Austin-East High School
Encyclopedia
Austin-East High School, also known as Austin-East Performing Arts and Sciences Magnet High School, is a public high school
in Knoxville, Tennessee
, operated by Knox County Schools
.
The school includes a magnet school
program in performing arts
.
schools, the all-black Austin High School and the all-white East High School. The two schools were combined in 1968 to form the integrated
Austin East High School, housed in the East High School building.
Austin High School opened in 1879. It was named for Emily Austin, a white woman from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
, who raised money to establish the school as Knoxville's first black high school
. She had arrived in Knoxville in 1870 with the goal of helping to educate African American
children, who at the time were schooled in church basements, lodge halls, and one-room schoolhouses scattered throughout the area. For eight years she worked as a grade school
teacher in black school
s in Knoxville, then she returned to the North
to seek donations for establishment of a black high school. She succeeded in raising $6,500, which was matched by $2,000 from the Knoxville Board of Education to start Austin High School.
Edenton, North Carolina
, native John W. Manning became school principal in 1881, the first black person to hold that position. An 1881 graduate of Yale University
, Manning remained as principal until retiring in 1912. He was succeeded as principal by Charles W. Cansler
, who had been teaching at Austin since 1900.
In 1916, Austin High School left its initial location on Central Street in Knoxville to move to a new building on Payne Avenue. At the Payne Avenue location, the school was renamed Knoxville Colored High School. By 1928, that school building had become overcrowded due to a growing African American population, and the school moved to a new location on Vine Street, once again using the Austin High School name. William A. Robinson became school principal in 1928. Robinson served for just two years before moving to Atlanta and being succeeded as principal by Thomas R. Davis. Davis was principal until his death in 1948, when Dean of Girls Fannie C. Clay assumed the position of acting principal until the appointment of Otis T. Hogue as principal in the fall of 1949. In 1952 Austin moved to a new modern building one block from its previous location, remaining there until its merger with East High School.
East High School was one of four schools, the others being West
, South, and Fulton, that opened in 1951 following the split-up of old Knoxville High
. Initially an all-white school, East began to enroll black students in the early 1960s as the Knoxville city schools underwent a slow process of racial integration. The school graduated a total of 17 classes before its merger with Austin High School in 1968. Its sports teams were called the "Mountaineers."
In 1968 the two schools, which were only some eight to ten block
s apart, were combined to form a single racially integrated
high school located in the East High building and named Austin East High School. The Austin school site became the location of Vine Middle School. Following the merger, many white students from East High transferred to other high schools, leaving Austin-East as a predominantly black school.
In 1987, authority for the school shifted from the city
of Knoxville to Knox County when the city school system was consolidated into Knox County Schools
.
In 1997, the school received magnet school designation, offering a focus in performing arts, science and math. In spite of the magnet program, which was intended to boost white enrollment, as of 2008-2009 more than 80% of Austin-East's students were African American. After several years of failing to meet performance benchmarks set under the No Child Left Behind Act
, in 2008-2009 the school was reorganized into small learning communities.
, orchestra, theater, vocal and instrumental music, television broadcasting, professional editing, documentary
production, and finance and business.
, softball
, cross country
, track and field
, wrestling
, volleyball
, tennis
, and golf
. The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA)
classifies the school's football
team in Class 3A Its sports teams are nicknamed "Roadrunners." The boys' basketball
team won the state championship in 1977 (AAA), 1985(AA), and 1987 (AA). The football team won the Class 2A state championship in 1983, 1986, and the Class 3A state championship in 2001. In 2007, Austin-East won the state championship in Class AA girls' basketball. The boys track team won state championships in 1981(AAA) and 1987(A/AA). The girls track team won the A/AA championship in 1986, 1987, 1988, and 2007.
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
, operated by Knox County Schools
Knox County Schools
Knox County Schools is the school district that operates all public schools in Knox County, Tennessee.- History :Before the 1987-1988 school year, the city of Knoxville and Knox County operated separate school districts...
.
The school includes a magnet school
Magnet school
In education in the United States, magnet schools are public schools with specialized courses or curricula. "Magnet" refers to how the schools draw students from across the normal boundaries defined by authorities as school zones that feed into certain schools.There are magnet schools at the...
program in performing arts
Performing arts
The performing arts are those forms art which differ from the plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face, and presence as a medium, and the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint which can be molded or transformed to create some physical art object...
