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Quincy Senior High School

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Coordinates: 39°55′48″N 91°21′44″W / 39.9300°N 91.3621°W / 39.9300; -91.3621
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Quincy Senior High School
Location
Map
3322 Maine St. Quincy, Illinois

United States
Coordinates39°55′48″N 91°21′44″W / 39.9300°N 91.3621°W / 39.9300; -91.3621
Information
TypePublic Secondary
Established1864
School districtQuincy Public School District #172[1]
PrincipalJody Steinke[2]
Staff93.83 (FTE)[3]
Grades9–12
Enrollment1,754 (2018–19)[3]
Student to teacher ratio18.69[3]
Campus typeUrban
Color(s)Blue and White   
Athletics conferenceWestern Big 6 Conference[4]
MascotBlue Devil
Websitehttp://www.qps.org/qhs/

Quincy Senior High School is the regional public high school for Quincy, Illinois. It is the largest high school in Adams County, Illinois, and the only high school in Quincy Public School District 172.

History

The Quincy Junior High School[5] served as the senior high until 1957

Quincy High School was first established in September of 1864 in the old Unitarian Church building at Sixth and Jersey streets, in what was then known as the Center School building. In 1866, the High School was transferred to the Jackson School building at 8th and Vine (now College) Street. From there it was transferred to the top floor of the Franklin School on 5th Street between York and Kentucky, where it remained until plans were made for a dedicated high school.[6]

The first school dedicated to high school students in Quincy, Illinois opened in 1891 at the corner of 12th and Maine. The building was designed by local architect, Harvey Chatten.[7] This "Pride of the Gem City" served students until 1933 when the "new" Quincy Senior High (10–12) opened at 14th and Maine in 1933. The building sits along Historic Maine Street in Quincy and is five stories tall, with mosaic details enscripted on the walls. In 1937, eighth and ninth graders were added to the building to relieve crowding at elementary schools. At this time Webster School and the former high school at 12th and Maine also housed students. As years went on, it was apparent that the 8–12 setup was not working and a change was needed. The school board decided to build a state of the art high school at 30th and Maine (the site of Baldwin Park) and to convert the current building into a 7–9 junior high school.

The third Quincy Senior High opened at 30th and Maine in 1957. Enrollment again started to climb in the Quincy Schools and another building would be needed. It was decided to construct a second high school to the east of the current high school (the site of the former Gem City Drive In). The new school was named Quincy Senior High II and would house students in grades 11 and 12. The current high school would then house grades 9 & 10 and be renamed Senior High I, and the junior high would include just seventh and eighth graders. All of these changes happened in 1973. In the 1980s, the district experienced several finance problems and an enrollment decline. Because of this, the entire district was reorganized. Senior High I closed in 1982. Tenth grade was moved to Senior High II and ninth grade was moved back to Quincy Junior High. Senior High I was converted into Baldwin Intermediate School[8] for grades 4–6 .

In the 2016–2017 school year, freshmen were moved from the Junior High School building to the current Senior High School building, constructed in 1973. For the first time since the 1950s, grades 9-12 were housed in a single building, reflecting the traditional American secondary school model. The Quincy Junior High School building began serving grades 6–8. Five new elementary schools were to be built, including one on the site of Baldwin Intermediate School, to house grades K-5. However, some parts of the old Baldwin School, including Blue Devil Gymnasium, remain.[9][10][11][12]

Sports programs

Quincy Senior High School participates in the Illinois High School Association and is a member of the Western Big 6 Conference.

Basketball

History

Quincy, in a 2010 statistical report, was the fourth-winningest high school basketball program in the country, with 1,873 wins since its first game on December 23, 1907.[13]

Quincy holds some Illinois state records, including state tournament appearances (32), regional titles (59), sectional titles (32), state tournament games won (52), tournament games lost (33), tournament games played (89), and state trophies won (14).[14] The Blue Devils have claimed two Illinois state championships in their history. The first was in 1934, capping off a 31–2 season with a 39–27 victory over Thornton High School in the championship. The second championship came in 1981. The Blue Devils were led by future Iowa standout Michael Payne and Illinois legend Bruce Douglas. The Devils compiled an astounding 33–0 record, winning their final four state tournament games by a staggering average of 28.25 points. The Blue Devils were also named the National Champions of high school basketball by USA Today that year. The Blue Devils didn't lose again until the state semifinal game in 1982, compiling a 64-game winning streak, which was a record at the time.

