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Airport Versus Lower Richland High School Football Columbia South Carolina

High school in Columbia, South Carolina, United States

Dreher High School
Dreher High School front.JPG
Location

3319 Millwood Avenue


Columbia

,

South Carolina

United States

Coordinates 33°59′56″N 80°59′37″W  /  33.99889°N 80.99361°W  / 33.99889; -80.99361 Coordinates: 33°59′56″N 80°59′37″W  /  33.99889°N 80.99361°W  / 33.99889; -80.99361
Information
Type High school
Established 1938
School district Richland County School District One
Principal Kevin Hasinger
Staff 74.00 (FTE)[1]
Grades 9–12
Enrollment 1,184 (2018–19)[1]
Student to teacher ratio 16.00[1]
Color(s) Royal blue and white
Mascot Blue Devil
Newspaper The Blueprint
Affiliation Public
Website www.richlandone.org/Domain/47

Dreher High School is a co-educational four-year public high school in Richland County School District One located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States. Dreher, established in 1938, is one of the oldest public high schools in South Carolina.[2] In 2020, Dreher was ranked the 6th best high school in South Carolina and 1,062nd in national rankings by U.S. News & World Report.[3]

History [edit]

D. Leon McCormac served as the first principal of Dreher from 1938 to 1947

In 1938, the third high school in Columbia was completed. It was built at 701 Adger Road on a ten-acre lot, which at one time was part of Governor Wade Hampton's estate, purchased for $25,000 from Burrell D. Manning. Construction of the new building was completed by the Mechanics Contracting Company at a cost of $239,306. The new school was named for Ernest S. Dreher, who served as the second superintendent of Columbia City Schools from 1895 to 1918. Mr. Dreher was also responsible for the building initiative that led to the construction of Columbia and Booker T. Washington High Schools.[2]

The first principal, D. Leon McCormac, and five faculty members formulated the organization of the new school. Doors to the first facility opened in 1938, with a faculty of 30 and 651 students in grades 9–12. The first 123 students graduated in 1939. A new auditorium, the south wing, was completed in 1954. With the completion of this wing, Dreher was an enclosed facility with a central courtyard. Through the efforts of several classes, the courtyard became a focal point of the school, complete with statuary and a fountain. From the air, the Dreher complex had a block "D" appearance.

In 1962, Dreher became the first school in Columbia to offer Russian as a foreign-language class. Two years later the first black students to enroll at Dreher were Oliver Washington and Brenda Fruster, as part of the Freedom of Choice plan in 1964. Both went on to graduate from Dreher in 1968.[2]

SCETV [edit]

thumb Dewey Gentry (L) observes Henry J. Cauthen (R), technical director, switching equipment of the closed-circuit ETV Experiment in 1958 at Dreher

In 1958, the S. C. General Assembly authorized an experiment in use of television to teach with closed-circuit instructional productions originating from the library at Dreher High School. R. Lynn Kalmbach was principal. In one of the first programs, Dreher teacher, Lucille Turney-High taught French. The S. C. Educational Television Commission (SCETV) was created by the General Assembly in 1960 and SCETV moved from Dreher several blocks away. Dreher's principal was named its first president. R. Lynn Kalmbach died in 1965. SCETV's Columbia transmitter, WRLK was named for Kalmbach, as well as Dreher's original gymnasium until renaming in 2002.

New building [edit]

In November 2002, a $381 million bond referendum[4] passed for school construction in Richland District One.[5] The original Dreher High School complex had been in existence for sixty-four years. The condition of the physical plant, the inadequacies of space and classroom size, as well as the technological shortfalls of the old school made the construction of a new facility necessary.

Construction began in June 2005. Construction continued for two years followed by the demolition of the old school from June 7 until August 8. Occupancy of the new facilities took place on August 16, 2007, with a new address of 3319 Millwood Avenue.

