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Sumner High School (St. Louis)
Encyclopedia
Sumner High School, also known as Charles E. Sumner High School, is a St. Louis public high school that was the first high school for African-American students west of the Mississippi River
. Together with Vashon High School
, Sumner was one of the two segregated
public high schools in St. Louis for African-American students. Established in 1875 only after extensive lobbying
by some of St. Louis' African-American residents, Sumner moved to its current location in 1908.
of 1,193 students and 77.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE
basis), for a student-teacher ratio of 15.5.
, civic
, and developmental needs of their students, "including training them to be successful, functioning graduates," so that they can make worthy "contributions to themselves, their families, school and community in today’s global society."
. The school is named after the well-known abolitionist senator Charles E. Sumner
. The high school was established on Eleventh Street in St. Louis between Poplar and Spruce Street, in response to demands to provide educational opportunities, following a requirement that school boards support black education with the radical Constitution of 1865 in Missouri. The school was moved in the 1880s because parents complained that their children were walking past the city gallows
and morgue
on their way to school. The current structure, built in 1908, was designed by architect William B. Ittner
. Sumner was the only Black public high school in St. Louis until 1927. Famous instructors include Edward Bouchet
.
. Sumner's 1969 basketball team won the Missouri Class L state championship and featured future NBA and ABA players
Harry Rogers
and Marshall Rogers
as well as David Brent who was a 6th round draft pick for the Los Angeles Lakers
.
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. Together with Vashon High School
Vashon High School
-Vashon High School:Vashon High School is a public high school located in St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1927, the school is named in honor of two educators of African-American descent: John B. Vashon, and his son, George B. Vashon....
, Sumner was one of the two segregated
Racial segregation in the United States
Racial segregation in the United States, as a general term, included the racial segregation or hypersegregation of facilities, services, and opportunities such as housing, medical care, education, employment, and transportation along racial lines...
public high schools in St. Louis for African-American students. Established in 1875 only after extensive lobbying
Lobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
by some of St. Louis' African-American residents, Sumner moved to its current location in 1908.
Population
As of the 2005-06 school year, the school had an enrollmentEnrollment
Enrollment or enrolment may refer to:* Matriculation, the process of initiating attendance to a school...
of 1,193 students and 77.0 classroom teachers (on an FTE
Full-time equivalent
Full-time equivalent , is a unit to measure employed persons or students in a way that makes them comparable although they may work or study a different number of hours per week. FTE is often used to measure a worker's involvement in a project, or to track cost reductions in an organization...
basis), for a student-teacher ratio of 15.5.
School mission
The mission of the school states its purpose is to be responsive to the academic, socialSocial
The term social refers to a characteristic of living organisms...
, civic
Civic engagement
Civic engagement or civic participation has been defined as "Individual and collective actions designed to identify and address issues of public concern."-Forms:...
, and developmental needs of their students, "including training them to be successful, functioning graduates," so that they can make worthy "contributions to themselves, their families, school and community in today’s global society."
History
Summer High, opened in 1875, and was the first high school opened for African-Americans west of the MississippiMississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
. The school is named after the well-known abolitionist senator Charles E. Sumner
Charles Sumner
Charles Sumner was an American politician and senator from Massachusetts. An academic lawyer and a powerful orator, Sumner was the leader of the antislavery forces in Massachusetts and a leader of the Radical Republicans in the United States Senate during the American Civil War and Reconstruction,...
. The high school was established on Eleventh Street in St. Louis between Poplar and Spruce Street, in response to demands to provide educational opportunities, following a requirement that school boards support black education with the radical Constitution of 1865 in Missouri. The school was moved in the 1880s because parents complained that their children were walking past the city gallows
Gallows
A gallows is a frame, typically wooden, used for execution by hanging, or by means to torture before execution, as was used when being hanged, drawn and quartered...
and morgue
Morgue
A morgue or mortuary is used for the storage of human corpses awaiting identification, or removal for autopsy or disposal by burial, cremation or otherwise...
on their way to school. The current structure, built in 1908, was designed by architect William B. Ittner
William B. Ittner
William Butts Ittner was an architect in St. Louis, Missouri. He designed many school buildings in Missouri and other areas, was president of the St...
. Sumner was the only Black public high school in St. Louis until 1927. Famous instructors include Edward Bouchet
Edward Bouchet
Edward Bouchet was the first African-American to earn a Ph.D. from an American university and the first African-American to graduate from Yale University in 1874. He completed his dissertation in Yale's Ph.D. program in 1876 becoming the first African-American to receive a Ph.D. . His area of...
.
Athletics
Sumner High's mascot is the BulldogBulldog
Bulldog is the name for a breed of dog commonly referred to as the English Bulldog. Other Bulldog breeds include the American Bulldog, Olde English Bulldogge and the French Bulldog. The Bulldog is a muscular heavy dog with a wrinkled face and a distinctive pushed-in nose...
. Sumner's 1969 basketball team won the Missouri Class L state championship and featured future NBA and ABA players
Harry Rogers
Harry Rogers (basketball)
-Biography:Rogers was born on December 31, 1950. He attended Sumner High School in St. Louis, Missouri.-Career:Rogers played for the Spirits of St. Louis of the American Basketball Association. Previously, he had been drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in the fourth round of the 1973 NBA Draft.He...
and Marshall Rogers
Marshall Rogers (basketball)
Marshall Lee Rogers was an American professional basketball player and former NCAA basketball scoring champion with Pan American University.-High school:...
as well as David Brent who was a 6th round draft pick for the Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles, California. They play in the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association...
