Bennett High School (Buffalo, New York)
| Bennett High School | |
|---|---|
Optima Futura
The Best is Yet to Be
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| Address | |
| 2885 Main Street Buffalo, New York 14214 Starin Central |
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| Coordinates | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. |
| Information | |
| Funding type | Public |
| Opened | 1925 |
| Status | Priority School |
| School district | Buffalo Public Schools |
| School number | 200 |
| Principal | Bert L. Stevenson |
| Grades | 10-12 |
| Color(s) | Blue and Orange |
| Mascot | Tigers |
| Yearbook | Beacon |
| Website | Bennett High School |
Bennett High School is located in the University Heights section of Buffalo, New York. The current principal is Bert Stevenson. It is named for Lewis J. Bennett, who donated the land for the school and for All High Stadium. Portions of the movie The Natural were filmed in All High Stadium, although it was filmed as Wrigley Field. Bennett High School is now fully a Exam/Magnet school with three College Prep programs, they are the Academy of International Law (Similar to Pre-law) Business and Computers (similar to Information Systems), and Education and the Arts.[1]
History
Bennett High School was built in the 1920s. It has four stories with 270,000 square feet (25,000 m2). It is named for Lewis J. Bennett, who donated the land for the school and for All High Stadium. Portions of the 1984 movie The Natural were filmed in All High Stadium, although it was filmed as Wrigley Field.
The school was renovated in the summer of 2005 and the summer of 2006. During this time, some students were housed at Bennett while others were housed at nearby School 63 on Minnesota Avenue.
Former principals
Previous assignment and reason for departure denoted in parentheses
- Charles E. Rhodes–1925-1933 (Vice Principal - Lafayette High School, retired[2])
- Emmons B. Farrar–1933-1942 (Vice Principal - Bennett High School, entered military service[2])
- Raymond W. Spear [interim]–1942-1944 (Vice Principal - Riverside High School, named Principal of Riverside High School)
- Emmons Farrar–1944-1958 (Administrator on Leave - Bennett High School, retired)
- Lloyd A. Miller[2]–1958-1969 (Vice Principal - Bennett High School, retired)
- Leonard S. Sikora –1969-1975 (Assistant Principal - Bennett High School, named Principal of Seneca Vocational High School)
- Ronald J. Meer–1975-1980 (Principal - Grover Cleveland High School, assigned to Central Office)
- Henry J. Klee–1980-1984 (unknown, named Assistant Principal of Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts)
- Marilyn C. Wittman–1984[2]-2004 (Acting Director of Business Education - Buffalo Public Schools,[3] retired[4])
- Ramona Y. Thomas-Reynolds–2004[5]-2009 (Principal - West Hertel Academy,[6] named Principal of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Multicultural Institute[7])
- David Mauricio–2009-2012 (Principal - Lorraine Elementary, named Community Superintendent of Buffalo Public Schools)
- Carlos R. Alvarez, Jr.–2012-2013 [interim) (Assistant Principal - Bennett High School, named Assistant Principal of West Hertel Academy)
- Teena M. Jackson–2013 [interim] (Assistant Principal - Bennett High School, named Principal of S.T.A.R. Academy)
- Terry D. Ross–2013-2014 (Consultant - New 21 Frontiers, resigned)
Notable alumni
- Michael Bennett (1961), who wrote the Broadway musical A Chorus Line dropped his last name, DiFiglia, when he went to Broadway.
- Sorrell Booke, who played Boss Hogg in the Dukes of Hazard TV show was a 1948 Bennett grad.
- John Elliot (1914–1972), songwriter
- Don Gilbert, CFL player
- Reed Hadley, actor
- Karla F.C. Holloway, James B. Duke Professor of English, Professor of Law, Duke University. Dean, Humanities & Social Sciences. Was Karla Clapp at Bennett, led debate team to statewide championship.
- Catherine Ryan Hyde, novelist, author of Pay It Forward
- Rick James (1948-2004), funk superstar, played in the Bennett High School Band.
- Beverly Johnson, fashion model, was a graduate of Bennett High School. She was the first Black cover model for Vogue (magazine).
- Bob Lanier, Basketball Hall of Famer, graduated from Bennett in 1966
- David Lucas (born David Helfman), music producer and jingle writer, attended Bennett in the 1950s but then transferred to a school in Florida.
- Dick Offenhamer, former University at Buffalo football coach
- Robert E. Rich, Sr., founder of Rich Products Corporation, was the starting center for the Bennett High School football team which lost the 1930 Harvard Cup to South Park 13–2.
- Antoine Thompson, former New York State Senator
References
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Bennett High School Alumni Association. (2000). About Us. Retrieved October 17, 2010, from Bennett High School Alumni Association: http://www.bennettalumni.com/index.php?id=13
- ↑ Hammersley, M. (1993, January 10). Critics Call Bennett Principal Too Tough. The Buffalo News, p. A1.
- ↑ ref name=2004Aug25>Buffalo Public Schools (2004, August 25). Meeting of the Board of Education: Administrative Appointments.
- ↑ http://www.p12.nysed.gov/repcrd2004/overview-analysis/140600010099.pdf
- ↑ http://www.au.org/media/church-and-state/archives/2004/04/prayer-services.html
- ↑ Buffalo Public Schools (2009, July 8). Meeting of the Board of Education: Administrative Appointments.
External links
- Buffalo Public Schools homepage
- BHS university community page
- "Thousands say goodbye to 'Super Freak' singer Rick James" article from the August 14, 2004 North County Times
- BHS renovation project to add additional 30,000 square feet (2,800 m2) of space