The new $42,000,000[5] complex has 80,000 more square feet of floor space, a large commons area, a 2,000-seat air competition gymnasium, classrooms, meeting facilities, a Navy JROTC suite, arts facilities, an auditorium and a media center. Athletic facilities were added at Memorial Stadium. Parking for students and staff is provided on campus. The architecture reflects the tradition of the old school including an interior courtyard with the dolphin fountain and other artifacts. The new school incorporates a covered seating area, a wall built from bricks of the old building with some of its seals and plaques and a lamppost donated by alumni.[5] Additional reminders of Dreher's proud past include statuary and the extensive art gallery (professional and student works) that was accumulated through the efforts of various school organizations, graduating classes, and donations from many benefactors.[6]

The school has 1,302 enrolled student and is classified AAA by the SCHSL.

Student numbers [edit]

  • 1938 - 651
  • 1941 - 854
  • 1957 - 1,278
  • 2001 - 1,246
  • 2009 - 1,302
  • 2017 - 1,583
  • The smallest graduating class at Dreher came in 1948, when 41 students graduated.
  • The largest graduating class was 1960, when 453 students graduated.
  • In its first 60 years Dreher has graduated more than 15,000 students and produced more than 300 National Merit Scholarship Finalists.[2]

Academics [edit]

Dreher annually boasts some of the best AP, SAT and ACT scores in the state.

In 2000 Dreher's feeder school, Hand Middle School, was awarded by Time magazine one of three Schools of the Year and was favorably covered in a feature article.[7]

Academic honors [edit]

America's Best High Schools by Newsweek [8]

  • 2008, 2009, 2010

Palmetto Gold Award

  • Winner: 2007-08[9]

Red Carpet School

  • 2005[9]

Flagship School of Promise

  • 2005[9]

Non-athletic titles [edit]

Dreher has a tradition of excellence in Debate including former National Forensic League Debate championship by Jean H. Toal and Susan Copenhaver.

In 1997 Dreher's production of Waiting for the Parade starring Anna Camp won the South Carolina Theater Association competition and represented South Carolina at the South East Regional Theater Competition in Birmingham, Alabama.

Athletics [edit]

The Dreher athletics mascot is the Blue Devil. They compete in SCHSL Region 4-4A with AC Flora, Lakewood, Crestwood, Lower Richland, and Orangeburg-Wilkinson. Boys' sports at Dreher include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, soccer, swimming, tennis, track, latin club, and wrestling.

Girls' sports at Dreher include basketball, cheerleading, cross country, track, golf, soccer, softball, swimming, volleyball, and tennis.

In 2001 and 2003 the girls' basketball team won the AAA Basketball State Championship at the Colonial Life Arena, while falling in the 2002 Championship to York. In winter 2009 and 2010, both boys' and girls' basketball teams won the Region V AAA Championships on their way to undefeated Region seasons.

Dreher's football and soccer teams play at Memorial Stadium located across the street from the Columbia Owens Downtown Airport in the Rosewood neighborhood. Adjacent to Memorial Stadium are the newly built baseball and softball stadiums, along with a new track and field pitch. In September 2007 Dreher was defeated by its crosstown rival Lower Richland 35-21 in football snapping LR's 32-game losing streak.

Recently, boys' and girls' track and cross country teams have been runner-up at the state championships or been crowned champions for AAA. In 2003 the Dreher Track Team won the AAA State Championship.

The boys' and girls' soccer teams have dominated regional soccer, both winning four championships in a row. In 2003 the Dreher girls' soccer team won the state championship. The boys' soccer team emerged victorious from the Lowerstate Finals in 1992, 1999, and 2006. On each occasion, however, they fell one game short, losing to the Riverside Warriors 4-3 in 1992 and 2-1 in 2006 and to the J.L. Mann Patriots 1-0 in 1999.

The boys' swim team has also been commanding at the regional level, boasting four consecutive undefeated seasons (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014). In 2014, the boys' 200-yard freestyle relay placed 1st at the AAA Swimming State Championships.

