DeWitt Clinton High School
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, motto_translation = Without Work Nothing Is Accomplished , image = DeWitt Clinton High School front entrance IMG 7441 HLG.jpg , seal_image = File:Clinton News.JPG , seal_size = 124px , seal_alt = , established = , type =
Public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the ''Öffentlichk ...
high school A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
, principal = Pierre Orbe , teaching_staff = 87.80 ( FTE) (2017–18) , enrollment = 1,228 (2017–18) , us_nces_school_id = , ratio = 13.99 (2017–18) , grades = 912 , team name =
Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
s , colors = Red
black , streetaddress = 100 West Mosholu Parkway South , city =
The Bronx The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...
, zipcode = 10468 , state = New York , country = USA , newspaper = The Clinton News , yearbook = Clintonian , website = , coordinates = DeWitt Clinton High School is a public high school located since 1929 in
The Bronx The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...
, New York. Opened in 1897 in Lower Manhattan as an all-boys school, it maintained that status for 86 years. In 1983 it became co-ed. From its original building on West 13th Street in Manhattan, it moved in 1906 to its second home, located at 59th Street and Tenth Avenue (now the site of the
John Jay College of Criminal Justice The John Jay College of Criminal Justice (John Jay) is a public college focused on criminal justice and located in New York City. It is a senior college of the City University of New York (CUNY). John Jay was founded as the only liberal arts ...
). In 1929 the school moved to its present home on
Mosholu Parkway Mosholu Parkway is a hybrid freeway-standard parkway and grade-level roadway in the New York City borough of the Bronx, constructed from 1935 to 1937 as part of the roadway network created under Robert Moses. The roadway extends for between the N ...
in The Bronx. After more than a century of operations, producing a raft of accomplished alumni, DeWitt Clinton High School in the early 21st century has faced serious problems involving student performance and security.


History


Manhattan history

Clinton opened in 1897 at 60 West 13th Street at the northern end of
Greenwich Village Greenwich Village ( , , ) is a neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 14th Street to the north, Broadway to the east, Houston Street to the south, and the Hudson River to the west. Greenwich Village ...
under the name of Boys High School,Jackson, Kenneth T. ''The Encyclopedia of New York City'', The New York Historical Society; Yale University Press; 1995. p.332. although this Boys High School was not related to the one in
Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...
. This school was renamed for former New York governor DeWitt Clinton in 1900. In 1906, it moved to a newly constructed building on Tenth Avenue between 58th Street and 59th Street in the
Hell's Kitchen Hell's Kitchen, also known as Clinton, is a neighborhood on the West Side of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is considered to be bordered by 34th Street (or 41st Street) to the south, 59th Street to the north, Eighth Avenue to the ea ...
neighborhood—the same year as the opening of the nearby
DeWitt Clinton Park DeWitt Clinton Park is a New York City public park in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, between West 52nd and 54th Streets, and Eleventh and Twelfth Avenues. The park, which was one of the first New York City parks ...
where students farmed plots in what was the first
community garden A community garden is a piece of land gardened or cultivated by a group of people individually or collectively. Normally in community gardens, the land is divided into individual plots. Each individual gardener is responsible for their own plo ...
in New York. The school's H-shaped building, designed by
C. B. J. Snyder Charles B. J. Snyder (November 4, 1860 – November 14, 1945) was an American architect, architectural engineer, and mechanical engineer in the field of urban school building design and construction. He is widely recognized for his leadership, i ...
, was said to be the biggest high school building in the United States at the time. After the school moved to the Bronx, this building became
Haaren High School Haaren High School was an American high school located in Midtown Manhattan, New York. The school was noted for its vocational program including classes focusing on internal combustion engines. The facility was constructed in 1903 to house DeWi ...
. It is now Haaren Hall on the campus of the
John Jay College of Criminal Justice The John Jay College of Criminal Justice (John Jay) is a public college focused on criminal justice and located in New York City. It is a senior college of the City University of New York (CUNY). John Jay was founded as the only liberal arts ...
. Until a high school education became compulsory in the early 1930s, Clinton, like all other public schools in the city, had a Classics Department, where Greek and
Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
were taught. Perhaps its most famous teacher was history teacher Dr. Irwin Guernsey, known to generations of students as "Doc" Guernsey. He came to Clinton in the fall of 1914 and retired in the spring of 1959, due to illness. A cripple with two "Irish" canes, he taught from the chair and won twice in his lifetime the title of Master Teacher in New York City. He was also head of the Honors Association, Arista. The History wing is named "Guernsey Hall" in his memory, and one can still see the library cart named "Doc's Special" on which he sat while students wheeled him to class during the last years of his tenure when he was sick.


The Bronx history

The school moved to a new building on a campus at 100 West
Mosholu Parkway Mosholu Parkway is a hybrid freeway-standard parkway and grade-level roadway in the New York City borough of the Bronx, constructed from 1935 to 1937 as part of the roadway network created under Robert Moses. The roadway extends for between the N ...
South and East 205th Street in the Bedford Park section of the
Bronx The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...
in 1929, where it has remained. Paul Avenue, which runs to the side of the school from Mosholu Parkway to Lehman College, is named after a DeWitt Clinton High School principal, Dr. Paul. It was under this principal that the school moved to its current location in the Bronx. In the 1930s, its enrollment peaked at 12,000 and it was said to be the largest high school in the world. Enrollment by 1999 was about 4,000. In 2021, the
New York City Department of Education The New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) is the department of the government of New York City that manages the city's public school system. The City School District of the City of New York (or the New York City Public Schools) is t ...
reports 1,118 students. It remained the last gender-segregated public school in New York City until 1983. In 1996, Clinton was selected by '' Redbook'' magazine as one of the five most improved schools in America. In 1999, '' U.S. News & World Report'' designated Clinton as one of 96 outstanding schools in America. In 1999, Geraldine Ambrosio became the first woman to hold the principal's post at the school. The school qualifies for government aid because of the low income status of its students. As of 2006, the school has a large Hispanic population, followed by African-Americans, Asians,
non-Hispanic Whites Non-Hispanic whites or Non-Latino whites are Americans who are classified as "white", and are not of Hispanic (also known as "Latino") heritage. The United States Census Bureau defines ''white'' to include European Americans, Middle Eastern Ame ...
, and
Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...
ns. Clinton received poor evaluations from the
New York City Department of Education The New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE) is the department of the government of New York City that manages the city's public school system. The City School District of the City of New York (or the New York City Public Schools) is t ...
in its 2010–11 Progress Report. It received a grade of F (39.4 out of 100) with the worst marks in school environment and closing the achievement gap. The Quality Report for the academic year 2011-12 rated the school as "underdeveloped", its lowest rating. It particularly faulted the school for failing to design "engaging, rigorous and coherent curricula" and for failing to ensure that teaching was "aligned to the curriculum, engaging, and differentiated to enable all students to produce meaningful work products." In 2013, to address these issues, the city's Department of Education tapped Santiago Taveras, one of its former deputy chancellors, as the school's principal to replace the retiring Ambrosio. In November 2016, after Department of Education investigators found evidence of grade tampering, Taveras was removed as principal.


