Quitman High School (Louisiana)

Quitman High School
Address
181 Wolverine Drive Quitman , Jackson Parish , Louisiana 71268 United States
Coordinates	32.3457098°N 92.7204199°W / 32.3457098; -92.7204199
Information
School type	Public school
Motto	In hoc signo vinces[1] (In this sign thou shalt conquer)
Established	c. 1900 (c. 1900)
School board	Jackson Parish School Board
School district	Jackson Parish[2]
NCES School ID	220078000556[2]
Principal	Billy Carter[3]
Grades	PreK–12[2]
Enrollment	785[2] (2022–2023)
• Pre-kindergarten	34
• Kindergarten	45
• Grade 1	51
• Grade 2	70
• Grade 3	60
• Grade 4	48
• Grade 5	67
• Grade 6	67
• Grade 7	64
• Grade 8	59
• Grade 9	68
• Grade 10	39
• Grade 11	58
• Grade 12	55
Student to teacher ratio	17.04[2]
Hours in school day	392 Instructional minutes per day[1]
Campus size	20 acres (8.1 ha)[4]
Campus type	Rural[2]
Color(s)	Blue and Yellow
Nickname	Wolverines[5]
USNWR ranking	#202–307 in Louisiana[6]
National ranking	#13,383–17,843[6]
Website	qhs.jpsb.us

Quitman High School is an American primary and secondary school in Quitman, Louisiana, serving grades Pre-K through twelfth grade, and is one of two PreK–12 schools in the Jackson Parish School District, and one of three high schools in the district.^[6] The school opened c. 1900 as a public school.

History

First school (Pre–1903)

The first school was built around the year 1900,^[4] but possibly dates back to as early as the mid-1800s and was a single room log building.^[7]

Second school (1903–1919)

When the railroad was built in Quitman, the post office and businesses were relocated to downtown Quitman, which included the relocation of the school, which moved into a small log building adjacent to the post office. The school at this time consisted of one teacher and approximately twenty-five students across eight grades.^[4]

During the 1906–1907 school year a two-room building with unlevel floors was built as an expansion for the school, and the number of grades taught expanded to ten. In 1907 the number of teachers increased to two, and though the specific teachers changed through each year, the number of teachers remained at two until 1914. In 1914 two additional rooms were built onto the school which doubled the amount of space in the school, and by the 1916–1917 school year there were approximately one hundred students and six teachers. Due to space constraints, two of the elementary teachers taught at a nearby Baptist church and a nearby Methodist church.^[4]

Third school (1920–1953)

A new three story brick building^[4] for the school was built in 1920 at a cost of $40,000,^[8] raised from a tax voted in by Quitman's citizens for the building of the school.^[4] The enrollment of the school in 1921 was approximately 150 and the number of grades taught had expanded to 11.^[4] In 1929 the enrollment in the school was 215,^[9] and in 1935 the school also had an enrollment of 215.^[10] By 1952 the enrollment was 284.^[11]

By the early 1920s, the school had a boys football team^[12] as well as boys and girls basketball teams,^[13][14] A baseball team that for the school was organized in 1922.^[15] A high school band was formed in 1937^[16] and gave its first public performance the following year, in 1938.^[17]

A gymnasium was built in 1939 at a cost of $40,000, and the first lunch program was introduced to the school in 1943, with a dedicated lunch room built for $20,000 during the 1948–1949 school year^[4] and formally opened in 1950.^[18]

A school newspaper called The Blue and Gold Booster began during the 1950–1951 school year.^[19]

A severe storm caused significant damage to the school building in May 1953 and while initially it seemed as if the storm only blew out the windows and window frames of the third floor and damaged a stairwell,^[20] the building was later deemed unsafe for use.^[4]

The Jackson Parish School Board accepted a bid in August 1953 for the demolition of the damaged school building^[21] and accepted a bid in October 1953 for the construction of a new school.^[22]

Fourth school (1954–Present)

Construction began on the fourth and present building in late 1953^[23] and was completed in 1954 as a single-story brick school^[7] on 20 acres (8.1 ha) of land at a cost of $142,000.^[4] Students used the school's gymnasium and another unused school building called the Ansley School during the construction of the new school.^[23] The new school was built in the same location was the previous school as reused the undamaged cafeteria and gymnasium that was previously used.^[23]

In November 1954, Quitman High School became a member of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS),^[24] though is presently no longer accrediated through SACS or Cognia.^[25]

In 1964, Principal Clyde Aswell, who had at that point been the principal for fourteen years^[26] was asked by the school board via resolution to resign, a request mirorred by a petition of teachers at the school who stated that it was "very difficult to teach...with Mr. Aswell as principal" and asked that the principal be either transferred or removed from the high school.^[27] The school board passed a resolution on August 6, 1964 "charging him with willful neglect of duty"^[28] and on August 25, 1964 transferred him out of the position of principal of the school and into the position of Director of Guidance Services and Supervisor of Adult Education.^[29] Aswell filed a successful lawsuit, Clyde W. Aswell v. Jackson Parish School Board, against the school board which he also won on appeal, which forced the school board by mandamus to reinstate him as principal of the school in June 1965.^[26][30] In March 1966, Aswell left Quitman High School to become a teacher at Calhoun High School in Ouachita Parish^[31] and was replaced with a new principal.^[32]

