Pocatello High School

Pocatello High School is a four-year public high school in Pocatello, Idaho, United States, locally known as "Poky.” It is the oldest of the three traditional high schools of the Pocatello/Chubbuck School District and serves the southwest portion. The school colors are red and blue and the mascot was an Indian;[2] the city's namesake, Chief Pocatello, was the leader of the Shoshone people. The mascot will be changed to the Thunder in June 2021. Imagery for this mascot has yet to be decided.

Pocatello High School
Front entrance in 2008
Location
325 N. Arthur Ave.

Pocatello
,
Idaho

United States
Information
TypePublic [1]
Established1892
School districtPocatello/Chubbuck S.D.
PrincipalLisa Delonas[2]
Faculty53.82 (FTE)[3]
Grades9–12 [1]
Enrollment1,019 (2018–19)[3]
Student to teacher ratio18.93[3]
Color(s)Red, blue, white[2]
     
AthleticsIHSAA Class 4A
Athletics conferenceGreat Basin (East)
MascotThunder [2]
RivalsHighland, Century
NewspaperChieftain
YearbookPocatellian
Information(208) 233-2056
Elevation4,470 ft (1,360 m) AMSL
Website

History

The school was constructed in late spring and summer of 1892 at a cost of $18, 281. According to the Bannock County Historical Society, the school was originally called West Side School, holding all grades in the same school. Pocatello High School was the most impressive building in the area during the early 1900s and on many occasions the school served as a town square where concerts and athletic contests were held. Two presidents of the United States spoke on the grounds of Pocatello High School, President Theodore Roosevelt in 1902 and William Howard Taft in 1908.[4]

In 1914, a fire started in the boiler room and the high school burnt completely to the ground. The school was rebuilt in exactly the same location. In 1939, the old school was remodeled and additions were made including a new gymnasium currently known as "the pit". In 1996 major renovations were added to the school which took three years to complete. These renovations included new floors, lights, sidewalks, heating system, and windows.[5] A new gymnasium known as "the palace" was built between 2004 and 2006.

Architect Frank H. Paradice, Jr., who moved to Pocatello around 1915, reportedly designed the high school,[6] presumably the new construction one replacing the one destroyed by fire in 1914.

Several presidents have visited PHS. Teddy Roosevelt visited in 1902. William Howard Taft visited in 1911. John F. Kennedy even visited in 1960.

In September 2016, Monsanto awarded a grant of $15,000 for the development of a hydroponic greenhouse for the roof of the Museum of Clean to teach students about green energy and how plants grow. Wind turbines and solar panels will generate power, such as to provide electricity for lights during the nighttime. It is part of a project involving the partnership of the high school with the museum. The installation is targeted for completion in the fall of 2017.[7]

Achievements

In 1989, Pocatello High School received the Presidential Excellence award, one of only 165 awards given in the nation.[8]

Athletics

Pocatello competes in athletics in IHSAA Class 4A in the Great Basin (East) Conference with Century and Preston. PHS traditionally competed with the largest schools in the state in Class 5A (formerly A-1); a drop in enrollment caused a change to Class 4A. "

  • From 2011-2015 the boys cross country won 5 state Championships in a row.[9]
  • In 2000, the boys basketball team successfully defended the A-1 (now 5A) state championship.[10]
  • The PHS football team won the state 4A title in November 2006.
    • Four A-1 (now 5A) state titles in football were won in six-season span (1989, 1990, 1992, 1994).[11]
  • The 2012 baseball team won the state 4A championship, its first.[12]

Rivalries

Pocatello High School has intra-city rivalries with Highland (1963) and Century (1999). The annual football game between Pocatello and Highland is known as the "Black and Blue Bowl." A tradition of rivalry between the schools is to paint the large rock outside of the other schools.

