Letter to the editor: Between the lines, top high schools
One of the major factors in choosing where to live in the United States is the educational reputation. Many parents want academics while others select a school based on athletic history.
One of the premier high schools in America known for producing sports stars is Mater Dei, a private Catholic school in Santa Ana, California. On the East coast, few if any match DeWitt Clinton High, located in New York City.
Here are some of the noted alumni of this Bronx school: actors Don Adams, Martin Balsam, Judd Hirsch, Burt Lancaster, and Tracy Morgan. Composers and writers include: James Baldwin, Richard Rodgers, Neil Simon, Stan Lee, and Fats Waller. Newsman Daniel Schorr, designer Ralph Lauren, radio’s “Greaseman,” (Doug Tracht,) and producer Garry Marshall are Clinton grads. They are joined by basketball greats Dolph Schayes and Nate “Tiny” Archibald, plus comedian Robert Klein.
It is hard to dispute DeWitt Clinton’s claim to fame, but one much closer to home has reason to crow.
Kinston High School has produced a very impressive number of basketball stars in recent years. One local star athlete was Leo Hart, who was a standout in three sports, before setting passing records (6,116 yards) as quarterback at Duke. He was All-ACC from 1968-70. Before consolidation in 1970, Grainger High was a power, with teams in the ‘50s led by Alley Hart who went on to Wake Forest, and in the early ‘60s, led by Tommy Mattocks later at North Carolina State.
Cedric “Cornbread” Maxwell led UNC Charlotte to its only Final Four in 1977, before playing on two NBA champions in Boston. Charles Shackelford was a star at N.C. State.
Jerry Stackhouse and Reggie Bullock were Kinston stars before going to Chapel Hill, where Dontrez Styles is currently playing for UNC. Brandon Ingram chose Duke, and now is a standout in the N.B.A. Craig and Tony Dawson were among other good players coming out of Kinston.
Ron Wooten, Lin Dawson, Quentin Coples, and Derek Rivers all played in the National Football League. Jaime Presley became a television actress.
These are notable Kinston High students and just a partial list. KHS is less than a quarter the size of DeWitt Clinton, and roughly the same size in enrollment of North Lenoir and Goldsboro, but dwarfs their neighbors in names of students many people recognize.
No doubt there are alumni of every school who go on to productive lives, some even becoming famous be it in sports or other fields. It’s fun to recognize these people, but more important we salute the teachers (and principals) and coaches who helped them in countless ways along the educational path.
Turning to television’s treatment of high schools, here is my list of the best: Friday Night Lights (2006-11) was a brilliantly written and cast series about Texas football. The White Shadow (1978-81) starred Ken Howard as a basketball coach at an inner-city school. Boston Public (2000-04) featured Chi McBride and Fyvush Finkel in cleverly dealing with high school angst.
Some others worth mentioning include: Our Miss Brooks, Glee, Fame, Riverdale, Saved by the Bell, Head of the Class, Room 222, Mr. Novak, Blossom, Square Pegs, Beverly Hills 90210, and Welcome Back, Kotter.
Finally, our line of the week: “Experience is not what happens to you; it is what you do with what happens to you.” – Aldous Huxley
David Chadwick
