 Olympic athletes, 51 All-Americans, 12 American record-holders, 24 NCAA champions and 16 sub-4 minute milers...
coached the football team in 1934. Franklin won the state basketball championships in 1921, 1956 and 1959.
Entertainment
Dr. GigglesDr. Giggles
Dr. Giggles is a 1992 slasher film directed by Manny Coto, and starring Larry Drake as the titular antagonist and Holly Marie Combs as the protagonist. The film co-stars Cliff De Young and Glenn Quinn. It was released on October 23, 1992.-Plot summary:...
(1992) a teenage slasher movie was filmed on location at Franklin High School.
Robotics Team Controversy
In October 2010 the school decided to discontinue its competitive robotics team due to the lack of any school official sanctioning the team, allegedly by locking the team out of their workspace without access to their tools, or the more than $7000 the team had raised to sustain the program. The team had previously been a part of the school for 7 years.Notable alumni
- Douglas EngelbartDouglas EngelbartDouglas Carl Engelbart is an American inventor, and an early computer and internet pioneer. He is best known for his work on the challenges of human-computer interaction, resulting in the invention of the computer mouse, and the development of hypertext, networked computers, and precursors to GUIs...
is the inventor of the computer mouse. - Howard HobsonHoward HobsonHoward Andrew "Hobby" Hobson was a college basketball coach, who authored numerous books on the subject. He also has the distinction of coaching the team who won the National Collegiate Athletic Association Championship with the Oregon Ducks in its inaugural year of 1939.-Playing career:Hobson...
was the head mens basketball coach at the University of OregonUniversity of Oregon-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
(1936–47), leading the team to the first NCAA Men's Division I Basketball ChampionshipNCAA Men's Division I Basketball ChampionshipThe NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
in 1939. - Steve "Snapper" JonesSteve Jones (basketball)Stephen Howard "Snapper" Jones is one of the most esteemed and watched National Basketball Association television analysts.-Basketball career:...
is a former basketball player in the ABAAmerican Basketball AssociationThe American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
and NBANational Basketball AssociationThe National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
. He is currently a color analyst for Portland Trail BlazersPortland Trail BlazersThe Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
broadcasts. - Legedu NaaneeLegedu NaaneeLegedu A. Naanee is an American football wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the fifth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
is an NFL wide receiver (2007–present), currently playing for the Carolina PanthersCarolina PanthersThe Carolina Panthers are a professional American football team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They are currently members of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Panthers, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, joined the NFL as expansion...
. - Johnnie RayJohnnie RayJohnnie Ray was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Popular for most of the 1950s, Ray has been cited by critics as a major precursor of what would become rock and roll, for his jazz and blues-influenced music and his animated stage personality.-Early life:John Alvin Ray was born in...
- Singer - Richard UnisRichard UnisRichard L. Unis is an American attorney in the state of Oregon, United States. He was the 89th Associate Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court. Previously he was a judge for the city of Portland, a judge at the county level, and a state circuit court judge.-Early life:Richard Unis was born and...
- Oregon Supreme Court Justice - Vic GilliamVic GilliamVictor S. "Vic" Gilliam is an American politician and part-time actor from the state of Oregon. A Republican, he has served in the Oregon House of Representatives from the 18th District since he was appointed in January 2007. A native of Ohio, he has lived in Silverton, Oregon since 1998.-Early...
is an Oregon State Representative from the 18th District. - Rod MonroeRod MonroeRod Monroe is a Democratic politician from the US state of Oregon. He currently serves in the Oregon Senate, representing District 24 in the middle part of Multnomah County, which includes most of eastern Portland and the city of Happy Valley.-Early life and career:Born in McBride, British...
is an Oregon State Senator from the 24th District.