Organization-houses and small learning communities

Clinton is split into several small learning communities. They include the Macy Honors Gifted Program (internally often called the Macy House), Health Professions, Veterinary Professions, Public Service, Business Enterprise, Future Educators, Academy House, and Varsity House. The Macy Program, begun in 1985 with funding from the Macy Foundation,Lakhman, Marina
"Making it Work; F's to A's in the Bronx"
''The New York Times'', March 14, 1999.
attracts intelligent, hard-working children and preparing them for exceptionally selective colleges. The Macy program has been expanded to serve 1,200 students. The current Macy coordinator is Ernesta Consolazio. The Macy Honors Gifted Program in the Sciences and Humanities has its own teachers, and a nine-period day compared to the regular New York City eight-period day. The program offers Specialized and Advanced Technology (SMT) courses, Science, Math, English, Law, Government, Philosophy and
Great Books A classic is a book accepted as being exemplary or particularly noteworthy. What makes a book "classic" is a concern that has occurred to various authors ranging from Italo Calvino to Mark Twain and the related questions of "Why Read the Cl ...
. All students in the program are required to have a minimum average of 80 and not to fail any courses. When Macy students are removed from the program, they are placed in Excel, a special Macy-run program just for its kick-outs and drop-outs, before being fully demoted to the lower programs. From at least 1998 to 2002 some students went directly into the Excel program. Advanced Macy students are invited to join the even more selective Einstein Program, which has about 50 students in each grade. This program has even more rigorous academic performance requirements. Einstein students in their junior year are required to take a College Now course for philosophy and government science, in their first and second semester, respectively. These courses allow students to earn college credits. Einstein students are automatically assigned to honors and AP classes as early as freshman year, followed by the mandatory AP United States History and AP English Language for Einstein students who make it to their junior year. Many Macy students are invited to MASTERS, a month-long summer program that offers many hands-on college courses emphasizing mathematics and science. These include Forensic Science, Robotics, Anatomy, Business, Consumer Chemistry and Electricity.


Student organizations

The school has over 40 academic and interest clubs. ''The Clinton News'', the school's newspaper, is written and managed by its students. However, like many other outstanding Clinton possessions, ''The Clinton News'' publishes several multi-page full color papers a year by a grant from the Christian A. Johnson Endeavour Foundation. Another Clinton High School publication is ''The Magpie''. Published yearly, the historic color edition of this magazine came out May 2007. This literary collection received the most attention for its association with the Harlem Renaissance.


Sports

DeWitt Clinton teams are known as the
Governors A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
; there are approximately 35 teams. Some teams no longer exist, such as fencing and rifle. Teams for the 2007–2008 school year included: *Baseball: boys' varsity, boys' JV *Basketball: boys' varsity, boys' JV, girls' varsity, girls' JV *Bowling: boys' varsity, girls' varsity *Cricket: co-ed *Cross country: boys' varsity, girls' varsity *Football: boys' varsity, boys' JV *Golf: girls' varsity *Gymnastics: boys' varsity, girls' varsity *Handball: girls' varsity *Indoor track: boys' varsity, girls' varsity *Outdoor track: boys' varsity, girls' varsity *Soccer: boys' varsity, girls' varsity *Softball: girls' varsity, girls' JV *Step: girls *Swimming: boys' varsity, girls' varsity *Tennis: boys' varsity, girls' varsity *Volleyball: boys' varsity, girls' varsity *Wrestling: boys' varsity The cricket team's formation was encouraged by the large number of South Asians.


School facilities

DeWitt Clinton High School is located at 100 West Mosholu Parkway South. It dominates the entire block, excluding the ground at the south where the
Bronx High School of Science The Bronx High School of Science, commonly called Bronx Science, is a public specialized high school in The Bronx in New York City. It is operated by the New York City Department of Education. Admission to Bronx Science involves passing the Sp ...
is situated. Facing the main entrance of the building, Paul Avenue runs to the east and Goulden Avenue to the west. The school faces Mosholu Parkway, and has its turf field and track behind it, followed by the softball field, and then the school's baseball and grass football field, Alumni Field. It is after this point that DeWitt Clinton's territory ends, meeting that of Bronx Science. Clinton has a small branch of Montefiore Medical Clinic within it, capable of supplying essential services to the students of the campus. The ceiling of a hallway had a 1930s mural by Alfred Floegel called "Constellations", a part of the
Federal Art Project The Federal Art Project (1935–1943) was a New Deal program to fund the visual arts in the United States. Under national director Holger Cahill, it was one of five Federal Project Number One projects sponsored by the Works Progress Administrati ...
. In 2018 the mural was painted over accidentally as part of a roof repair.


In the media

The institution was featured in ''A Walk Through The Bronx'' with David Hartman and historian Barry Lewis. In it, Hartman and Lewis take a peek at the library. The DeWitt Clinton Chorus performed songs in the 2000 production, ''Finding Forrester''. A book has been written about the school: Clintonites made headlines and New York City School history in September 2005, when they
walked out In labor disputes, a walkout is a labor strike, the act of employees collectively leaving the workplace and withholding labor as an act of protest. A walkout can also mean the act of leaving a place of work, school, a meeting, a company, or an ...
. The 1,500 strong walk out was a result of the installation of metal detectors.


