Chicopee High School (CHS) is a

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located in

Chicopee, Massachusetts Chicopee ( ) is a city located on the Connecticut River in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 55,560, making it the second-largest city in Western Massachusetts after Springfield. C ...

, United States. It serves students in grades 9 through 12. Its official school colors are maroon and gold. Its mascot is the "Pacer."

History

Construction on Chicopee High School began in 1917 to replace Central High School, which was destroyed by fire in January 1916. The new high school was built on land once occupied by the Assumption Church which itself had been destroyed by fire in 1912. Construction on the $1 million school was delayed by World War I, and CHS finally opened in September 1921. It was built in the collegiate style and faced with tapestry brick. Situated on a hill, its large front lawn featured the "keys of knowledge" outlined in shrubs. A small park and a memorial to Chicopee residents who died in World War I was constructed on an adjacent parcel. CHS featured an auditorium that seated 1000 people and the first gymnasium in any Chicopee school. The Chicopee Trade School occupied a wing of the new CHS. In 1957 a new gymnasium complex was added, featuring a basketball court and pool. The gym was later named after a former principal Henry B. Fay. The old gymnasium was converted into a cafeteria, the balcony of which was nicknamed "Baby Heaven" and was used for suspended students. Another location that earned an enduring nickname was "Cats Alley," a windowless hallway on the second floor that ran between the gymnasium and the auditorium.

Athletics

Chicopee High School teams are known as the "Pacers". *Baseball State Champions – 1961, 1962, 1963 *Football WM Champions – 1975

Notable alumni

* Phyllis St. Pierre, an actress known for ''

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References

{{authority control Buildings and structures in Chicopee, Massachusetts Educational institutions established in 1921 Public high schools in Massachusetts Schools in Chicopee, Massachusetts 1921 establishments in Massachusetts