.
Notable alumni
- Arthur AsheArthur AsheArthur Robert Ashe, Jr. was a professional tennis player, born and raised in Richmond, Virginia. During his career, he won three Grand Slam titles, putting him among the best ever from the United States...
(1943–1993), tennis player. - Chuck BerryChuck BerryCharles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as "Maybellene" , "Roll Over Beethoven" , "Rock and Roll Music" and "Johnny B...
(1926-), musician. - Lester BowieLester BowieLester Bowie was an American jazz trumpet player and composer. He was a member of the AACM, and cofounded the Art Ensemble of Chicago.-Biography:...
, jazz trumpeter - Grace BumbryGrace BumbryGrace Bumbry , an American opera singer, is considered one of the leading mezzo-sopranos of her generation, as well as a major soprano for many years...
(1937-), opera singer. - Baikida CarrollBaikida CarrollBaikida Carroll is an American jazz trumpeter.Carroll studied at Southern Illinois University and at the Armed Forces School of Music early in his career. Following this he became a member of the Black Artists Group in St. Louis, where he directed their free jazz ensemble...
, trumpeter and composer - Hon. William ClayBill ClayWilliam Lacy "Bill" Clay, Sr. is a politician from the state of Missouri. As Congressman from Missouri's First District, he represented portions of St. Louis in the U.S. House of Representatives for 32 years....
(1931-), politician - Billy Davis, Jr.Billy Davis, Jr.Billy Davis, Jr. is an American musician, best known as a member of The 5th Dimension. Along with his wife, Marilyn McCoo, he had hit records during 1976 and 1977 with "I Hope We Get to Love in Time", "Your Love", and "You Don't Have to Be a Star "...
(1940-), The 5th Dimension - Dick GregoryDick GregoryRichard Claxton "Dick" Gregory is an American comedian, social activist, social critic, writer, and entrepreneur....
(1932-), comedian. - Robert GuillaumeRobert GuillaumeRobert "Bob" Guillaume is an American stage and television actor, best known for his role as Benson Du Bois on the TV-series Soap and the spin-off Benson, voicing the mandrill Rafiki in The Lion King and as Isaac Jaffe on Sports Night...
(1927-), actor known for portraying the character Benson DuBois on the ABC sitcom SoapSoap (TV series)Soap is an American sitcom that originally ran on ABC from 1977 to 1981.The show was created as a parody of daytime soap operas, presented as a weekly half-hour prime time comedy. Similar to a soap opera, the show's story was presented in a serial format and included melodramatic plot elements such...
and its spinoff BensonBenson (TV series)Benson is an American television sitcom which aired from September 13, 1979, to April 19, 1986, on ABC. The series was a spin-off from the soap opera parody Soap ; however, Benson discarded the...
. - Julius HunterJulius HunterJulius Hunter is a St. Louis newscaster who spent more than 30 years in broadcast and print news. From 1966 to 1974 he anchored the news on KSDK Channel 5, St. Louis' NBC affiliate. He is best known for having been the Senior Anchor at KMOV Channel 4, the CBS affiliate—a post he held for 26...
, television news broadcaster - Oliver LakeOliver LakeOliver Lake is an American jazz saxophonist, flutist, composer and poet. He is known mainly on alto saxophone but also performs on soprano saxophone and flute....
, jazz musician - Robert McFerrinRobert McFerrinRobert McFerrin Sr. was the first African-American male to sing at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City...
(1921–2006), opera singer and father of Bobby McFerrinBobby McFerrinRobert "Bobby" McFerrin, Jr. is an American vocalist and conductor. He is best known for his 1988 hit song "Don't Worry, Be Happy". He is a ten-time Grammy Award winner.-Life:...
. - Wendell O. PruittWendell O. PruittWendell Oliver Pruitt was a pioneering African-American military pilot and Tuskegee Airman originally from St. Louis, Missouri. He was killed during a training exercise in 1945. After his death, his name, along with William L. Igoe's was given to the notorious Pruitt–Igoe public housing complex...
(1920–1945) pioneering military pilot and Tuskegee Airman in whose honor the notorious Pruitt–Igoe housing projects were posthumously named. - Harry RogersHarry Rogers (basketball)-Biography:Rogers was born on December 31, 1950. He attended Sumner High School in St. Louis, Missouri.-Career:Rogers played for the Spirits of St. Louis of the American Basketball Association. Previously, he had been drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in the fourth round of the 1973 NBA Draft.He...
, basketball player. - Marshall RogersMarshall Rogers (basketball)Marshall Lee Rogers was an American professional basketball player and former NCAA basketball scoring champion with Pan American University.-High school:...
, Former NCAA Scoring Champion. - Tina TurnerTina TurnerTina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
(1939-), musician. - Margaret Bush WilsonMargaret Bush WilsonMargaret Bush Wilson was an American activist. Wilson broke many barriers as an African-American woman throughout her professional career. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, she successfully managed a St...
, first black woman to head the board of the NAACP - Roscoe Robinson Jr. (1928-1993), First black to reach the grade of four star general in the US Army