Notable alumni

*
Don Adams Donald James Yarmy (April 13, 1923 – September 25, 2005), known professionally as Don Adams, was an American actor. In his five decades on television, he was best known as Maxwell Smart (Agent 86) in the television situation comedy '' G ...
(1923–2005), actor, best known for his work in the TV series ''
Get Smart ''Get Smart'' is an American comedy television series parodying the secret agent genre that had become widely popular in the first half of the 1960s, with the release of the ''James Bond'' films. It was created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, an ...
'' *
Lincoln Alexander Lincoln MacCauley Alexander (January 21, 1922 – October 19, 2012) was a Canadian lawyer who became the first Black Canadian member of Parliament in the House of Commons, the first Black federal Cabinet Minister (as federal Minister of Labou ...
(1922–2012),
Lieutenant Governor of Ontario The lieutenant governor of Ontario (, in French: ''Lieutenant-gouverneur'' (if male) or ''Lieutenante-gouverneure'' (if female) ''de l'Ontario'') is the viceregal representative in Ontario of the , who operates distinctly within the province bu ...
and first black Canadian
Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members o ...
. William Roth Medal Recipient *
Charles Alston Charles Henry Alston (November 28, 1907 – April 27, 1977) was an American painter, sculptor, illustrator, muralist and teacher who lived and worked in the New York City neighborhood of Harlem. Alston was active in the Harlem Renaissance; A ...
(1907–1977), artist, muralist (class of 1925) * Robert Altman (class of 1961) *
Allan Arbus Allan Franklin Arbus (February 15, 1918 – April 19, 2013) was an American actor and photographer. He was the former husband of photographer Diane Arbus. He is known for his role as psychiatrist Dr. Sidney Freedman on the CBS television series ...
(1918–2013), actor (class of 1933) *
Nate Archibald Nathaniel "Tiny" Archibald (born September 2, 1948) is an American retired professional basketball player. He spent 14 years playing in the National Basketball Association (NBA), most notably with the Cincinnati Royals/Kansas City–Omaha Kings ...
(born 1948), Hall of Fame basketball player (class of 1966) * Ben Auerbach (1919–1993), professional basketball player *
Richard Avedon Richard Avedon (May 15, 1923 – October 1, 2004) was an American fashion and portrait photographer. He worked for ''Harper's Bazaar'', ''Vogue'' and ''Elle'' specializing in capturing movement in still pictures of fashion, theater and danc ...
(1923–2004), photographer (class of 1941)Staff
"Richard Avedon"
''
The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was f ...
'', October 2, 2004. Accessed September 14, 2009. "He also edited the school magazine at DeWitt Clinton High, on which the black American writer James Baldwin was literary editor."
*
William Axt William Axt (April 19, 1888 – February 13, 1959) was an American composer of nearly two hundred film scores. Life and career Born in New York City, Axt graduated from DeWitt Clinton High School in The Bronx and studied at the National Conservat ...
(1888–1959), film composer, ''The Thin Man'' (1935) (class of 1905) * Sanjay Ayre (born 1980), runner (including silver medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics in the 4 x 400 meters relay) (class of 1999) * Harold Baer (1905–1987), Justice, New York State Supreme Court (class of 1923) * James Baldwin (1924–1987), writer (class of 1942)Lester, Julius
"Afterglow; BALDWIN Early Novels and Stories By James Baldwin Edited by Toni Morrison; The Library of America; Volume I: 970 pp., $35; Volume II: 870 pp., $35"
''Los Angeles Times'', February 15, 1998. Accessed September 15, 2009. "He attended New York's prestigious DeWitt Clinton High, where his classmates included writers Emile Capouya and Sol Stein and photographer Richard Avedon. He graduated in 1942 and, upon the death of his stepfather a year later, moved to Greenwich Village."
*
Martin Balsam Martin Henry Balsam (November 4, 1919 – February 13, 1996) was an American actor. He had a prolific career in character roles in film, in theatre, and on television. An early member of the Actors Studio, he began his career on the New Yo ...
(1919–1996), actor (class of 1938) *
Romare Bearden Romare Bearden (September 2, 1911 – March 12, 1988) was an American artist, author, and songwriter. He worked with many types of media including cartoons, oils, and collages. Born in Charlotte, North Carolina, Bearden grew up in New York City a ...
(1911–1988), artist (1925–1928) *
David Begelman David Begelman (August 26, 1921 – August 7, 1995) was an American film producer, film executive and talent agent who was involved in a studio embezzlement scandal in the 1970s. Life and career Begelman was born to a Jewish family in New Yo ...
(1921–1995), President of Columbia Pictures (class of 1938) * Elliott V. Bell (1902–1983), former editor and publisher of ''
BusinessWeek ''Bloomberg Businessweek'', previously known as ''BusinessWeek'', is an American weekly business magazine published fifty times a year. Since 2009, the magazine is owned by New York City-based Bloomberg L.P. The magazine debuted in New York City ...
,'' Superintendent of Banks for the State of New York under
Thomas E. Dewey Thomas Edmund Dewey (March 24, 1902 – March 16, 1971) was an American lawyer, prosecutor, and politician who served as the 47th governor of New York from 1943 to 1954. He was the Republican candidate for president in 1944 and 1948: although ...
*
Lou Bender Louis "Lulu" Bender (March 8, 1910 – September 10, 2009)Mallozzii, Vincent M ''The New York Times'', September 12, 2009. Accessed September 13, 2009. was an American basketball player who helped turn the sport into a popular success in New Yo ...
(1910–2009), pioneer player with the
Columbia Lions The Columbia University Lions are the collective athletic teams and their members from Columbia University, an Ivy League institution in New York City, United States. The current director of athletics is Peter Pilling. Ivy League athletics Th ...
and in early pro basketball; later a successful trial attorney *
Ira Berlin Ira Berlin (May 27, 1941 – June 5, 2018) was an American historian, professor of history at the University of Maryland, and former president of Organization of American Historians. Berlin is the author of such books as ''Many Thousands Gone: ...
(1941–2018), historian, author (class of 1959) *
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(1905–1996), film producer (class of 1923) *
Edward Bernays Edward Louis Bernays ( , ; November 22, 1891 − March 9, 1995) was an American theorist, considered a pioneer in the field of public relations and propaganda, and referred to in his obituary as "the father of public relations". His best-known ca ...
(1891–1995), "father of public relations" (class of 1908) * Robert Blackburn (1920–2003), artist * A Boogie wit da Hoodie (born 1995), artist, rapper *
Pedro Borbón Jr. Pedro Félix Borbón Marte (born November 15, 1967), generally known as Pedro Borbón Jr., is a Dominican former professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for five teams, over nine seasons. Borbón was mainly a reli ...
(born 1967), professional baseball pitcher (class of 1985) * Robert Butler, M.D. (1927 –2010), winner of the
Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction The Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction is one of the seven American Pulitzer Prizes that are awarded annually for the "Letters, Drama, and Music" category. The award is given to a nonfiction book written by an American author and published duri ...
in 1976 (class of 1944)Columbia University "1976 Winners"
'' Pulitzer Prize'', 1976. Accessed May 28, 2012.
*
Ron Canada Ronald Ellis Canada (born May 3, 1949) is an American actor with a specialty in portraying judges and detectives. He is best known for '' One on One'' (2001–2004), ''The Shield'' (2003–2004), and '' Lone Star'' (1996). Career Following ...
, actor (class of 1966) winner of Emmy 1977, A.P.Broadcasters Award 1978, IMDB https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0133474/?ref_=nmmi_mi_nm *
B. Gerald Cantor Bernard Gerald Cantor (December 17, 1916 – July 3, 1996) was the founder and chairman of securities firm Cantor Fitzgerald. Career Cantor's parents were Rose (née Delson) and Julius Cantor, Jewish immigrants from Belarus. Born in the Bronx ...
(1916–1996), founder of
Cantor Fitzgerald Cantor Fitzgerald, L.P. is an American financial services firm that was founded in 1945. It specializes in institutional equity, fixed income sales and trading, and serving the middle market with investment banking services, prime brokerage, an ...
(class of 1934) * Richard Carmona (born 1949), former Surgeon General of the United States, dropped out at age 16 * Al Casey (1915–2005), jazz guitarist (class of 1931) *
Gilbert Cates Gilbert Cates (né Katz; June 6, 1934 – October 31, 2011) was an American film director and television producer, director of the Geffen Playhouse, a member of Cates/Doty Productions, and founding dean of the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Te ...
