West Philadelphia High School

Last updated

West Philadelphia High School
Location
West Philadelphia High School
4901 Chestnut St.

Philadelphia
,
Pennsylvania
19139

United States
Coordinates 39°57′29″N75°13′11″W / 39.9581°N 75.2196°W / 39.9581; -75.2196
Information
Type Public high school
MottoWhere Every Student Thrives!
Established1912
School district School District of Philadelphia
PrincipalMarla Travis
Staff49.30 (FTE) [1]
Grades9–12
Enrollment593 (2023–2024) [1]
Student to teacher ratio12.03 [1]
Color(s)Orange and Blue  
Nickname Speedboys and Speedgirls
YearbookThe Flame
Website wphs.philasd.org/%20West%20Philadelphia%20High%20School
West Philadelphia High School
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The original West Philadelphia High School
Front of the original West Philadelphia High School building, as depicted in yearbook covers 1939-1949 West Philadelphia High School Yearbook Cover The Record 1944.jpg
Front of the original West Philadelphia High School building, as depicted in yearbook covers 1939-1949
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Location4700 Walnut St.,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Coordinates 39°57′20″N75°13′00″W / 39.9555°N 75.2167°W / 39.9555; -75.2167
Area West Philadelphia
Built1912
Architect Henry deCoursey Richards, Grays & Co.
MPS Philadelphia Public Schools TR
NRHP reference No. 86003345 [2]
Added to NRHPDecember 4, 1986

West Philadelphia High School is a secondary school located in the West Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the intersection of 49th Street and Chestnut Street. [3]

Contents

History

20th century

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, 48th, Walnut, and Locust Streets. The student population at that time was in excess of 5,500. [3] 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, followed in 1935.

The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. [2]

The school's motto was "Alere Flammam," to feed the flame. It derived from the Latin verb "alere," to nourish or to feed, and the Latin noun "flammam," flame.

WPHS's athletic field, which is located at 48th and Spruce Street, was formerly known as Passon Field and home to Negro league baseball in the 1930s. It was the home field of the Eastern Colored League'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. [4]

21st century

In September 2011, the school moved to a new building at its current building at 49th and Chestnut Streets. The new building is much smaller due to reduced enrollment at the high school. [5] The former building at 47th Street & Walnut Street was converted into housing as the West Lofts, for about 268 apartments. [6]

In June 2013, the school district allowed the Sustainability Workshop to take all of the space in the auto mechanic building, prompting community opposition. [7]

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. [8]

Small learning communities

Sports programs and extracurricular activities

Notable alumni

References

  1. 1 2 3 "West Philadelphia HS". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
  2. 1 2 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. January 23, 2007.
  3. 1 2 "West Philadelphia High School". The School District of Philadelphia. Retrieved March 16, 2017.
  4. ↑ Healy, Paul (2003–2005). "Passon Field". Project Ballpark. Retrieved January 13, 2009.
  5. ↑ Kerkstra, Patrick (January 6, 2012). "How the fate of the old West High may be hinged to far West Philly revival". PlanPhilly. WHYY-FM . Retrieved March 24, 2017.
  6. ↑ "West Lofts billed as luxury apartments – but residents say they're roughing it". Philly Voice. January 15, 2018. Retrieved February 26, 2022.
  7. ↑ Denvir, Daniel (June 14, 2013). "West Philly High auto program takeover prompts sharp criticism". Philadelphia City Paper. Archived from the original on June 23, 2013. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
  8. ↑ Grant, Kristen (December 9, 2016). "West Philly High School's water safety in doubt". Philadelphia Media Network. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  9. ↑ "The Origin of the McDonalds All American Game". ESPN. February 26, 2003. Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  10. ↑ "Prep Al-America revealed". The Herald Journal. March 20, 1977. p. 14. Retrieved April 3, 2023– via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Chappell, Emma C. 1941-". www.encylopedia.com. Encyclopedia.com. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  12. ↑ "Linda Harriott-Gathright's Biography". Vote Smart. Retrieved March 22, 2022.
  13. ↑ Rudin, Anne. "Autobiographical Notes" (PDF). Retrieved April 2, 2022.
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