Academics

As of the 2020–2021 school year, the school had an enrollment of 724 students^[2] and 43 teachers^[6] for a student–teacher ratio of 16.78.^[2] 309 of the students were eligible for free school meals, while 23 were eligible for reduced-price meals.^[2] The graduation rate for the school year was 85%.^[6]

The per pupil expenditure for the 2020–2021 school year was $10,385 per student, compared to a statewide average of $11,708 per student.^[33]

Extracurricular activities

There are several officially recognized clubs are Quitman High School:^[34]

• 4-H – The 4-H club at Quitman High School first began in 1928.^[35]
• National Beta Club
• Future Business Leaders of America – The school has had an FBLA chapter since 1964.^[36]
• Future Farmers of America – The school has had an FFA chapter since at least 1935.^[10]

Social clubs are not allowed at the school.^[1]

Athletics

Quitman High athletics competes in the LHSAA.

Athletics teams for the school include baseball, basketball, cheerleading, cross country, fishing, golf, softball, tennis, and track and field.^[37]

Notable alumni

• Toby Borland,^[38] Major League Baseball pitcher
• Jimmie Davis,^[7] American politician and singer/songwriter, and Governor of Louisiana from 1960 to 1964

References

1. "Student Handbook 2022–2023". Quitman High School. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
2. "Search for Public Schools - Quitman High School (220078000556)". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved November 8, 2024.
3. "Administrator Directory". Quitman High School. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
4. "Quitman High School has impressive history". The Jackson Independent. November 30, 1956. p. 18. Retrieved September 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
5. "Quitman Quintet Tourney Winner". The Monroe News-Star. January 17, 1951. p. 6. Retrieved September 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
6. "Quitman High School". U.S. News & World Report. 2022. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
7. "School History". Quitman High School. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
8. "School Boards Are Spending Big Sums For New Buildings". The Shreveport Journal. July 16, 1920. p. 3. Retrieved September 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
9. "Quitman High School". The Jackson Independent. September 19, 1929. p. 1. Retrieved September 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
10. "Quitman School News". The Jackson Independent. September 25, 1936. p. 1. Retrieved September 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
11. "Parish Schools Opened Wednesday". The Jackson Independent. September 5, 1952. p. 1. Retrieved September 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
12. "Quitman Outplays Weston, Wins 12 to 0". The Times (Shreveport). October 17, 1921. p. 8. Retrieved September 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
13. "Basketball Results – Quitman defeats Ansley". The Times (Shreveport). February 6, 1922. p. 6. Retrieved September 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
14. "Quitman Cagers Win 2 Games From Arcadia". The Times (Shreveport). February 1, 1925. p. 16. Retrieved September 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
15. "Quitman Forms Team". The Times (Shreveport). March 5, 1922. p. 8. Retrieved September 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
16. "Students Organizing Band at Quitman High". Monroe Morning World. November 7, 1937. p. 4. Retrieved September 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
17. "First Public Appearance". Jackson Parish Flash. March 11, 1938. p. 4. Retrieved September 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
18. "Hodge – Quitman News". The Jackson Independent. April 14, 1950. p. 3. Retrieved September 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
19. "Quitman Hi. News". The Jackson Independent. October 12, 1951. p. 5. Retrieved September 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
20. "Quitman Struck by High Winds". The Jackson Independent. May 22, 1953. p. 8. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
21. "Resolution". The Jackson Independent. August 21, 1953. p. 4. Retrieved September 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
22. "Proceedings of Jackson Parish School Board". The Jackson Independent. October 23, 1953. p. 7. Retrieved September 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
23. "Work on Quitman School Under Way". The Times (Shreveport). November 23, 1953. pp. 13A. Retrieved September 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
24. "Quitman High School Member Southern Ass'n". The Jackson Independent. November 30, 1956. p. 19. Retrieved September 2, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
25. "Accreditation Registry Search". Cognia. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
26. Clyde W. Aswell v. Jackson Parish School Board, 176 So.2d 741 No. 10389 (2d Cir. 1965).
27. "The Facts of the Matter". The Jackson Independent. November 26, 1964. p. 5. Retrieved September 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
28. "Proceedings of Jackson Parish School Board". The Jackson Independent. August 20, 1964. p. 12. Retrieved September 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
29. "Proceedings of Jackson Parish School Board". The Jackson Independent. September 3, 1964. p. 4. Retrieved September 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
30. "Resolution". The Jackson Independent. August 19, 1965. p. 13. Retrieved September 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
31. "Proceedings of the Ouachita Parish School Board". The Ouachita Citizen. March 11, 1966. pp. 6B. Retrieved September 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
32. "Proceedings of Jackson Parish School Board". The Jackson Independent. January 6, 1966. p. 8. Retrieved September 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
33. "Quitman High School – Finance". Louisiana Department of Education. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
34. "Clubs". Quitman High School. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
35. Spencer, H.F. (November 8, 1928). "4-H Club News". The Jackson Independent. p. 1. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
36. "F.B.L.A. News". The Jackson Independent. December 24, 1964. p. 6. Retrieved September 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
37. "Athletics". Quitman High School. Retrieved September 2, 2022.
38. Joseph, Dave (March 7, 2003). "Riding out highs, lows". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved September 3, 2022.