(1934–2011), producer of
Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
telecasts (class of 1951) *
Paddy Chayefsky Sidney Aaron "Paddy" Chayefsky (January 29, 1923 – August 1, 1981) was an American playwright, screenwriter and novelist. He is the only person to have won three solo Academy Awards for writing both adapted and original screenplays. He was ...
(1923–1981), screenwriter (class of 1939) *
Richard Condon Richard Thomas Condon (March 18, 1915 – April 9, 1996) was an American political novelist. Though his works were satire, they were generally transformed into thrillers or semi-thrillers in other media, such as cinema. All 26 books were writte ...
(1915–1996), author, ''
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'', ''
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'' (class of 1933) *
Avery Corman Avery Corman (born November 28, 1935)"Avery Corman." ''Contemporary Authors Online''. 2015. Gale. Retrieved via ''Biography in Context'' database, 2019-04-14. is an American novelist. He is known for the books ''Oh, God!'' (1971) and ''Kramer Ver ...
(born 1935), author, ''Kramer vs. Kramer'', ''Oh, God!'' (class of 1952) Wasserstein, Wendy
"Theater, A Place They'd Never Been: the Theater"
''The New York Times'', June 20, 1999. Accessed September 15, 2009. "DeWitt Clinton High School, named for the 19th-century New York mayor and governor, is the alma mater of the comedian Robert Klein, the designer Ralph Lauren and the writers James Baldwin and Avery Corman."
*
Frank Corsaro Frank Corsaro (December 22, 1924, New York City, New York – November 11, 2017, Suwanee, GeorgiaRobert ViagasNight of the Iguana Director Frank Corsaro Is Dead at 92/ref>) was one of America's foremost stage directors of opera and theatre. His Bro ...
(1924–2017), stage and opera director (class of 1942) *
Salvatore A. Cotillo Salvatore Albert Cotillo (November 19, 1886 – July 27, 1939) was an Italian-born New York lawyer, Democratic Party politician and judge. Elected in 1912, he was the first Italian-American to serve in both houses of the New York State Legislatu ...
(1886–1939), Italian-born New York lawyer and politician; first Italian-American to serve in both houses of the
New York State Legislature The New York State Legislature consists of the two houses that act as the state legislature of the U.S. state of New York: The New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly. The Constitution of New York does not designate an officia ...
and the first to serve as Justice of the
New York State Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the State of New York is the trial-level court of general jurisdiction in the New York State Unified Court System. (Its Appellate Division is also the highest intermediate appellate court.) It is vested with unlimited civ ...
Justice Cotillo Dead Here at 53
''The New York Times'', July 28, 1939
* Ellis Cousens (born 1935), Executive VP and CFO of John Wiley & Sons (class of 1970) *
Milton Cross Milton John Cross (April 16, 1897 – January 3, 1975) was an American radio announcer famous for his work on the NBC and ABC radio networks. He was best known as the voice of the Metropolitan Opera, hosting its Saturday afternoon radio broadca ...
(1897–1975),
Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts The Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts are a regular series of weekly broadcasts on network radio of full-length opera performances. They are transmitted live from the stage of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. The Metropolitan Opera In ...
announcer (class of 1915) *
George Cukor George Dewey Cukor (; July 7, 1899 – January 24, 1983) was an American film director and film producer. He mainly concentrated on comedies and literary adaptations. His career flourished at RKO when David O. Selznick, the studio's Head ...
(1899–1983), film director (class of 1917) *
Countee Cullen Countee Cullen (born Countee LeRoy Porter; May 30, 1903 – January 9, 1946) was an American poet, novelist, children's writer, and playwright, particularly well known during the Harlem Renaissance. Early life Childhood Countee LeRoy Porter ...
(born Countee LeRoy Porter, 1903–1946), poet (class of 1922) *
Lloyd Cutler Lloyd Norton Cutler (November 10, 1917 – May 8, 2005) was an American attorney who served as White House Counsel during the Democratic administrations of Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. Early life and education Cutler was born ...
(1917–2005) attorney, counsel to US presidents (class of 1932) * Pedro de Cordoba (1881–1950), actor (class of 1900) * Charles DeLisi (born 1941), scientist, "often hailed as the father of the human genome project" (class of 1959) *
Peter De Rose Peter DeRose (or De Rose) (March 10, 1896 – April 23, 1953) was an American composer of jazz and pop music during the era of Tin Pan Alley. Biography A native of New York City, he showed a gift for all things musical at an early age. He lea ...
, composer (class of 1917) *
Dean Dixon Charles Dean Dixon (January 10, 1915November 3, 1976) was an American conductor. Career Dixon was born in the upper-Manhattan neighborhood of Harlem in New York City to parents who had earlier migrated from the Caribbean. He studied conducting ...
, first black conductor of the New York Philharmonic (class of 1932) *
DJ Red Alert Frederick Crute (born November 27, 1956), known professionally as Kool DJ Red Alert, is an American disc jockey who rose to fame on WRKS 98.7 Kiss FM in New York City and is recognized as one of the founding fathers of hip hop music and cultur ...
, impresario (class of 1974) * George Duvivier, bass player (class of 1937) *
Fred Ebb Fred Ebb (April 8, 1928 – September 11, 2004) was an American musical theatre lyricist who had many successful collaborations with composer John Kander. The Kander and Ebb team frequently wrote for such performers as Liza Minnelli and Chita Riv ...
, lyricist (class of 1944) *
Will Eisner William Erwin Eisner (March 6, 1917 – January 3, 2005) was an American cartoonist, writer, and entrepreneur. He was one of the earliest cartoonists to work in the American comic book industry, and his series '' The Spirit'' (1940–1952) was no ...
, "father of the modern graphic novel" (class of 1936) *
Eliot Elisofon Eliot Elisofon (April 17, 1911 – April 7, 1973) was an American documentary photographer and photojournalist. Life From the Lower East Side in New York City, Elisofon graduated from DeWitt Clinton High School in 1929 and Fordham University in ...
, photographer (class of 1929) * Eugene Emond, World War II B-17 pilot and Officer of the New York Federal Reserve (class of 1928) *
Edward S. Feldman Edward S. Feldman (September 5, 1929 – October 2, 2020) was an American film and television producer. Biography Born and raised in The Bronx, where he attended DeWitt Clinton High School, Feldman graduated from Michigan State University, afte ...
, film producer, ''Witness'', ''The Truman Show'' (class of 1944) *
Herbert Fields Herbert Fields (July 26, 1897March 24, 1958) was an American librettist and screenwriter. Biography Born in New York City, Fields began his career as an actor, then graduated to choreography and stage direction before turning to writing. From 1 ...
, playwright and screenwriter (class of 1916) *
Joseph Fields Joseph Albert Fields (February 21, 1895 – March 4, 1966)According to the State of California. ''California Death Index, 1940–1997''. Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento, Californiaancestry.com/ ...
, playwright and screenwriter (class of 1913) *
Bill Finger Milton "Bill" Finger (February 8, 1914 – January 18, 1974) was an American comic strip, comic book, film and television writer who was the co-creator (with Bob Kane) of the DC Comics character Batman. Despite making major (sometimes, signatur ...
, author, co-creator of Batman (class of 1933) * Avery Fisher, electronics pioneer (class of 1924) * Bernie Fliegel, early professional basketball player (class of 1934) *
Bruce Jay Friedman The English language name Bruce arrived in Scotland with the Normans, from the place name Brix, Manche in Normandy, France, meaning "the willowlands". Initially promulgated via the descendants of king Robert the Bruce (1274−1329), it has been ...
(born 1930), novelist, playwright and screenwriter *
Ace Frehley Paul Daniel "Ace" Frehley (; born April 27, 1951) is an American musician, best known as the original lead guitarist and co-founding member of the hard rock band Kiss. He invented the persona of The Spaceman (a.k.a. Space Ace) and played wit ...
,
KISS A kiss is the touch or pressing of one's lips against another person or an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sexual attraction, ...
co-founder and lead guitarist (did not graduate) *
Budd Friedman Gerson Merton Friedman (June 6, 1932 – November 12, 2022), known professionally as Budd Friedman, was an American actor and comedian, as well as the founder and original proprietor and MC of the Improvisation Comedy Club, which opened in 19 ...
, IMPROV founder (class of 1951) * Julius J. Gans, lawyer, politician, and judge * Frank D. Gilroy, Pulitzer Prize playwright (class of 1943) *
