Madison High School (Richmond, Kentucky)

Infobox School
name = Richmond Madison High School

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imagesize = 280px
established = 1920
closed = 1989
type = Public
city = Richmond
state = KY
country = USA
colors = Purple and White
nickname = Royal Purples
song = Washington and Lee Swing

Madison High School was an independent city high school in Richmond, Kentucky (Madison County, Kentucky). The school's enrollment (grades 9-12) never exceeded 400 and it never graduated a class of more than 90 students in its 70 year existence.

History

After Caldwell High School (then the community high school in Richmond) burned to the ground in 1917, the need for a new high school led to the building of a school on the grounds of the old Madison Female Institute (between Madison Avenue and Second Street). The school was opened in the fall of 1920 and served Richmond's city youth until the spring of 1989 when a combination of concerns led to its consolidation with the Madison County school district. Its school nickname (adopted in 1925) was the Royal Purples. The school's physical plant is now the site of Madison Middle School which opened in the fall of 1992 and is a part of the Madison County school system. Initially, the Madison County Board of Education voted to adopt green and white as the new school colors, but (after protests from several Madison High alumni) changed the decision and opted to keep the old school colors (purple and white). They did, however, decide to change the schools' nickname to Panthers.

From 1940-1961, the school formed a unique relationship with then Eastern Kentucky State College and its laboratory school, Model. This was accomplished through the efforts of new president William F. O'Donnell. O'Donnell had served as the superintendent of Richmond City Schools from 1925 until his appointment as President of Eastern in 1940. The relationship involved a combining of the schools athletic teams.

Through the 1955-56 school year, Madison High was a segregated school. Richmond's African-American students attended Richmond High School (located on Irvine Street). In 1956, Richmond High was integrated into Madison High as the Richmond City Board of Education carried out the federal ruling in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, 347 U.S. 483 (1954). As Richmond grew and many citizens began to move to suburban locations on the outskirts of the Richmond city school district lines, a steady decline in enrollment gradually took place. By the 1980s, the school graduated (on the average) about 40 students a year. A combination of losing students to the Laboratory School, inability to expand the city school district (which resulted in a dwindling tax base) and the demographic trend know as white flight led to the decision to consolidate with the county system in 1989.

Athletics

Madison-Model fielded several excellent football teams in its last five years before their partnership was dissolved.New Eastern president Robert R. Martin took over from O'Donnell in the fall of 1960 and ended the partnership at the close of the school year. Roy Kidd had become the football coach in 1956 and the Purples recorded a 41-10-1 record over the next five years (1956-60). In their first year after separating from Model, Kidd's Royal Purples went 13-1 in 1961 and finished as the Class AA state-runner up to Ft. Thomas Highlands. Three years later, coach Bobby Harville took Madison to the Class AA title game and again the Purples lost to Ft. Thomas Highlands (10-4 record).

In the 1970s, coach Monty Joe Lovell led the Royal Purples to the Class A state playoffs four times. The Purples lost in the state semi-finals in 1972 (12-1), 1978 (9-4) and finished as state-runner up to Bellevue in 1979 (10-3).

In its early football history, Madison finished as champions of central Kentucky in 1925. In 1924 and 1925, the Purples had a combined 15-4 record and defeated highly-regarded Ft. Thomas Highlands in Thanksgiving Day matchups both seasons. Coach Velmar Miller led Madison to its last playoff appearance in 1985.

Madison participated in Kentucky's well-known State Basketball Tournament six times. This was quite an accomplishment when consideration of their placement in the KHSAA's 11th Region is taken into account. The 11th Region includes the Lexington, Kentucky area schools and is considered the toughest basketball region in the state. Madison's initial trip to the tournament was in 1939 when coach Ralph Carlisle took the Purples to the state quarter-final round. Another trip followed in 1943 (then as Madison-Model) and coach Bob Ackerman led the Royal Purples to back to back titles in 1947 and 1948. Coach Ray Vencill led Madison to consecutive 11th Region championships in 1969 and 1970. In 1970, the underdog Purples nearly pulled off an upset in the state title game as they fell to powerful Male High School of Louisville 70-69 and finished as Kentucky's state runner-up. Forward Robert Brooks was named Kentucky's Mr. Basketball.

Madison-Model also participated in the state baseball tournament multiple times and finished as Kentucky state-runner-up in 1945. The Girls' track team was crowned the Class A Kentucky state champion in 1978.

tate Football Playoffs

*1961
*1964
*1971
*1972
*1978
*1979
*1985

tate Basketball Sweet 16

*1939
*1943
*1947
*1948
*1969
*1970

Football Bowl Appearances

Recreation Bowl Champion

*1957
*1961

Recreation Bowl Runner-Up

*1958
*1965

Big Sandy Bowl Runner-Up

*1956

Scholarship Bowl Champion

*1958

Laurel Bowl Champion

*1973

CKC Bowl Champion

*1961
*1972
*1975

CKC Bowl Runner-Up

*1964

Optimist Bowl Champion

*1980

tate Runner-Up

Class AA Football

*1961
*1964

Class A Football

*1979

Basketball

*1970

Baseball

*1945

tate Champion

Girls Track

*1978

School Song Lyrics

Oh when that old Madison High team falls in line
We're gonna win this game another time
And for that dear old school we love so well
And for that dear old team we'll yell and yell and yell

We're gonna fight, fight, fight, for every score
We're gonna hit that line and score some more
We're gonna roll old (insert opponent) on the side, on the side

Rah, Rah, Rah, Rah, Rah, Rah,

Here's to old Madison
Madison will win
Fight to the finish
Never give in

You do your best boys
We'll do the rest boys
On to VICTORY!