Big Creek High School

Infobox Education in the United States
name= Big Creek High School


imagesize= 320x240px
motto=
motto_translation=
streetaddress=
city= War
state= West Virginia
zipcode= 24892
areacode= 304
phone= 875-2287
fax= 875-4208
email=
url= http://boe.mcdo.k12.wv.us/bigcreek/default.htm
schoolnumber=
schoolboard= McDowell County Schools
affiliation=
superintendent=
trustee=
principal=
viceprincipal=
administrator=
schooltype= High School
grades= 9-12
language= English
area=
mascot= Owl
teamname= Big Creek Owls
colors= Green And White
founded= 1932
enrollment=
enrollment_as_of=

Big Creek High School is a 9-12 public high school located in War, West Virginia. It is operated by the McDowell County Schools and governed by the McDowell County Board of Education.

History

Construction of Big Creek High School began November 1930. Completion was anticipated in late August 1931. This, however, was not the case and the 1931-1932 school year began with BCHS still under construction. Big Creek High School's first Principal, George Bryson, and his faculty of twelve began the school year on the top floor of Caretta School. By Christmas 1931, BCHS construction was completed and students entered the building for the first time on January 4, 1932. BCHS began in 1932, with a principal, 12 teachers, and 205 students from three all-white schools: Berwind, Coalwood, and War Excelsior. By 1965, McDowell County was fully integrated. [ Big Creek High School History Page [http://boe.mcdo.k12.wv.us/bigcreek/history.htm] ]

Architecture

BCHS exemplifies a 1930's interpretation of the Collegiate Gothic style of architecture with its simplified crenelated parapet and pointed arch over the main entrance. The school is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. In 2005, BCHS was one of twelve schools that were selected to be published in the National Register of Historic Places for the West Virginia's Historic Schools, West Virginia Division Of Culture and History. Big Creek High School was pictured for the month of August 2005.

The Owl

Big Creek High School was the first school in McDowell County and Southern West Virginia and the second in West Virginia to play football after dark. Funding for field lights came from the War Kiwanis Club, who donated $2,000 (Approx. $28,000 after adjusted for inflation) in early 1931. In November 1931, BCHS students held an election to determine the school emblem. Because the school was playing night games, the Kiwanis Club suggested the OWL as the school emblem. BCHS students decided to adopt the OWL as the schools emblem, with green and white as the school colors.

The Fight Song & Alma Mater

Mr. Bryson, a then recent graduate of the University of Kentucky, suggested the UK fight song music be used as the basis of the school song. This was agreeable to staff and students. Mr. Bryson then wrote the words to the BCHS fight song, a variation on the Kentucky fight song. Which he called " On, On, Green and White". Four decades later, in 1970, the BCHS Alma Mater was written by music and band director, Robert Tibbs. [ Big Creek High School Fight Song & Alma Mater [http://boe.mcdo.k12.wv.us/bigcreek/schoolsong/school.htm] ]

Rocket Boys/October Sky

Big Creek High School received fame in 1998 as a result of the #1 New York Times best-selling memoir Rocket Boys written by Homer (Sonny) Hickam, Jr., a 1960 graduate of Big Creek. Subsequently, the 1999 film October Sky based on Hickam's book made its national debut. It won many awards, including the coveted Humanitas Award. Although Big Creek High School was not the school filmed for the movie (Fountain City Elementary at Knoxville, TN was), Big Creek and the surrounding communities take pride in their alumni. Rocket Boys, the memoir, is one of the most often picked community/library reads in the USA and is studied in many school systems across the country. There were three sequels to Rocket Boys beginning with The Coalwood Way, followed by Sky of Stone and We Are Not Afraid. As of 2008, there is also work underway for a Broadway musical based on the memoir. For more information, go to http://www.rocketboysthemusical.com.

Background To The Rocket Boy Story

For more information, go to http://www.homerhickam.com.

outhside School

In 2005, a groundbreaking ceremony was held on the BCHS football field. The field was to be converted into a consolidated school of War, Bartley, and Berwind Elementaries. Although Native American remains from the Late Woodland period were found on the site, the construction continued [Council for West Virginia Archaeology: Big Creek High School Archaelogical Site [http://cwva.org/research_reports/big_creek_hs/base.html] ] until April 9, 2007 when the new school, named "Southside" opened.

Closing

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on September 21, 2005. The location for the new consolidated school will be in Bradshaw, West Virginia, at Oozley Branch. The new school will house 9th-12th grade students and will include a wellness clinic and the standard high school program as well as a vocational/technical program. The vocational program will encompass health occupations, corrections, forestry, cosmetology, and computer technology. Adult services will also be provided in the evening. A complete sports facility will be located at the school site, which embodies a football field, baseball/softball field, and tennis courts. A new name, mascot, and school colors will be selected by the student body/staff from Big Creek High school and Iaeger High School. Construction is scheduled to begin after February, 2008. The administrative staff will be selected 18 months prior to the school opening to help facilitate school construction, curriculum development, and teacher selection. [Officials: Bids now open for McDowell schools construction, Published: February 05, 2008 08:41 pm, [http://www.bdtonline.com/archivesearch/local_story_036204152.html Bluefield Daily Telegraph] ]

External links

* [http://boe.mcdo.k12.wv.us/bigcreek/ School Homepage]
* [http://www.bigcreekowls.org/ Big Creek High School Alumni Web Site]
* [http://www.homerhickam.com/Official website of Homer Hickam]

References