Leo Gottlieb Leo "Ace" Gottlieb (November 28, 1920 – August 16, 1972) was an American professional basketball player. Early and personal life Gottlieb, who was Jewish, was born in New York City, New York. He attended DeWitt Clinton High School in The Bron ...
, New York Knicks basketball player (class of 1938) * George Graff Jr., songwriter, "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" (class of 1903) * Bill Graham (1931–1991), rock promoter (class of 1949) * Luther Green, NBA basketball player *
Adolph Green Adolph Green (December 2, 1914 – October 23, 2002) was an American lyricist and playwright who, with long-time collaborator Betty Comden, penned the screenplays and songs for some of the most beloved film musicals, particularly as part of Ar ...
, lyricist, screenwriter (class of 1932) * George Gregory Jr., first black All-American college basketball player; New York City official (class of 1927) * George Gresham, president, 1199 SEIU United Healthcare Workers East (class of 1973) *
Ernest A. Gross Ernest A. Gross (September 23, 1906 – May 2, 1999) was a United States diplomat and lawyer who headed the U.S. delegation to the United Nations in the lead-up to the Korean War. Biography Ernest A. Gross was born in Brooklyn on September 23, ...
(1906–1999), diplomat (class of 1922) *
Sam Gross Sam Gross (born August 7, 1933) is an American cartoonist, specializing in single-panel cartoons. History Born in Bronx, New York City, Gross was the son of Max and Sophie, who were Jewish immigrants to America. His mother was born in Iași, ...
, cartoonist, ''New Yorker'' magazine (class of 1950) *
Gary Gubner Gary Jay Gubner (born December 1, 1942) is an American retired heavyweight weightlifter, shot putter and discus thrower. He had his best results in weightlifting, winning two world championship medals in 1962 and 1965 and placing fourth at the ...
, shotputter and weightlifter, Olympic athlete and world record holder (class of 1960) *
Jerry Harkness Jerald B. Harkness (May 7, 1940 – August 24, 2021) was an American professional basketball player. He played for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Indiana Pacers of the American Basketball Association (ABA ...
, professional basketball player and civil rights activist (class of 1959) * Michael Hafftka, artist (class of 1971) * Arnold Hano (born 1922), writer and editor (class of 1937)Waddles, Hank
"Bronx Banter Interview: Arnold Hano"
Alex Belth Bronx Banter. September 28, 2009. Retrieved August 25, 2015. "I grew up in the Bronx and went to DeWitt Clinton High School, which is the high school at the north end of the Bronx, and we were there until I was maybe fourteen or fifteen when we moved into Manhattan. ... So I was writing at that age, and when I went to college – I started college when I was fifteen – I was going to be a doctor."
*
Hubert Harrison Hubert Henry Harrison (April 27, 1883 – December 17, 1927) was a West Indian-American writer, orator, educator, critic, race and class conscious political activist, and radical internationalist based in Harlem, New York. He was described by a ...
, writer, orator, editor, activist, and "father of Harlem Radicalism" *
Richard Heffner Richard Douglas Heffner (August 5, 1925 – December 17, 2013) was the creator and host of '' The Open Mind,'' a public affairs television show first broadcast in 1956. He was a University Professor of Communications and Public Policy at Rutgers Uni ...
, creator and host of '' The Open Mind'', historian, professor, editor of ''Democracy in America'', and former chairman of the
Motion Picture Association of America film rating system The Motion Picture Association film rating system is used in the United States and its territories to rate a motion picture's suitability for certain audiences based on its content. The system and the ratings applied to individual motion picture ...
* Tom Henderson, NBA basketball player; Olympic medal winner (silver) in 1972 (class of 1969) *
Bernard Herrmann Bernard Herrmann (born Maximillian Herman; June 29, 1911December 24, 1975) was an American composer and conductor best known for his work in composing for films. As a conductor, he championed the music of lesser-known composers. He is widely r ...
, composer (class of 1931) *
Judd Hirsch Judd Seymore Hirsch (born March 15, 1935) is an American actor. He is known for playing Alex Rieger on the television comedy series ''Taxi'' (1978–1983), John Lacey on the NBC series '' Dear John'' (1988–1992), and Alan Eppes on the CBS seri ...
, actor (class of 1952) *
Robert Hofstadter Robert Hofstadter (February 5, 1915 – November 17, 1990) was an American physicist. He was the joint winner of the 1961 Nobel Prize in Physics (together with Rudolf Mössbauer) "for his pioneering studies of electron scattering in atomic nucle ...
, 1961 Nobel Prize in Physics (class of 1931) *
Irving Howe Irving Howe (; June 11, 1920 – May 5, 1993) was an American literary and social critic and a prominent figure of the Democratic Socialists of America. Early years Howe was born as Irving Horenstein in The Bronx, New York. He was the son of ...
, author, essayist (class of 1936) *
Irving Jaffee Irving Warren Jaffee (September 15, 1906 in New York City – March 20, 1981 in San Diego, California) was an American speed skater who won two gold medals at the 1932 Winter Olympics, becoming the most successful athlete there along with h ...
, speed skater who won two gold medals at the
1932 Winter Olympics The 1932 Winter Olympics, officially known as the III Olympic Winter Games and commonly known as Lake Placid 1932, were a winter multi-sport event in the United States, held in Lake Placid, New York, United States. The games opened on February ...
(Class of 1922) *
Leo Kadanoff Leo Philip Kadanoff (January 14, 1937 – October 26, 2015) was an American physicist. He was a professor of physics (emeritus from 2004) at the University of Chicago and a former President of the American Physical Society (APS). He contributed t ...
, physicist, National Medal of Science (class of 1953) *
Bob Kane Robert Kane (born Robert Kahn ; October 24, 1915 – November 3, 1998) was an American comic book writer, animator and artist who co-created Batman (with Bill Finger) and most early related characters for DC comics. He was inducted into the comi ...
, co-creator of Batman (class of 1933) *
Ralph Kaplowitz Ralph Kaplowitz (May 18, 1919 – February 2, 2009) was an American professional basketball player. Kaplowitz played in the first two seasons of the Basketball Association of America (BAA), now known as the National Basketball Association (NBA), a ...
(1919–2009), professional basketball player *
Stanley Kauffmann Stanley Kauffmann (April 24, 1916 – October 9, 2013) was an American writer, editor, and critic of film and theater. Career Kauffmann started with ''The New Republic'' in 1958 and contributed film criticism to that magazine for the next fifty ...
, New Republic film critic *
Stubby Kaye Bernard Solomon Kotzin (November 11, 1918 – December 14, 1997), known as Stubby Kaye, was an American actor, comedian, vaudevillian, and singer, known for his appearances on Broadway and in film musicals. Kaye originated the roles of Nicely-Ni ...
, actor (class of 1936) *
Theodore W. Kheel Theodore Woodrow Kheel (May 9, 1914 – November 12, 2010) was an American attorney and labor mediator who played a key role in reaching resolutions of long-simmering labor disputes between managements and unions and resulting strikes in New ...
, former New York Labor mediator, civil rights activist, entrepreneur (class of 1931) *
Benjamin Ralph Kimlau Benjamin Ralph Kimlau (金勞少尉) (April 11, 1918 – March 5, 1944) was a Chinese American aviator and United States Air Force bomber pilot. Kimlau was born on April 10, 1918, in Concord, MA and moved to New York City with his parents in 193 ...
, USAF pilot killed during World War II; square named for him in Chinatown, NYC (class of 1937) *
Robert Klein Robert Klein (born February 8, 1942) is an American stand-up comedian, singer, and actor. He is known for his appearances on stage and screen. He has released four standup comedy specials: ''A Child of the 50s'' (1973), ''Mind Over Matter'' (197 ...
(born 1942), comedian, actor, author (class of 1958) * George Kleinsinger, composer, Tubby the Tuba (class of 1930) *
George Kojac George Harold Kojac (March 2, 1910 – May 28, 1996) was an American competition swimming (sport), swimmer, two-time Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in two events. Kojac represented the United States at the 1928 Summer Olympics ...
, won two gold medals at the 1928 Summer Olympics (class of 1927) *
Kool Keith Keith Matthew Thornton (born October 7, 1963), better known by his stage name Kool Keith, is an American rapper and record producer from The Bronx, New York City, known for his surreal, abstract and often profane or incomprehensible lyrics. Kool ...
, hip hop MC, member of
Ultramagnetic MCs The Ultramagnetic MCs is an American hip hop group based in The Bronx, New York City. Founded by Kool Keith, the group also includes Ced Gee, TR Love, and Moe Love. Tim Dog became an unofficial member in 1989. In 1990, DJ Jaycee was added as ...
