Dwight Morrow High School

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Dwight Morrow High School
Motto: ??????
Established	1932
Type	Public school
Principal	James Smith
Students	751
Grades	9-12
Location	Englewood, NJ USA
District	Englewood Public School District
Accreditation	New Jersey Department of Education
Campus	suburban
Colors	Maroon and White
Mascot	Maroon Raiders
Yearbook	Engle Log
Newspaper	Eagle Magazine
Faculty	71
Website	http://www.dmcampus.org/

Dwight Morrow High School is a four-year comprehensive public high school located in Englewood, New Jersey, United States, as part of the Englewood Public School District. Founded in 1932, the school is named after Dwight Morrow, an American businessman, politician, and diplomat. The high school in recent years has had a volatile history. When it first opened up, it ranked as one of the top schools in the nation for many years. Starting in the 1970s, as white flight took place in the district and surrounding areas, the school's test scores plummeted and incidents of violence increased.

The school shares its campus with the Academies@Englewood and Janis E. Dismus Middle School.

1 History
2 Current Situation
3 Future Plans
4 Notable alumni
5 Trivia
6 Citations
7 See also
8 External links

[edit] History

During the 1980s, changes in local demographics drastically altered the school's ethnic body resulting in an African American majority. The nearby district of Englewood Cliffs attempted to end its sending receiving relationship with Englewood due to the poor performance of the school. This led to a bitter court battle between Englewood and Englewood Cliffs beginning in 1985, a move characterized by Englewood as racist. By 1992, the school was 97% African American and Hispanic. "There were more violent incidents reported at DMHS (Dwight Morrow High School) than any other school in Bergen County in the 1991-92 school year, and test scores remained painfully low." ¹ Court battles continued, in an attempt to desegregate the high school.

According to Assemblyman John E. Rooney, "white students from Englewood Cliffs, the district trying to end its obligation to send its students to Dwight Morrow, feared for their safety at the heavily minority institution." Most Englewood Cliffs parents have chosen private school over Dwight Morrow High School. ²

[edit] Current Situation

In the fall of 2002, a new magnet program was opened up in an attempt to attract non- African American students back to the school. The opening of the new academy led to more discrimination from the viewpoint of Englewood's African American community. The academy was given a portion of the campus to operate on, and the regular high school, Dwight Morrow, continued to operate on the remainder of the campus. The academy has a diverse population and is kept separate from Dwight Morrow while occupying the same campus. This has created two distinct schools on one campus. Dwight Morrow recently has had protests, overcrowded classrooms and an inferior education.

"The books are old and the classes are overcrowded,' said..., a junior. "In my history class at least five students have to stand up each day." ³.

The academy has highly-qualified teachers as well better resources.

"Academies@Englewood; longer school day, rigorous and engaging core academic curriculum, technology, upgraded classroom materials and equipment not available to Dwight Morrow students, climate reflecting high expectations, inviting classrooms. Students are spirited and proud of their school and opportunities."

Dwight Morrow high school continues to have major problems and continues to be 97% black and hispanic. If the Academies @ Englewood are included as part of the High School's total population, that percentage is considerably lower.

Many residents of Englewood feel that the City of Englewood has worked against the progress of the high school by opening up the Academies. About 50% of the students are from Englewood. Englewood's African American community feels the city and the board of education has put its minority residents second with this move.

"For the past three years they've been feeling like second-class citizens in their own town, sharing a campus with another high school touted as academically superior, and getting no respect...The message to kids and parents at that 97 percent African-American and Hispanic high school is that for so-called integration to happen on the campus, you must swallow the bitter pill that tastes like apartheid." ⁴

[edit] Future Plans

The Englewood Board of Education has plans to intergrate the Academies @ Englewood with Dwight Morrow High School. The plan to phase the two schools in to one will take place over the next few years.

[edit] Notable alumni

Regina Belle; Grammy Award-winning singer (graduated from)
Wayne A. Cauthen; City Manager, Kansas City, Missouri (graduated from in 1974)
David X. Cohen; Creator of Futurama (graduated from)
Bruce Harper; Former NFL Player New York Jets (graduated from in 1973)
Ernie Isley; lead guitarist for the Isley Brothers, Class of 1970.
Marvin Isley ; bass guitarist for the Isley Brothers, Class of 1972.
Richard Lewis; Comedian and actor Curb Your Enthusiasm
Rick Overton; Comedian and actor.
Sarah Jessica Parker; Actress (attended, moved to Hollywood)
Clarke Peters ; Actor (Det. Lester Freaman) from the HBO series The Wire was born Peter Clark, Class of 1970.
Wally Schirra; NASA Astronaut (graduated from)
Sister Souljah; Activist & Writer (graduated from)
Tony Tolbert; Former NFL Player Dallas Cowboys (graduated from)
Joey Travolta ; Actor graduated in 1969.
John Travolta; Actor (attended, dropped out in 1971.)
Bill Willoughby; Former NBA Player who, along with Darryl Dawkins, were the first high school players drafted by the NBA (graduated 1975).
Tom Wright; Actor (Weekend at Bernie's II, The Brother from Another Planet), Class of 1970.
Bill Warren; Guggenheim Fellowship Recipient/Painter (attended dropped out in 1976.)

[edit] Trivia

Dwight Morrow High School has two buildings. One building is called the North building and was the original structure of the school. Later on Martin Luther King Jr. Hall, also known as the South building, was added to the campus.
The High School's North building was built using Gothic architecture. The North building features a 100 foot tower.
Millers Pond on the campus coupled with the Janis E. Dismus Middle School on the grounds lends a collegiate atmosphere to the school.
The High School's North building is featured as outside scenery for the show Sabrina, the Teenage Witch.
Dwight Morrow High School was used in the filming of Sidney Lumet Running on Empty (film) starring River Phoenix, Judd Hirsch, and Christine Lahti .
The High School's Yearbook is called the Engle Log.
The High School has a literary magazine that it publishes annually called the Eagle Magazine.
The High School's sports teams are called the Maroon Raiders.
The High School's colors are maroon and white.
The High School serves the districts of Englewood and Englewood Cliffs.
The High School participates in the BCSL American athletic conference.