Henry Clay High School

Henry Clay High School is named in honor of the Kentuckian and national statesman, Henry Clay. It is the oldest public high school in Lexington, Kentucky and opened on Main Street in 1928. (The Main Street location now houses the main offices of the Fayette County Public Schools system.) The school's present facility on Fontaine Road opened in 1970. The school mascot is the Blue Devil. The school colors are blue and gold.

History

In 1834 the first four-room public school was built in Lexington. It was sponsored by a man named William Morton. Seventy years later, the first four-year high school in Lexington opened on the corner of Walnut and Short Streets. This school was named Morton High School. As population increased, it was necessary for a larger high school to be built.

In 1908, $75,000 was given to build a larger facility on the grounds of the old Morton High School. Class sizes began to increase again, and in 1916 a $400,000 bond was issued for new buildings. One of the buildings that came about in this bond was the building of Lexington High School on the corner of Limestone and Fourth Street. In 1918 the building was opened for classes.

In 1927 the Board of Education granted permission for a new school to be built on East Main Street. On July 6, 1928, the Board adopted the name Henry Clay High School, requested by the Daughters of the Revolution.

That summer, Henry Clay was completed. The Herald Leader reported, "New school is planned after those used in the larger cities." Henry Clay was supposed to have all of the latest advances. "Perforated ceiling in the music room, good acoustics in the auditorium, built-in lockers with combination locks, a fire gong on each floor, ventilating shutters in the doors, double lighting system, double faced clocks, and a moving picture machine and booth in the auditorium," reported another source.

Henry Clay had been said to be one of the finest schools in the South. It had nearly 200 graduates by the end of 1929. Henry Clay High School was so successful academically and athletically that it was considered among the top 44 schools in the United States, according to the January 10, 1960 edition of The Lexington Herald.

In 1968, the Board of Education approved the plans for a 91-room location on Fontaine Road: $6.45 million was to finance the project of the new Henry Clay. In 1999 the school underwent renovation, and in 2006 a connector building was completed, joining the cafeteria to the main classroom building.

Academics

HCHS offers courses from several departments including business, career education, English, fine arts, health/physical education, mathematics, music, science, social studies, special education, and world languages. HCHS also houses the Liberal Arts Academy for gifted and talented education. 2006 Academy graduates were awarded over $4 million in college scholarship monies for their freshman college year. The graduating Academy class averaged the following: ACT, 31; SAT, 1420; GPA, 4.5. Each graduate, 7 of whom were national merit finalists, completed an average of 8 advanced placement courses as well.

Athletics

HCHS offers many varsity sports including football, baseball, volleyball (girls'), softball, golf (boys' and girls'), cross country (boys' and girls'), wrestling, track and field (boys' and girls'), cheerleading, swimming/diving (boys' and girls') and soccer (boys' and girls'). HCHS also offers hockey only as a club sport since hockey is not a sanctioned sport with the Kentucky High School Athletic Association.

Athletic State Championships	Year
Girls' Gymnastics	1975, 1976, 1978
Baseball	1973
Girls' Tennis	1986
Boys' Basketball	1918, 1919, 1920, 1922, 1924, 1983; National High School Champions 1922
Girls' Swimming	1990
Football	1981
Girls' Track	1993
Boys' Golf	1943
Girls' Golf	1989
Boys' Soccer	1991
Hockey	2004, 2006
Cheerleading	KAPOS--1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1998; NCA Nationals--1983, 1985, 1986, 1987; World Nationals--1993

Clubs/Organizations

Student organizations include Academic Team, Anchor Club, Art Club, Beta Club, Chess Club, DARE, Dance Team, Debate, Drama Club, Early Childhood Association, FBLA, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Harambee, Hockey, IMMEX, International Club, Intramurals, Literary Club, Model United Nations, National Honor Society, Newspaper, Peer Mediation Team, Philosophy Club, Quill and Scroll, SADD, Science Club, Speech, STLP, Student Council, TATU, GSA (gay straight alliance), and Yearbook.