McNair High School (Georgia)
 | This article needs to be updated. (June 2015) |
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (October 2013) |
| Ronald E. McNair High School | |
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| Address | |
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1804 Bouldercrest Road SE , 30316 | |
| Coordinates | 33°42′19″N 84°19′33″W / 33.7053°N 84.3258°W |
| Information | |
| Type | Public high school |
| Motto | "We Can and We Will Because We Must!" |
| School district | DeKalb County School System |
| Principal | Loukeisha Walker |
| Teaching staff | 49.5 (FTE) |
| Grades | 9 - 12 |
| Enrollment | 910 (2012-2013) |
| Student to teacher ratio | 18.38 |
| Color(s) | Red, grey, and white |
| Nickname | Mustangs |
| Website | School website |
| [1] | |
Ronald E. McNair High School is a public school in DeKalb County, Georgia located at 1804 Bouldercrest Road SE. Atlanta, GA 30316 Southeast of Atlanta, Georgia. The school was originally named Walker High School, but was renamed to McNair High School in 1987.
History
The school was built in 1964 and originally named after Southern Civil War Major General William H.T. Walker. William Walker was born in Augusta, GA and died 2 miles north of the High School during the Battle of Atlanta. There is a monument at the site of his death on the corner of Glenwood Ave. and Wilkinson Dr. Some of the last remaining Confederate fortifications in Grant Park, Atlanta (about 3 miles away from the HS) were renamed Fort Walker (Grant Park) in his honor. Walker High School was a "full five year" senior level high school - with their first graduating class - 8th through 12th grades - in 1969. Classes were first attended in the fall of 1966 and the class of 1969 attended Gordon High School using "split sessions" in 1964. Students graduating in 1967 were the first Walker High School graduating class. The students were from other schools that were in overflow, like Gordon High School, East Atlanta High School and Southwest DeKalb High School. The first class attending Walker High School from 8th grade to graduation (12th Grade) was the class of 1970 (335 graduates). Walker averaged about 3,500 students total - from 1967 to 1980 - with graduating classes of about 350 - 400 students per year.
The first printed annual was called The Astur and was first printed in 1966. The school paper was called The Talon and the school's colors were crimson and silver. The school's alumni from 1967 - 1987 were known as the "Walker Warhawks" and won state championships in baseball (1968),[2] wrestling (1967 - 1971),[3] and track and field. Their mascot was Thor, a red tailed hawk that lived in a 20 by 40 foot cage inside the "senior courtyard" for about 2 years. The "senior courtyard" was an open area in the center of the school and was for graduating seniors only. Thor accidentally froze to death in late 1968. Thor has been preserved - in flight - and is still held by the Class of 1973.
Walker High School had a baseball, football, wrestling, soccer and track field - and the baseball field and track were used for competitive sports. Panthersville Stadium was used for all football and soccer home games and Columbia High School's swimming pool was used as Walkers "home" pool. Basketball was played at the school's gym.
Change of name
During the mid-to-late 1980s the area that Walker High School served went from white middle-class neighborhoods to black middle-class neighborhoods. Since Walker was named after a Southern Civil War General it was deemed appropriate to rename the high school. The school was renamed McNair High School in 1987 (there are 2 McNair High Schools and 2 McNair Middle Schools in Atlanta) after the black astronaut Ronald E. McNair, who died in the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger on January 28, 1986 (McNair was from Lake City, South Carolina and is entombed there). The school colors and mascots were changed from the crimson and silver Walker Warhawks to the Red and Silver McNair Mustangs.
Notable alumni
Athletics
- Mike Ivie, Catcher - Baseball MLB
- David Whitehurst (Class of 1973) NFL quarterback
- Robert Mathis, Outside Linebacker for the Indianapolis Colts'
Business
- Dean Alford (Class of 1971) politician and businessman
Science and Engineering
- Anthony J. "Bo" Arduengo (Class of 1970) American Chemist; Professor at The University of Alabama and the Braunschweig University of Technology
Music and the Arts
- Wayne Ean Evans (Class of 1978) Musician/Songwriter. Former Lynyrd Skynyrd Bass Guitar Player.
Rich Homie Quan Singer/Songwriter rapper
References
- ^ "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for Mcnair High School". ed.gov. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
- ^ "GHSA Baseball Champions". ghsa.net. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
- ^ "GHSA Wrestling Champions". ghsa.net. Retrieved 2 June 2015.