Athletic titles [edit]

  • Boys' football
    • State Champions: 1951, 1956, 1957, 1959
  • Boys' basketball
    • State Champions: 1956, 1957, 1961, 1963, 1979
    • Region Champions: 1979, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009
  • Girls' basketball
    • State Champions: 1969, 1981, 1994, 2001, 2003, 2012, 2014
    • Runners-up: 2002
    • Region Champions:1969, 1977, 1983, 1984, 1988, 1989, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2009, 2010
  • Track and field
    • State Champions: 2003, 2012
  • Girls' Soccer
    • State Champions: 2002, 2015
  • Boys' soccer
    • State Champions: 2019
    • Runners-up: 1999, 2006
    • Region Champions: 1968, 1976, 1977, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011
  • Boys' baseball
    • State Champions: 1969
  • Boys' wrestling
    • State Champions: 1988
  • Boys' swimming
    • State Champions: 2014

Notable alumni [edit]

Athletics [edit]

  • Tramaine Billie, former linebacker at Clemson[10]
  • Alex English, NBA Hall of Famer, Class of 1972[11]
  • Corey Jenkins, former professional football player for the Miami Dolphins and Chicago Bears as well as a first-round draft choice playing baseball for the Boston Red Sox minor league system, Class of 1995
  • Gerald Perry, former NFL offensive tackle, Class of 1983

Arts and entertainment [edit]

Chris Potter, Class of 1989

  • Anna Camp, actress; did not graduate, but attended for from 1996-1999
  • Michael Flessas, actor, Palme d'Or (Golden Palm) winning film Dancer in the Dark at the Cannes Film Festival
  • Helen Hill, artist, activist, and murder victim, Class of 1988
  • Warren Edward Johnson, or Blue Sky is a painter and artist famous for Tunnelvision, Class of 1956
  • Chris Potter, jazz saxophonist and composer, Grammy Award nominee, Class of 1989
  • Terry Rosen, jazz guitarist and radio personality, Class of 1957

Crime [edit]

  • Dylann Roof, perpetrator of the Charleston church shooting, attended briefly while he was in the 9th grade, did not graduate

Government [edit]

Kary Mullis, Class of 1962

  • Bob Coble, Columbia Mayor for over 20 years, Class of 1971[12]
  • Darrell Jackson, SC State Senator, Class of 1975
  • Alex Sanders, Former chief judge of the South Carolina Court of Appeals and 19th President of the College of Charleston, Class of 1957
  • Robert L. Sumwalt, Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board[13]
  • Jean H. Toal, Chief Justice of the South Carolina Supreme Court, Class of 1961[14]

Media [edit]

  • Kathleen Parker, Columnist, Class of 1969

Scholar/education [edit]

  • Tyrone Hayes, American biologist and professor of Integrative Biology at University of California, Berkeley, Class of 1985
  • Kary Mullis, Nobel Prize Laureate, Class of 1962[15]
  • Alex Sanders, 19th President of the College of Charleston, Class of 1964
  • Robb Willer, American social psychologist at Stanford University, Class of 1995

References [edit]

  1. ^ a b c "Dreher High". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved October 1, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d "Columbia Star".
  3. ^ https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/south-carolina/districts/richland-01/dreher-high-17700?int=bda6b8
  4. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-07-31. Retrieved 2010-07-26 . CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. ^ a b c "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-11. Retrieved 2010-07-26 . CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. ^ http://dreherrcsd1.sharpschool.com/about_us/history_of_dreher_high_school/ [ permanent dead link ]
  7. ^ "Middle Schools Of The Year: Let Them Lift Us Up: Winner Hand Middle School/Columbia, S.C." Time. 21 May 2001. Archived from the original on October 30, 2010.
  8. ^ "America's Best High Schools: The List". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
  9. ^ a b c "Dreher High School". Richland One School District. Archived from the original on 26 February 2012. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
  10. ^ "Tramaine Billie #20". Scout.com. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
  11. ^ "Alex English". NBA.com. Retrieved 21 November 2012.
  12. ^ "Coble Bio" (PDF). Central Midlands. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
  13. ^ Dulaney, Cody. "NTSB chairman heads to Columbia, his hometown. He graduated from Dreher High, USC".
  14. ^ "Chief Justice Jean Hoefer Toal". South Carolina Supreme Court. Retrieved 22 November 2012.
  15. ^ "The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1993 - Kary B. Mullis, Michael Smith". Nobelprize.org. Retrieved 22 November 2012.

External links [edit]

  • http://dreher.richlandone.org/

Airport Versus Lower Richland High School Football Columbia South Carolina

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreher_High_School