West Philadelphia High School is a secondary school located in the

West Philadelphia West Philadelphia, nicknamed West Philly, is a section of the city of Philadelphia. Alhough there are no officially defined boundaries, it is generally considered to reach from the western shore of the Schuylkill River, to City Avenue to the nort ...

section of

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...

at the intersection of 49th Street and Chestnut Street.

History

The original West Philadelphia High School (WPHS) building opened in 1912 as Philadelphia's first secondary school west of the Schuylkill, occupying an entire city block bounded by 47th Street, 48th Street, Walnut Street and Locust Street. The student population at that time was in excess of 5,500. Such was the press on the new high school, which originally stood as two separate buildings for boys and girls, that the City was compelled to open Overbrook High School in 1926. A third high school,

John Bartram John Bartram (March 23, 1699 – September 22, 1777) was an American botanist, horticulturist, and explorer, based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for most of his career. Swedish botanist and taxonomist Carl Linnaeus said he was the "greatest na ...

, followed in 1935. The building was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 1986. WPHS's athletic field, which is located at 48th and Spruce Street, was formerly known as Passon Field and home to

Negro league baseball The Negro leagues were United States professional baseball leagues comprising teams of African Americans and, to a lesser extent, Latin Americans. The term may be used broadly to include professional black teams outside the leagues and it may be ...

in the 1930s. It was the home field of the

Eastern Colored League The Mutual Association of Eastern Colored Clubs, more commonly known as the Eastern Colored League (ECL), was one of the several Negro leagues, which operated during the time organized baseball was segregated. League history Founding The ECL ...

's Philadelphia Bacharach Giants starting in 1931, and the Negro National League's Philadelphia Stars in 1934 and 1935. In 1936 the Stars moved to Penmar Park at 44th and Parkside, where they played the majority of their home games through their final season in 1952. The field is still in use by West Philadelphia High School's football and baseball teams. In September 2011 the school moved to a new building at its current building at 49th & Chestnut Streets. The new building is much smaller due to reduced enrollment at the high school. The former building at 47th Street & Walnut Street was converted into housing as the West Lofts, for about 268 apartments. In June 2013 the school district allowed the Sustainability Workshop to take all of the space in the auto mechanic building, prompting community opposition. In November 2016, the water from some faucets at the high school was found to be discolored, and was declared unsafe by school officials the following month.

Small learning communities

* AUTO: Automotive Academy * B&T: Business and Technology * UL: Urban Leadership * 9: Ninth Grade Success Academy * CAPA: Creative & Performing Arts

Sports programs & extracurricular activities

* Cheerleading Squad * Dance Club * Musicals * Choir * Volleyball * Baseball * Boys Basketball - 1977 National Champions * Girls Basketball * Football * Track

Notable alumni

Gene Banks Eugene Lavon Banks (born May 15, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player. He was born and raised in Philadelphia. High School Career and College Recruitment A 6'7" forward, Banks attended high school in West Philadelphia. Nic ...

- NBA Player *

Tyrell Biggs Tyrell Biggs (born December 22, 1960) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1984 to 1998, and challenged once for the undisputed heavyweight title in 1987. As an amateur he won a gold medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics, having ...

- 1984 Olympic Heavyweight Boxing Champion * John McDermott - first American winner of the U.S. Open golf tournament. *

Anne Rudin Anne Rudin (January 27, 1924 – November 25, 2021) was an American politician who served as the 51st Mayor of Sacramento from her election in 1983 until she stepped down, after declining to seek a third term in 1992. She was Sacramento's firs ...

- Former

Sacramento ) , image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg , mapsize = 250x200px , map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...

mayor *

Ray Scott (basketball) John Raymond Scott (born July 12, 1938) is an American former professional basketball player and coach. Playing career A 6'9" Forward (basketball), forward/Center (basketball), center who played college basketball at the University of Portland, Sc ...

- NBA & ABA Player, NBA Coach *

Art Spector Arthur Edward Spector (nicknamed "Speed"; 17 October 1920 – 18 June 1987) was an American basketball player. He played as a forward for the Boston Celtics from 1946 to 1950. Biography Spector was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and West Phi ...

(1920–1987) -

Boston Celtics The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 as one of t ...

basketball player *

McCoy Tyner Alfred McCoy Tyner (December 11, 1938March 6, 2020) was an American jazz piano, jazz pianist and composer known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet (from 1960 to 1965) and his long solo career afterwards. He was an NEA Jazz Masters, NEA ...

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 pres ...

-winning Jazz pianist *

LeAnna Washington LeAnna M. Washington (born July 28, 1945) is an American politician from Pennsylvania who served as a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania State Senate for the 4th district from 2005 to 2014. She served as a member of the Pennsylvania House o ...

- Pennsylvania State Senator for the 4th district (2005-2014)

References

External links

*
Public School Insights Story on WPHS
{{authority control Educational institutions established in 1912 High schools in Philadelphia School buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Philadelphia School District of Philadelphia Public high schools in Pennsylvania 1912 establishments in Pennsylvania West Philadelphia