South Division High School

South Division High School is a public high school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. South Division is part of the Milwaukee Public Schools.

For the Chicago school, see Wendell Phillips Academy High School.
South Division High School
Address
1515 West Lapham Boulevard

Milwaukee
,
Wisconsin

United States
Coordinates43°0′50″N 87°55′50″W
Information
TypePublic Secondary
Established1890
School districtMilwaukee Public Schools
PrincipalJose Trejo
Teaching staff61.50 (FTE)[1]
Grades9–12
Enrollment934 (2017-18)[1]
Student to teacher ratio15.19[1]
Color(s)Cardinal red and white
  
Athletics conferenceMilwaukee City Conference
NicknameCardinals
Websitewww5.milwaukee.k12.wi.us/school/south/
[2]

History

The building was built after an 1890 motion by the Milwaukee Board of School Directors, as a second Milwaukee high school for the South Side. Thus, South Division is the second-oldest high school in the MPS system (after the old East Division High School, now called Riverside University High).[3]

Innovation in school lunches

At the start of the 1899 school year, Principal Arthur Burch was granted permission to open a school lunch room in the building. A basement room 27 by 60 feet was selected for the purpose; a kitchen 10 by 20 feet was partitioned off in one corner; furniture, dishes, etc. were purchased (for $316.65), and Emma Stiles of Chicago was placed in charge, to purchase provisions, plan each day's menu, and to see that all lunches were paid for. The menu was posted on a blackboard in the corridor, with each dish priced at five cents. This was something in the nature of an innovation and other cities made inquiries regarding the success of the scheme. The principal advantage, according to Burch's report to the Superintendent, was derived from serving warm lunches to the students, many of whom came from a distance too great to go home every day for a warm lunch, and who did better work in the afternoons than if they had eaten a cold one.[4]

Demolition of old building

A new South Division High building opened September 7, 1977, one block from the old school.[5] Almost nothing was brought over from the old building, but the crowning copper dome, "a South Side landmark since it was built in the 1890s"[5] was preserved when the building was demolished in 1978. Efforts to bring it "back home" to be incorporated into the new building failed;[6] and it now ornaments a local gardening supply business, where it also houses a collection of old South Division memorabilia.[7]

Demographics

The demographic breakdown of the 1,138 students enrolled for the 2012-2013 school year was:

  • Male - 53.5%
  • Female - 46.5%
  • Native American/Alaskan - 1.2%
  • Asian/Pacific islanders - 13.4%
  • Black - 32.1%
  • Hispanic - 46.9%
  • White - 5.9%
  • Multiracial - 0.5%

In addition, 86.1% of the students were eligible for free or reduced lunch.[2]

Athletics

The Cardinals compete in the Milwaukee City Conference. The school colors are cardinal red and white. South Division offers the following sports:[8]

  • Baseball (boys)
  • Basketball (boys & girls)
  • Football (boys)
  • Golf (boys)
  • Soccer (boys & girls)
  • Softball (girls)
  • Tennis (girls)
  • Track (boys & girls)
  • Volleyball (girls)
  • Wrestling (boys)

South Division won state championships in boys' cross country in 1922, 1923 and 1931.[9]

Notable alumni

References
  1. "South Division High". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  2. "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for South Division High". ed.gov. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  3. Watrous, Jerome A. Memoirs of Milwaukee County: From the Earliest Historical Times Down to the Present, Including a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Representative Families in Milwaukee County Vol. I. Madison: Western Historical Association, 1909; p. 409.
  4. Watrous, Jerome A. Memoirs of Milwaukee County: From the Earliest Historical Times Down to the Present, Including a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Representative Families in Milwaukee County Vol. I. Madison: Western Historical Association, 1909; p. 414.
  5. Clampitt, Russ. "No Lunches, No Gym -- And No Complaints". Milwaukee Sentinel September 8, 1977; p. 5
  6. Enriquez, Darryl. "Bringing The Dome Back Home: Price `out of range' for South Division alumni" Milwaukee Journal Sentinel February 17, 1997
  7. "Old dome from South Division draws alumni" Milwaukee Journal Sentinel August 21, 2002; p. 6B
  8. "Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association > Schools > School Profile". wiaawi.org. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  9. 2019 Cross Country State Meet Souvenir Program. Wisconsin Rapids, WI: Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association. November 2, 2019. p. 25.
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