.
History
Austin-East is the successor to two formerly racially segregatedRacial segregation in the United States
Racial segregation in the United States, as a general term, included the racial segregation or hypersegregation of facilities, services, and opportunities such as housing, medical care, education, employment, and transportation along racial lines...
schools, the all-black Austin High School and the all-white East High School. The two schools were combined in 1968 to form the integrated
Desegregation
Desegregation is the process of ending the separation of two groups usually referring to races. This is most commonly used in reference to the United States. Desegregation was long a focus of the American Civil Rights Movement, both before and after the United States Supreme Court's decision in...
Austin East High School, housed in the East High School building.
Austin High School opened in 1879. It was named for Emily Austin, a white woman from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
, who raised money to establish the school as Knoxville's first black high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
. She had arrived in Knoxville in 1870 with the goal of helping to educate African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
children, who at the time were schooled in church basements, lodge halls, and one-room schoolhouses scattered throughout the area. For eight years she worked as a grade school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
teacher in black school
Black school
Black schools originated under legal segregation in the southern United States after the American Civil War and Reconstruction era, in southern states' public policy to keep races separated and maintain white supremacy. In the United States white opposition to African American success resulted in...
s in Knoxville, then she returned to the North
Northern United States
Northern United States, also sometimes the North, may refer to:* A particular grouping of states or regions of the United States of America. The United States Census Bureau divides some of the northernmost United States into the Midwest Region and the Northeast Region...
to seek donations for establishment of a black high school. She succeeded in raising $6,500, which was matched by $2,000 from the Knoxville Board of Education to start Austin High School.
Edenton, North Carolina
Edenton, North Carolina
Edenton is a town in Chowan County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,966 at the 2008 census. It is the county seat of Chowan County. Edenton is located in North Carolina's Inner Banks region. In recent years Edenton has become a popular retirement location and a destination for...
, native John W. Manning became school principal in 1881, the first black person to hold that position. An 1881 graduate of Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, Manning remained as principal until retiring in 1912. He was succeeded as principal by Charles W. Cansler
Charles W. Cansler
Charles Warner Cansler was an American educator, civil rights advocate, and author, active primarily in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA...
, who had been teaching at Austin since 1900.
In 1916, Austin High School left its initial location on Central Street in Knoxville to move to a new building on Payne Avenue. At the Payne Avenue location, the school was renamed Knoxville Colored High School. By 1928, that school building had become overcrowded due to a growing African American population, and the school moved to a new location on Vine Street, once again using the Austin High School name. William A. Robinson became school principal in 1928. Robinson served for just two years before moving to Atlanta and being succeeded as principal by Thomas R. Davis. Davis was principal until his death in 1948, when Dean of Girls Fannie C. Clay assumed the position of acting principal until the appointment of Otis T. Hogue as principal in the fall of 1949. In 1952 Austin moved to a new modern building one block from its previous location, remaining there until its merger with East High School.
East High School was one of four schools, the others being West
West High School (Knoxville, Tennessee)
West High School is a Professional Development school in the Knox County school district located at 3300 Sutherland Avenue in Knoxville, Tennessee 37919. The school's enrollment of about 1350 continues to grow every year with feeder schools such as Bearden Middle, Northwest Middle, and Holston...
, South, and Fulton, that opened in 1951 following the split-up of old Knoxville High
Knoxville High School (Tennessee)
Knoxville High School was a public high school in Knoxville, Tennessee, that operated from 1910 to 1951, enrolling grades 10 to 12. Its building is a contributing property in the Emory Place Historic District, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places...
. Initially an all-white school, East began to enroll black students in the early 1960s as the Knoxville city schools underwent a slow process of racial integration. The school graduated a total of 17 classes before its merger with Austin High School in 1968. Its sports teams were called the "Mountaineers."
In 1968 the two schools, which were only some eight to ten block
City block
A city block, urban block or simply block is a central element of urban planning and urban design. A city block is the smallest area that is surrounded by streets. City blocks are the space for buildings within the street pattern of a city, they form the basic unit of a city's urban fabric...
s apart, were combined to form a single racially integrated
Racial integration
Racial integration, or simply integration includes desegregation . In addition to desegregation, integration includes goals such as leveling barriers to association, creating equal opportunity regardless of race, and the development of a culture that draws on diverse traditions, rather than merely...
high school located in the East High building and named Austin East High School. The Austin school site became the location of Vine Middle School. Following the merger, many white students from East High transferred to other high schools, leaving Austin-East as a predominantly black school.