and a solo artist (class of 1981) * Stanley Kramer, film producer and director (class of 1930) *
William Kunstler William Moses Kunstler (July 7, 1919 – September 4, 1995) was an American lawyer and civil rights activist, known for defending the Chicago Seven. Kunstler was an active member of the National Lawyers Guild, a board member of the American Civil ...
(1919–1995), attorney * Burt Lancaster (1913–1994), actor (class of 1930) *
Don Lane Don Lane (born Morton Donald Isaacson, 13 November 1933 – 22 October 2009) was an American-born talk show host and singer, best known for his television career in Australia, especially for hosting ''Tonight with Don Lane'' and '' The Don Lane ...
(1933–2009), entertainer, talk-show host, sportscaster. Once the highest paid person on Australian television. (class of 1952) *
Joseph P. Lash Joseph Paul Lash (December 2, 1909 – August 22, 1987) was an American radical political activist, journalist, and writer. A close friend of Eleanor Roosevelt, Lash won both the Pulitzer Prize for Biography * Ralph Lauren (born 1939), designer (class of 1957) *
Butch Lee Alfred "Butch" Lee Jr. (born December 5, 1956) is a Puerto Rican retired professional basketball player. Lee was the first Puerto Rican and first Latin American-born athlete to play in the National Basketball Association (NBA), accomplishing thi ...
, NBA basketball player (class of 1974) *
Howard V. Lee Lieutenant Colonel Howard Vincent Lee (August 1, 1933 – March 23, 2019) was a United States Marine Corps officer who received the Medal of Honor for heroism in August 1966 during the Vietnam War. Biography Howard Lee was born on August 1, 1933, ...
, Congressional Medal of Honor recipient, Vietnam, Marine Corps Officer (class of 1951) * Stan Lee, (1922–2018) year comic book publisher (class of 1939) * Barry Leibowitz (born 1945),
American-Israeli , native_name_lang = , image = , caption = , population = 110,000–150,000 , popplace = New York metropolitan area, Los Angeles metropolitan area, Miami metropolitan area, and other large metropolitan are ...
basketball player *
Alfred Leslie Alfred Leslie (born October 29, 1927) is an American artist and filmmaker. He first achieved success as an Abstract Expressionist painter, but changed course in the early 1960s and became a painter of realistic figurative paintings. Biography ...
, artist (class of 1945) * Seymour Leslie, founder of Pickwick International record company; president of MGM Home Video (class of 1940) * David Chester Lewis (1884–1975), lawyer, politician, and judge *
Joe E. Lewis Joe E. Lewis (born Joseph Klewan; January 12, 1902 – June 4, 1971) was an American comedian, actor and singer.Obituary ''Variety'', June 9, 1971, page 54. Early life Lewis was born was born into a family of Russian immigrants on Januar ...
, entertainer (class of 1919) *
Robert Q. Lewis Robert Q. Lewis (born Robert Goldberg; April 25, 1921 – December 11, 1991) was an American radio and television personality, comedian, game show host, and actor. Lewis added the middle initial "Q" to his name accidentally on the air in 1942, ...
, actor, television host (class of 1938) *
Eric Linden Eric Linden (September 15, 1909 – July 14, 1994) was an American actor, primarily active during the 1930s. Early years Eric Linden was born in New York City to Phillip and Elvira (née Lundborg) Linden, both of Swedish descent. His father ...
, actor (class of 1926) *
Frank Loesser Frank Henry Loesser (; June 29, 1910 – July 28, 1969) was an American songwriter who wrote the music and lyrics for the Broadway musicals ''Guys and Dolls'' and ''How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying'', among others. He won a Tony ...
, composer and lyricist; Pulitzer Prize winner for Drama;
Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
winner (class of 1926) *
Eddie Lopat Edmund Walter Lopat (originally Lopatynski) (June 21, 1918 – June 15, 1992) was a Major League Baseball pitcher, coach, manager, front office executive, and scout. He was sometimes known as "The Junk Man", but better known as "Steady Eddie ...
, New York Yankee pitcher (class of 1935) * Robert O. Lowery, first black fire commissioner of the FDNY (class of 1934) * William E. Macaulay, private equity investor,
Forbes 400 The ''Forbes'' 400 or 400 Richest Americans is a list published by ''Forbes'' magazine of the wealthiest 400 American citizens who own assets in the U.S., ranked by net worth. The 400 was started by Malcolm Forbes in 1982 and the list is pub ...
billionaire, Chairman and CEO of natural resources buyout firm
First Reserve Corporation First Reserve Corporation is a private equity firm specializing in leveraged buyouts and growth capital investments in the energy sector. First Reserve was founded in 1984 and is the oldest and largest private equity fund dedicated to investments ...
*
George Macy George Macy (1900–1956) was an American publisher. Career George Macy was born in New York City in 1900. In 1926, he founded Macy-Masius, which was sold to the Vanguard Press in 1928. In 1929, he founded the Limited Editions Club, publis ...
, publisher (class of 1917) *
Vito Marcantonio Vito is an Italian name that is derived from the Latin word "''vita''", meaning "life". It is a modern form of the Latin name Vitus, meaning "life-giver," as in San Vito or Saint Vitus, the patron saint of dogs and a heroic figure in southern I ...
, US Congressman (class of 1921) *
Garry Marshall Garry Kent Marshall (November 13, 1934 – July 19, 2016) was an American filmmaker and actor. He started his career in the 1960s writing for ''The Lucy Show'' and ''The Dick Van Dyke Show'' before he developed Neil Simon's 1965 play '' The Odd C ...
, director, producer, actor (class of 1952) *
Donald McKayle Donald McKayle (July 6, 1930 – April 6, 2018) was an American modern dancer, choreographer, teacher, director and writer best known for creating socially conscious concert works during the 1950s and '60s that focus on expressing the human con ...
, stage and film choreographer (class of 1947) * Abel Meeropol, teacher at DWC; lyricist, " Strange Fruit", "The House I Live In" (class of 1921) *
The Kid Mero ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
, media personality,
Viceland Viceland (stylized in all caps), and Vice TV in the United States, are brands used for television channels owned and programmed by Vice Media. Viceland launched on February 29, 2016, with two branded cable channels; the American version (rebra ...
(class of 2001) *
Hal Miller Sir Hilary Duppa Miller (6 March 1929 – 21 March 2015) was a British Conservative Party politician. Early life He was the son of Lieutenant-Commander Jack Duppa-Miller, GC, and Barbara Miller (née Barbara Buckmaster, daughter of the fir ...
, actor, ''Sesame Street'', ''Law & Order''; singer; lyricist; poet; painter *
Paul Milstein Paul Milstein (May 12, 1922 – August 9, 2010) was an American real estate developer and philanthropist. Early life and education Milstein was born to a Jewish family *
Walter Mirisch Walter Mortimer Mirisch (born November 8, 1921) is an American film producer. He is president and executive head of production of The Mirisch Corporation, an independent film production company, which he formed in 1957 with his brother Marvin ...
, film producer (class of 1938) *
Tracy Morgan Tracy Jamal Morgan (born November 10, 1968) is an American stand-up comedian and actor best known for his television work as a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' (1996–2003) and for his role as Tracy Jordan in the sitcom ''30 Rock'' (2006 ...
comedian, also attended Clinton and with the approval of the New York City Department of Education, Morgan was awarded an honorary diploma in 2003. *
Jerome Moross Jerome Moross (August 1, 1913July 25, 1983) was an American composer best known for his music for film and television. He also composed works for symphony orchestras, chamber ensembles, soloists and musical theater, as well as orchestrating score ...
, film composer, ''The Big Country'' (class of 1929) *
Howard Morris Howard Jerome Morris (September 4, 1919 – May 21, 2005) was an American actor, comedian, and director. He was best known for his role in ''The Andy Griffith Show'' as Ernest T. Bass, and as "Uncle Goopy" in a celebrated comedy sketch on Sid Ca ...
, actor (class of 1936) *
Ralph Morse Ralph Theodore Morse (October 23, 1917 – December 7, 2014) was a career staff photographer for '' Life'' magazine. He photographed some of the most widely seen pictures of World War II, the United States space program, and sports events, and wa ...
, photographer, developed the camera that went to the moon in 1969 (class of 1935) * Jerry Moss, co-founder of A & M Records (class of 1953) *
Johnny Most John M. Most (June 15, 1923 – January 3, 1993) was an American sports announcer, known primarily as the raspy radio voice of the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association from 1953 to 1990. Most's radio call during the final moment ...
, radio play-by-play announcer for the Boston Celtics basketball team (class of 1940) *
