The original McKinley building on Market Avenue North was opened on March 27, 1918. The students of Central High School and North High School were moved to the new building. The school was named for President William McKinley (whose home was across the street from McKinley High School) and his sister, Anna McKinley, who taught in the Canton Public Schools for 30 years. When it opened, it was the only high school in Canton. By 1943, it was one of four high schools, as enrollment in the city schools dictated Lehman High School, Lincoln High School, and Timken Vocational High School be opened.
McKinley High School's enrollment peaked in the 1935–36 school year with 4,000 students attending.[2] As the city of Canton's population declined, so did city school enrollment. In the spring of 1976, the Canton City Schools closed all four high schools in the city. Lehman and Lincoln reverted to junior high schools, and Timken Senior High School and McKinley Senior High School were their replacements. McKinley Senior opened in a new building on the site of Fawcett Stadium.
On February 25, 2015, Canton City Schools approved the "one community, one school" initiative by merging Timken High School into McKinley High School (also known as the pre-mentioned Early College High School), giving Canton a single high school for the first time since 1937. Freshmen of the merged schools will attend the Freshmen Academy located at the current Timken High School, while grades 10–12 attend the senior high school located at the current McKinley building. The remaining high school will retain the McKinley name, mascot, and colors.[3]
On May 24, 2021, head football coach Marcus Wattley allegedly forced an unnamed 17-year-old football team member to eat a pizza made with pork, although the student's religious beliefs prohibited him from consuming pork or pork residue. The Canton City School District announced that the head coach had been suspended, and later that he had been fired.[4][5][6][7] Wattley's Twitter account was then deleted soon after.[8][unreliable source?]
Athletics
McKinley competes in the Federal League, one of the oldest athletic conferences in Ohio.
Canton McKinley is 10th in the nation in football wins all-time, with 873 as of December 2023. McKinley is also second in Ohio in win totals.[citation needed] McKinley has won 12 State Titles and 2 National Titles. Since the playoff format began, McKinley has won three State Titles, in 1981, 1997, and 1998. They have been State Runner-Up three times in 1977, 1985, and 2004.
The Canton McKinley vs. Massillon Washington rivalry is the 13th most played rivalry in the nation, with 129 meetings between the schools. The rivalry is also tied for the nation's 14th oldest, dating back to 1894 and was profiled in the November 14, 1994 issue of Sports Illustrated. The Great American Rivalry Series which features the nation's top high school football rivalries has highlighted the rivalry 11 times since 2006.
McKinley has won three State Championships in 1983–84, 2004–05, and 2005–2006. They have been State Runners-Up eight times, and hold Ohio records for most appearances in the Championship game (11), Final Four appearances (23), and Sweet Sixteen appearances (48). McKinley has had several players move on to the NBA, including Nick Weatherspoon, Phil Hubbard, Gary Grant, Eric Snow, Michael Hawkins, and Keith McLeod.
Jim Aiken – Coach: Head football and basketball; would go on to coach at the University of Akron, University of Nevada, Reno, and University of Oregon
Paul Bixler – Coach: Head basketball, assistant football; would go on to coach at Ohio State and Colgate; Director of Player Personnel for the NFL Cleveland Browns
Ron Chismar – Coach: Head football; would go on to coach at Wichita State University
Len Fontes – Coach: Asst. football; would go on to coach NFL defensive backs.
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