Washington Park High School (also known as Park or Racine Park High School) is a public, four-year high school in Racine, Wisconsin, USA, with an enrollment of 1,500 students. Its school colors are blue and orange. The school's mascot, the panther, was adopted by the Class of 1949, reportedly because of a nearby Native American effigy mound in the shape of a panther.[citation needed] It is a part of the Racine Unified School District.
History
Kipikawi, Racine High School yearbook, 1920, Racine, WisconsinRacine High School Senior Annual 1909, includes list of all graduates 1857-1909
The school traces its roots to 1852 when Racine High School,[2] one of the first public schools in Wisconsin, opened. In 1926, the Racine School Board decided to replace Racine High School with a new school that eventually became Park. The new Washington Park High School opened in 1928. The north side of Racine also received its own high school the same year when land donated by the malted milk magnate William Horlick was used by the Racine School board for another high school named in Horlick's honor.
The school building was designed by the Racine architect J. Mandor Matson.[3] The school mascot is the panther.
Much of the history and memorabilia (including art, awards and traditions) from Racine High School were moved to Park. The statue of Joan of Arc that was donated by the Racine High School Class of 1904 is displayed in Park's foyer. The school's newspaper, The Beacon (a reference to Racine's Wind Point Lighthouse), and the school yearbookKipikawi (a Native American name for the Root River), were also both carried over from Racine High School.
Park has a long-standing rivalry with William Horlick athletic teams, known locally as "The Great Rivalry" or more informally as "Park/Horlick". The rivalry began in 1928, when the two schools opened. The rivalry is most notable between the schools' football teams who have played at least once every year since 1928.[4]
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