Jan Murray Jan Murray (born Murray Janofsky; October 4, 1916 – July 2, 2006) was an American stand-up comedian, actor, and game-show host who originally made his name on the Borscht Belt and later was known for his frequent television appearances over s ...
, actor, television host (class of 1934) *
Lou Myers Lou Myers (1915 – November 20, 2005) was a cartoonist and short story writer. He was the first person since James Thurber to contribute both cartoons and articles to ''The New Yorker''. His work has also appeared in ''The New York Times'', '' ...
, cartoonist, writer for ''The New Yorker'' (class of 1933) *
Andrea Navedo Andrea Navedo is an American actress, singer, and published author. She began her career on the daytime soap operas ''One Life to Live'' (1995–97) and ''Guiding Light'' (1999-2000), and in later years had several supporting roles on primetime te ...
, actress and singer (class of 1988) *
Frank H. Netter Frank Henry Netter (25 April 1906 – 17 September 1991) was an American surgeon and medical illustrator. The first edition of his ''Atlas of Human Anatomy'' — his "personal Sistine Chapel"Netter, Francine Mary; Friedlaender, Gary E. (2014)'' ...
M.D., anatomy artist (class of 1923) * Roy Neuberger, financier (class of 1921) * Barnett Newman, artist (class of 1923) * Herbie Nichols, pianist, songwriter, " Lady Sings the Blues"; left at age 15 to attend City College of New York * Barnet Nover, longtime Washington bureau chief for the ''
Denver Post ''The Denver Post'' is a daily newspaper and website published in Denver, Colorado. As of June 2022, it has an average print circulation of 57,265. In 2016, its website received roughly six million monthly unique visitors generating more than 13 ...
'' * Herbert Parmet (1929-2017) (class of 1948), historian and biographer *
Basil Paterson Basil Alexander Paterson (April 27, 1926 – April 16, 2014) was an American labor lawyer and politician. He served in the New York State Senate from 1966 to 1971 and as secretary of state of New York under Governor Hugh Carey from 1979 to 1983 ...
, labor lawyer, political leader in New York (class of 1942) * Jan Peerce, Metropolitan Opera tenor (class of 1922) *
Abraham Polonsky Abraham Lincoln Polonsky (December 5, 1910 – October 26, 1999) was an American film director, screenwriter, essayist and novelist. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for '' Body and Soul'' but in the early 1950s ...
(1910–1991), blacklisted screenwriterKipen, David
"Flawed look at career of blacklisted director"
''
San Francisco Chronicle The ''San Francisco Chronicle'' is a newspaper serving primarily the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California. It was founded in 1865 as ''The Daily Dramatic Chronicle'' by teenage brothers Charles de Young and Michael H. de Young. The ...
'', August 29, 2001. Accessed September 14, 2009.
* Bud Powell, jazz pianist and composer; dropped out at age 15 *
Mel Powell Mel Powell (born Melvin Epstein) (February 12, 1923 – April 24, 1998) was an American Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, and the founding dean of the music department at the California Institute of the Arts. He served as a music educator for over ...
, Pulitzer Prize-winning jazz composer (class of 1937) * Robert Poydasheff, former mayor of
Columbus, Georgia Columbus is a consolidated city-county located on the west-central border of the U.S. state of Georgia. Columbus lies on the Chattahoochee River directly across from Phenix City, Alabama. It is the county seat of Muscogee County, with which it ...
*
Henry F. Pringle Henry Fowles Pringle (1897–1958) was an American historian and writer most famous for his witty but scholarly biography of Theodore Roosevelt which won the Pulitzer prize in 1932, as well as a scholarly biography of William Howard Taft. His w ...
, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography for his 1931 biography of Theodore Roosevelt (class of 1915) *
Mario Procaccino Mario Angelo Procaccino (September 5, 1912 – December 20, 1995) was an Italian-American lawyer, comptroller, and candidate for Mayor of New York City. Life and career Procaccino was born in Bisaccia, Italy. When he was nine years old, his f ...
, New York City Comptroller and politician (class of 1931) *
DeWitt Clinton Ramsey Admiral DeWitt Clinton Ramsey (2 October 1888 – 7 September 1961) was a U.S. Navy officer and pioneer naval aviator who served as an aircraft carrier commander during World War II. His postwar assignments included command of the U.S. Pacifi ...
, admiral, US Navy (class of 1908) * John Randolph, actor (class of 1932) *
Charles Rangel Charles Bernard Rangel (, ; born June 11, 1930) is an American politician who was a U.S. representative for districts in New York from 1971 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the second-longest serving incumbent member of the Ho ...
, United States congressman * Maurice M. Rapport, biochemist who identified the neurotransmitter serotonin (class of 1936) * Tubby Raskin (1902–1981), basketball player and coach * Seymour Reit, co-creator, Casper, the Friendly Ghost (class of 1934) *
Sugar Ray Robinson Walker Smith Jr. (May 3, 1921 – April 12, 1989), better known as Sugar Ray Robinson, was an American professional boxer who competed from 1940 to 1965. He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. He is often regard ...
, champion prizefighter (class of 1938) * Richard Rodgers, Emmy Award,
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
,
Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...
, and
Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
winner (class of 1919) *
A.M. Rosenthal Abraham Michael Rosenthal (May 2, 1922 – May 10, 2006) was an American journalist who served as ''The New York Times'' executive editor from 1977 to 1986. Previously he was the newspaper's city editor and managing editor. Near the end of his tenu ...
, ''The New York Times'' journalist; 1960 Pulitzer Prize winner for International Reporting (class of 1938) *
Bob Rothberg Bob Rothberg (October 28, 1901, New York City, New York – February 1, 1938, New York City, New York) was a Tin Pan Alley songwriter and lyricist. ASCAP 1936. Educ: New York public schools 1915; DeWitt Clinton High School, New York 1919; accounta ...
, songwriter and author (class of 1919) * William Ruder, co-founder of Ruder-Finn (class of 1938) *
Jack Rudin Jack may refer to: Places * Jack, Alabama, US, an unincorporated community * Jack, Missouri, US, an unincorporated community * Jack County, Texas, a county in Texas, USA People and fictional characters * Jack (given name), a male given name, ...
, real estate developer, philanthropist (class of 1942) * Lewis Rudin, real estate developer, philanthropist (class of 1944) * Juan Ramon Sánchez, judge, US District Court PA (class of 1974) *
Dolph Schayes Adolph Schayes (May 19, 1928 – December 10, 2015) was an American professional basketball player and coach in the National Basketball Association (NBA). A top scorer and rebounder, he was a 12-time NBA All-Star and a 12-time All-NBA selection. ...
, NBA Hall of Fame basketball player (class of 1945) *
Danny Schechter Daniel Isaac "Danny" Schechter (June 27, 1942 – March 19, 2015) was an American television producer, independent filmmaker, blogger, and media critic. He wrote and spoke about many issues including apartheid, civil rights, economics, foreign p ...
, journalist, filmmaker, author (class of 1960) *
Daniel Schorr Daniel Louis Schorr (August 31, 1916 – July 23, 2010) was an American journalist who covered world news for more than 60 years. He was most recently a Senior News Analyst for National Public Radio (NPR). Schorr won three Emmy Awards for his te ...
, journalist (class of 1933) * M. Lincoln Schuster, co-founder of
Simon & Schuster Simon & Schuster () is an American publishing company and a subsidiary of Paramount Global. It was founded in New York City on January 2, 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. As of 2016, Simon & Schuster was the third largest pu ...
publishers (class of 1913) * Barry Schwartz, co-founder of Calvin Klein (class of 1959) *
Sherwood Schwartz Sherwood Charles Schwartz (; November 14, 1916 – July 12, 2011) was an American television screenwriter and producer. He worked on radio shows in the 1940s, but he now is best known for creating the 1960s television series '' Gilligan's Isla ...
, creator of '' Gilligan's Island'' and ''
The Brady Bunch ''The Brady Bunch'' is an American sitcom created by Sherwood Schwartz that aired from September 26, 1969, to March 8, 1974, on ABC. The series revolves around a large blended family with six children. The show aired for five seasons and, afte ...
'' (class of 1934) * Gil Scott-Heron (1949-2011) musician, poet, and activist. Did not graduate, transferred to The Fieldston School *
Barney Sedran Barney Sedran (born Sedransky; nicknamed "Mighty Mite"; January 28, 1891 – January 14, 1964) was an American professional basketball player in the 1910s and 1920s who is in the Basketball Hall of Fame. Career Nicknamed "Mighty Mite", the New ...
(1891–1964), NBA Hall of Fame basketball player * Steve Sheppard, played for the
