Fairmont Senior High School
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| Fairmont Senior High School | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | |
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1 Loop Park , 26554 | |
| Information | |
| School type | Public coeducational |
| Established | 1876 |
| School district | Marion County |
| Superintendent | Dr. James Phares |
| Dean | Rusty Campbell |
| Principal | Chad A. Norman |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| Enrolment | 648[1] |
| Campus size | 11.5 acres |
| Color(s) | Royal Blue,White |
| Slogan | "Polar Bear Pride" |
| Athletics conference | NCAC |
| Mascot | Polar Bear |
| Rival | East Fairmont High School |
| Yearbook | Maple Leaves |
| Feeder schools | Fairmont Middle School |
| Homepage: | Fairmont Senior |
| Athletic Site: | Polar Bear Sports |
| Foundation Site: | FSHS Foundation |
| Main Office | (304)-367-2150 |
 | |
Fairmont Senior High School (FSHS), sometimes incorrectly referred to as West Fairmont High School, is a secondary school located in Fairmont, West Virginia. The school serves grades nine through twelve and is part of the Marion County School District. The athletic teams are referred to as the Polar Bears, giving rise to the term "Polar Bear Pride".
History
Established in 1876, the school was relocated once in 1905 and again in 1928 to accommodate the growing student population. The building that was contructed at Loop Park in 1928 is the current location for FSHS, and originally housed grades 10-12. In 1929, the first class to graduate from the new building presented the school with a statue of Abraham Lincoln that still stands today.
The campus has since become a conglomeration of facilities displaying the differences in architectural influences for over a century. At 11.5 acres, the campus on Oakwood Road ranks among the most beautiful in the state and country. The outdoor living classroom of trees with historical significance also cultivates flowering dogwoods, maples, and oaks, which enhance the landscape and make every season a beautiful environment for learning.
Much of the building was constructed of concrete, which helped to mitigate the destuction caused by a fire that damaged a large section of the school's roof on February 16, 1979. The historic foundation of the building was preserved.
Mascot
Originally the athletics teams were known as "Ice's Men" in reference to Coach Frank Ice who coached the school's athletic teams from 1914 to 1920. In 1926 the Polar Bear mascot was officially established in honor of the coach. The class of 1970 donated twin polar bear statues that line the entrance of the school.
Rivalry
Fairmont Senior is one of three AAA high schools in Marion County, along with East Fairmont High School and North Marion High School. While both schools have presented strong competition for FSHS, the intense rivalry that exists between Fairmont Senior and East Fairmont is one of the greatest in the state, known simply as the East-West Rivalry. Adding to the tension between the two schools is the fact that they share a home football field at East-West Stadium. For the East-West football game the home team is alternated each year and decorates the stadium in their school's colors.
Fine Arts
| Fight Song |
|
Fight for ol’ Fairmont Fairmont must win. Fight to the finish Never give in. Rah Rah Rah You do your best, boys We’ll do the rest, boys Fight for ol’ FSH! |
Band
The Polar Bear Marching band is under the direction of A. Shawn Dunn and regularly travels to participate in competetive events. The band has performed in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City, Walt Disney World, and Universal Studios.[2] The curriculum includes Percussion Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, Marching and Concert Bands. Fairmont Senior is also one of the few schools in the state to have a full Steel Drum Band perform at various state venues.
| Alma Mater |
|
O’er the green campus of Fairmont High, Rings out the strong spirit of do or die. Our sons give their pledges, loyal and true. Dear Alma Mater, we sing to you! |
Choral Music
Fairmont Senior High School has a rich tradition of providing some of the highest quality choral music at the high school level. The Fairmont Senior Madrigal Chamber Choir, a renaissance style a cappella choir, has won numerous all-around Festival's of Music choral competitions in places such as Montreal, New York City, and Williamsburg. The choral department includes the Choraliers, Madrigals, Freshman, Mens’ and Womens’ Chorus, and piano instruction. The elite Madrigals, an Elizabethan style choral group, entertain in authentic costumes. The group has won competitive prestigious prizes and performed at the inauguration of West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin.
Drama and Speech
The International Thespian Society originated in Fairmont WV and was founded by Dr. Paul Opp and Mr. Harry Leeper. Two of the three original chapters were East Fairmont High School Troupe #3 and Fairmont Senior High School Troup #2. The school temporarily lost the Troup #2 label, until it was reinstated following petition in 2002.
Averaging 50 trophies for the past 25 years, the speech team's total trophy accumulation numbers over 1200. FSHS has placed more students in the top 48 at the Octo Finals than any high school in the state of WV.
Athletics
The boys' sports teams are called the Polar Bears and the girls' teams, the Lady Polar Bears. Fairmont Senior competes in the North Central Athletic Conference (NCAC) and regularly contends for state titles in various sports.
Fairmont Senior has a total of 21 sports teams and is one of the few schools in the state to have a Lacrosse team. The school has also won a total of 33 state titles and has many honorable mentions as the runners up in state championship events.
| Fairmont Senior West Virginia State Championship History [3] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Boys' Sports | State Titles | Girls' Sports | State Titles |
| Baseball | Softball | ||
| Basketball | 1927, 1939, 1942, 1949, 1996 | Basketball | 1997 |
| Cross Country | 1977, 1988, 1997, 1999 | Cross Country | 1989, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2003 |
| Golf | Cheerleading | 1991, 1992, 1999 | |
| Football | 1946 | Volleyball | |
| Soccer | Soccer | ||
| Swimming | 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 | Swimming | 2007 |
| Tennis | Tennis | ||
| Track & Field | Track & Field | 1999 | |
| Lacrosse | Lacrosse | 2008† | |
| Wrestling | 1960 | ||
| Boys' Total | 21 | Girls' Total | 12 |
| †Lacrosse is yet to be a sanctioned sport | |||
East-West Stadium
The Polar Bear football, soccer, and track teams all practice and perform off-campus at the historic East-West Stadium. The stadium was built in the 1920's and is home to both Fairmont Senior High School and East Fairmont High School. The facility includes a football/soccer field, track, and a swimming pool. The stadium, which covers one full city block, has an approximate capacity of six-thousand spectators. [4]
Swimming
The Boy's Polar Bear Swim team has never lost the West Virginia state championship title, winning every state swim meet since the formation of the sport in 1999.[5] This accomplishment puts Fairmont Senior in the company of Parkersburg High School as the only two AAA high schools in the state of West Virginia to achieve a streak of ten or more state championship victories. [6]
National Register
On March 22, 2002 Fairmont Senior High School was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Notable Alumni
- Mary Lou Retton, American all-around gold-winning Olympic gymnast.
- Michael Garrison, former president of West Virginia University.
- Frank Kendall Everest, Jr., "the fastest man alive."