In 1987, authority for the school shifted from the city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
of Knoxville to Knox County when the city school system was consolidated into Knox County Schools
Knox County Schools
Knox County Schools is the school district that operates all public schools in Knox County, Tennessee.- History :Before the 1987-1988 school year, the city of Knoxville and Knox County operated separate school districts...
.
In 1997, the school received magnet school designation, offering a focus in performing arts, science and math. In spite of the magnet program, which was intended to boost white enrollment, as of 2008-2009 more than 80% of Austin-East's students were African American. After several years of failing to meet performance benchmarks set under the No Child Left Behind Act
No Child Left Behind Act
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 is a United States Act of Congress concerning the education of children in public schools.NCLB was originally proposed by the administration of George W. Bush immediately after he took office...
, in 2008-2009 the school was reorganized into small learning communities.
Magnet program
The Austin-East magnet program in performing arts operates as a "school-within-a-school." Specialized offerings include danceDance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
, orchestra, theater, vocal and instrumental music, television broadcasting, professional editing, documentary
Documentary
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
production, and finance and business.
Sports
Austin-East fields interscholastic teams in football, soccer, basketball, baseballBaseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
, cross country
Cross country running
Cross country running is a sport in which people run a race on open-air courses over natural terrain. The course, typically long, may include surfaces of grass and earth, pass through woodlands and open country, and include hills, flat ground and sometimes gravel road...
, track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
, wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
, volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, and golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
. The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA)
Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association
The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association is an organization which administers junior and senior high school sporting events in Tennessee.-Description:...
classifies the school's football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team in Class 3A Its sports teams are nicknamed "Roadrunners." The boys' basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team won the state championship in 1977 (AAA), 1985(AA), and 1987 (AA). The football team won the Class 2A state championship in 1983, 1986, and the Class 3A state championship in 2001. In 2007, Austin-East won the state championship in Class AA girls' basketball. The boys track team won state championships in 1981(AAA) and 1987(A/AA). The girls track team won the A/AA championship in 1986, 1987, 1988, and 2007.
Notable alumni
- Artists Beauford DelaneyBeauford DelaneyBeauford Delaney was an American modernist painter.-Early life:Beauford Delaney was born in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA, in 1901. Delaney’s parents were prominent and respected members of Knoxville's black community. His father Samuel was both a barber and a Methodist minister...
and Joseph DelaneyJoseph Delaney (artist)Joseph Delaney was an African American artist who became a part of the New York art scene at the time of the Harlem Renaissance....
attended Austin High School in the 1910s. - Poet Nikki GiovanniNikki GiovanniYolande Cornelia "Nikki" Giovanni is an American poet, writer, commentator, activist, and educator. Her primary focus is on the individual and the power one has to make a difference in oneself and in the lives of others. Giovanni’s poetry expresses strong racial pride, respect for family, and her...
attended Austin High School from 1958 to 1960. - NFL player and executive Reggie McKenzieReggie McKenzie (linebacker)Reggie McKenzie is an American football executive and former player. He is Director - Football Operations for the Green Bay Packers, and has worked for the Packers since 1994.His Super Bowl ring was stolen on May 3, 2009....
was the valedictorianValedictorianValedictorian is an academic title conferred upon the student who delivers the closing or farewell statement at a graduation ceremony. Usually, the valedictorian is the highest ranked student among those graduating from an educational institution...
for the Austin-East Class of 1981. - Football coach Carl TorbushCarl TorbushCarl William Torbush Jr. was the college football Defensive Coordinator for the Kansas Jayhawks in Lawrence, KS...
attended East High School and remained at Austin-East after the merger for his senior year, graduating in the merged school's first class. He played several sports in high school and was the first Austin-East football player to receive all-state recognition. Torbush recalls being the only white student on some of his senior-year sports teams. - NBA player and coach Elston TurnerElston TurnerElston Howard Turner is a retired American professional basketball player and current assistant coach and defensive coordinator for the NBA's Phoenix Suns.-Playing career:...
is a 1977 Austin-East graduate who played on the school's 1977 state championship basketball team.