Chicago Bulls The Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago. The Bulls compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The team was founded on January ...
; won a gold medal at the
1976 Summer Olympics Events January * January 3 – The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights enters into force. * January 5 – The Pol Pot regime proclaims a new constitution for Democratic Kampuchea. * January 11 – The 1976 P ...
(class of 1973) *
Gerald Shur Gerald Shur (October 18, 1933 – August 25, 2020) was an American lawyer, and the founder of the United States Federal Witness Protection Program. Gerald Shur was born on October 18, 1933, in the Bronx, New York, the son of Rose (Nissell) Shur, a ...
(1933-2020), founder of the
United States Federal Witness Protection Program The United States Federal Witness Protection Program (WPP), also known as the Witness Security Program or WITSEC, is a witness protection program codified through 18 U.S. Code § 3521 and administered by the United States Department of Justi ...
*
Neil Simon Marvin Neil Simon (July 4, 1927 – August 26, 2018) was an American playwright, screenwriter and author. He wrote more than 30 plays and nearly the same number of movie screenplays, mostly film adaptations of his plays. He has received mo ...
, playwright and screenwriter; recipient of a Pulitzer Prize, various Emmy Awards,
Tony Awards The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...
, and a Golden Globe (class of 1944) * Aaron Siskind, abstract photographer (class of 1921) * Ricky Sobers, professional basketball player (class of 1971) * Jerome S. Spevack (1918-1999) (Class of 1935) Scientist, inventor, chemical engineer, Manhattan Project scientist, Developed most economical method to produce heavy water * Lionel Jay Stander (1908–1994), actor in films, radio, theater and television * Louis Stark, ''The New York Times'' reporter and Pulitzer Prize winner for Telegraphic Reporting in 1942 (class of 1907)Columbia University "1942 Winners"
'' Pulitzer Prize'', 1942. Accessed May 28, 2012.
*
Sol Stein Sol Stein (October 13, 1926 – September 19, 2019) was the author of 13 books and was Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Stein and Day Publishers for 27 years. Early life Born in Chicago on October 13, 1926, Stein was the son of Louis Stein and Z ...
(born 1926), author *
David Steinberg David Steinberg (born August 9, 1942) is a Canadian comedian, actor, writer, director, and author. At the height of his popularity, during the late 1960s and mid 1970s, he was one of the best-known comics in the United States. He appeared on ...
(1932–2017), American journalist and president of PR Newswire *
Milton Steinberg Milton Steinberg (November 25, 1903 – March 20, 1950) was an American rabbi, philosopher, theologian and author. Life Born in Rochester, New York, he was raised with the combination of his grandparents' traditional Jewish piety and his fath ...
(1903–1950), prominent rabbi, philosopher, theologian and author; Valedictorian, class of 1921 *
Larry Storch Lawrence Samuel Storch (January 8, 1923 – July 8, 2022) was an American actor and comedian best known for his comic television roles, including voice-over work for cartoon shows such as Mr. Whoopee on ''Tennessee Tuxedo and His Tales'' and hi ...
, actor (class of 1941) *
Charles Strouse Charles Strouse (born June 7, 1928) is an American composer and lyricist best known for writing the music to such Broadway musicals as '' Bye Bye Birdie'', ''Applause'', and '' Annie''. Life and career Strouse was born in New York City, to Jewis ...
, composer (class of 1944) *
Howard Taubman Hyman Howard Taubman (July 4, 1907 – January 8, 1996) was an American music critic, theater critic, and author. Biography Born in Manhattan, Taubman attended DeWitt Clinton High School and then won a four-year scholarship to Cornell University, ...
(1907–1996), music and theater critic for ''The New York Times'' (class of 1925) *
Sammy Timberg Samuel Timberg (May 21, 1903 – August 26, 1992) was an American musician and composer for the stage, film studios, and television. Biography Timberg was born in New York City to a Jewish family originating in Austria, youngest son of Israel and ...
, musician and composer (class of 1919) *
Laurence Tisch Laurence Alan Tisch (March 5, 1923 – November 15, 2003) was an American businessman, investor and billionaire. He was the CEO of CBS television network from 1986 to 1995. With his brother Bob Tisch, he was part owner of Loews Corporation. ...
, head of Loew's Hotels, CBS (class of 1939) * Doug "The Greaseman" Tracht, radio personality (class of 1968) *
Marvin Traub Marvin Traub (May 14, 1925 – July 11, 2012) was an American businessman and writer. He was a prominent business executive in the retail sector known for his impact on merchandising and marketing. Traub was CEO and President of Bloomingdale's f ...
, former head of
Bloomingdale's Bloomingdale's Inc. is an American luxury department store chain; it was founded in New York City by Joseph B. and Lyman G. Bloomingdale in 1861. A third brother, Emanuel Watson Bloomingdale, was also involved in the business. It became a div ...
department store (class of 1942) * Lionel Trilling (1905–1975), educator and literary critic (class of 1921) *
Ozzie Virgil Sr. Osvaldo José Virgil Pichardo (born May 17, 1932) is a former professional baseball player and coach who was the first Dominican to play in Major League Baseball. He was a utilityman who played in MLB between 1956 and 1969 for the New York / S ...
, The first Dominican to play in Major League Baseball (class of 1950) * Fats Waller, jazz pianist (did not graduate) * Ed Warner, college basketball player; central figure on point shaving scandal (class of 1948) *
Ben Wattenberg Benjamin Joseph Wattenberg (born Joseph Ben Zion Wattenberg;Roberts, Sam New York ''Times'', June 29, 2015. Retrieved 2015-06-29. August 26, 1933 – June 28, 2015) was an American author, neoconservative political commentator and demographer, ...
, host of ''
Think Tank A think tank, or policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, technology, and culture. Most think tanks are non-governmenta ...
'' on PBS; author (class of 1951) *
Jerome Weidman Jerome Weidman (April 4, 1913, New York City – October 6, 1998, New York City) was an American playwright and novelist. He collaborated with George Abbott on the book for the musical ''Fiorello!'' with music by Jerry Bock, and lyrics by Sheldo ...
, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama (Class of 1930) *
Allen Weinstein Allen Weinstein (September 1, 1937 – June 18, 2015) was an American historian, educator, and federal official who served in several different offices. He was, under the Reagan administration, cofounder of the National Endowment for Democracy in ...
, Archivist of the United States (class of 1954) * Grover Whalen, "Mr. New York",
WNYC WNYC is the trademark and a set of call letters shared by WNYC (AM) and WNYC-FM, a pair of nonprofit, noncommercial, public radio stations located in New York City. WNYC is owned by New York Public Radio (NYPR), a nonprofit organization that ...
founder, President of World's Fair Corporation (class of 1906) * Woodie W. White, bishop of the United Methodist Church (class of 1953) *
Willie Worsley Willie James Worsley (born November 13, 1945) is an American former professional basketball player who was one of the guards for the Texas Western Miners basketball team during their now-legendary 1966 NCAA championship game against Kentucky. Al ...
, community leader and basketball player (class of 1964) *
Lester Wunderman Lester Wunderman (June 22, 1920 – January 9, 2019) was an American advertising executive widely considered the creator of modern-day direct marketing. His innovations included the magazine subscription card, the toll-free 1-800 number, loyalty ...
, advertising expert, consultant, professor, author, photographer (class of 1936) *
William Zeckendorf William Zeckendorf Sr. (June 30, 1905 – September 30, 1976) was a prominent American real estate developer. Through his development company Webb and Knapp — for which he began working in 1938 and which he purchased in 1949 — he developed ...
, real estate developer (class of 1921)


Records

*DeWitt Clinton High School students organized one of the largest high school walkouts in New York on September 19, 2005. The protest occurred over installation of airport-style metal detectors and X-ray scanners, which had already been installed in many other schools throughout New York City.


References


Bibliography

*Kelley, Frank Bergen, ed. ''The DeWitt Clinton Book'', New York: Clinton Memorabilia Society, 1906.


External links

*
Alumni Association

Profile
at insideschools.org
"Writings of James Baldwin", broadcast from DeWitt Clinton High School
from C-SPAN's '' American Writers'' Images:
Algebra at DeWitt Clinton High School





DeWitt_Clinton-HS_2


{{DEFAULTSORT:Clinton, Dewitt High School 1897 establishments in New York City Educational institutions established in 1897 Public high schools in the Bronx Bedford Park, Bronx Jerome Park, Bronx