Tradition[15]

On Friday and Saturday nights during basketball season, thousands of Gem City Citizens flock to Blue Devil Gymnasium in Baldwin School to watch the games. Quincy's pregame ritual makes it one of the better places to play in the state of Illinois. Before the national anthem, all the lights in the gym are turned off. The visiting team's lineup is announced with a single light illuminating their team. After the fifth starter is announced, that light is extinguished, and the pep band begins to play an ominous medley of the theme from The Phantom of the Opera and Maynard Ferguson's "Conquistador." Then, a student clad in blue shorts, a blue cape, and blue devil horns, emerges from the locker room carrying a flaming trident. He scampers around the perimeter of the court, inciting loud cheers from the crowd. The devil stands at mid-court while the starting lineup is announced as the instrumental "Sirius" by The Alan Parsons Project plays. As he goes back to the locker room, the lights are turned back on, and the players are ready for the opening tip-off.

Quincy Herald-Whig sportswriter Matt Schuckman authored a book entitled Stand Up and Cheer: A Century of Blue Devil Basketball, chronicling the history of the program.[16]

Newspaper

The school's student newspaper is a monthly publication known as The Q-Review. The Q-Review is completely student-run, with the help of a faculty advisor.

Fine arts

Art

The many artists of QHS showcase their displays many times during the year. Various works of art can be seen throughout the lobby of A Building, in front of the auditorium.

Theatre

The QHS Theatre Department presents 2 plays each year in the winter and spring. The Theatre Department combines with the Music Department to present a Fall Musical, Winter Play, Spring Play, and a Spring Variety Show entitled New Faces which has been presented since 1955. Quincy Senior High offers drama classes to all QHS students.

Culture

Season 4, Episode 1 of Queer Eye, which aired July 19, 2019, was filmed primarily at Quincy Senior High School. The episode features long-time QHS music director Kathi Dooley receiving a makeover from her former student, Jonathan Van Ness.[17]

Notable alumni

References

  1. ^ "Home - Quincy Public Schools".
  2. ^ Sullivan, Aaron. "New Principal A Familiar Face At QHS".
  3. ^ a b c "Quincy Sr High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
  4. ^ "Conferences & Affiliated Schools - Schools - IHSA". www.ihsa.org.
  5. ^ "QJHS - Quincy Public Schools".
  6. ^ "Past and Present of the City of Quincy and Adams County, Illinois; published by Chicago, S. J. Clarke Pub. Co., 1905".
  7. ^ "Illinois Digital Archives, Office of the Secretary of State".
  8. ^ "Baldwin - Quincy Public Schools".
  9. ^ [1]
  10. ^ [2]
  11. ^ Network Knowledge (6 July 2017). "Illinois Stories Baldwin School WQEC TV PBS Quincy" – via YouTube.
  12. ^ "Public forum" (PDF). www.qps.org. February 23, 2017. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
  13. ^ "NFHS". Retrieved 2012-05-22.
  14. ^ "IHSA". April 18, 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-08.
  15. ^ "YouTube: Quincy Blue Devil". December 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-08.
  16. ^ "Quincy Herald-Whiq Books Order Information". December 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-11-11. Retrieved 2007-12-08.
  17. ^ Lawler, Kelly. "'Queer Eye' airs its biggest tear-jerker when Jonathan Van Ness goes back to high school". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  18. ^ "The Name Game: Flinn Stadium". Quincy Herald-Whig. 2009. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  19. ^ "Bernard W. Flinn Middle School Home of the Falcons". Rockford Public Schools District 205. 2013. Retrieved 30 July 2013.
  20. ^ "Hall of Fame Inductee Rick Hummel". Quincy High School Blue Devil Sports Hall of Fame. 2010. Retrieved 11 May 2013.
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