State titles

Boys

  • Cross Country (6): fall 1980; (4A) 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015[9] (introduced in 1964)
  • Basketball (9): 1927, 1929, 1936, 1942, 1957, 1962, 1969, 1999, 2000[10]
  • Wrestling (7): 1968, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1990, 1991, 1992[13] (introduced in 1958)
  • Baseball (1): (4A) 2012[12] (records not kept by IHSAA, state tourney introduced in 1971)
  • Track (2): 1958; (4A) 2009[14]
  • Golf (3): 1957, 1962, 1990, 2007, 2008 (introduced in 1956)
  • Football (5): fall 1989, 1990, 1992, 1994: (4A) 2006 (official with introduction of playoffs, fall 1979)[15]
    • (unofficial poll titles - 0) (poll introduced in 1963, through 1978)

Girls

  • Cross Country (2): fall 1995, 1996[9] (introduced in 1974)
  • Volleyball (1): fall 1990[16] (introduced in 1976)
  • Track (5): 1975, 1982, 1994, 1995, 1996[17] (introduced in 1971)
  • Dance: All-State Champions 2012

Controversy

In October, 2013, a former girls' basketball coach, Laraine Cook was fired over a Facebook photo where her fiance, Tom Harrison, a football coach at Pocatello High School, holds her breast.[18] Cook told local Pocatello ABC affiliate that she was fired and not Harrison because she was the one who posted the photo.[19]

Until the 1970s, the Pocatello High School mascot was a Native American caricature named Osky Ow Wow, "a little Mohawk-looking guy with buck teeth, dark skin, big round eyes and a Mohawk haircut." [20] The school's dance team, the Indianettes, continue to perform a redface routine in which students dress up in stereotypical Native American outfits and perform a mock "Indian" dance.[21][22]

In 2020, the Pocatello School District #25 and Principal Lisa Delonas decided to change Pocatello High School’s mascot. Suggestions for the future mascot were submitted and were narrowed down by a voluntary mascot board. Final mascot decisions were presented to the school district. Final mascots included the Phantoms, Bison, Thunder, Mustangs, and a few more. Phantoms was a favorite of the student body. Several people of the community wanted the mascot to stay as the Indian. After several meetings, the Thunder was decided upon. The community is now able to submit imagery ideas for the Thunder.

Notable alumni

Pocatello High School featured in the August 29, 2019 episode of Ghost Hunters.[23]

References
  1. "Pocatello Senior High School". Public School Review. Retrieved 2009-04-28.
  2. "Member School Information". Idaho High School Activities Association. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
  3. "POCATELLO HIGH SCHOOL". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  4. John F. Kennedy visited in 1962 and spoke during a campaign trip.
  5. Pocatello High Reborn
  6. JoEllen Ross-Hauer (July 2015). "National Register of Historic Places Registration: Payette Lakes Club / Payette Lake Club / Payette Lakes Inn" (PDF). State of Idaho. Retrieved September 13, 2019. DRAFT (? not stamped "final"). PDF includes plans and historic photos but not 26 photos from 2015 stated to be included in its submission.
  7. Coffin, Deanne (September 27, 2016). "Monsanto Awards Pocatello $15,000 Grant". EastIdahoNews. KPVI. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
  8. History
  9. "Past Champions/Records" (PDF). Boys' Cross Country. Idaho High School Activities Associatio Idaho High School Activities Association. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
  10. idhsaa.org Archived 2012-04-15 at the Wayback Machine - Basketball champions - through 2012
  11. IDHSAA 4A football bracket
  12. "2011 4A State Baseball Bracket". IdahoSports.com. May 19, 2012. Retrieved October 29, 2012.
  13. idhsaa.org Archived 2012-04-15 at the Wayback Machine - Wrestling champions - through 2012
  14. idhsaa.org Archived 2012-04-15 at the Wayback Machine - Track champions - through 2012
  15. idhsaa.org Archived 2012-04-15 at the Wayback Machine - Idaho high school football - state champions
  16. idhsaa.org Archived 2012-04-15 at the Wayback Machine Soccer & Volleyball champions - through 2011
  17. idhsaa.org Archived 2012-04-15 at the Wayback Machine - Girls Track champions - through 2012
  18. "Larraine Cook, High School Coach, Fired Over Facebook Photo". HuffingtonPost.com. November 7, 2013. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
  19. "VIDEO: Former coach Laraine Cook talks to Local news 8". localnews8.com. November 4, 2013. Retrieved November 8, 2013.
  20. "POCATELLO MASCOT PASSES U.S. INDIAN MUSTER". 1991-12-30. Retrieved 2016-09-05.
  21. "Pocatello High School Indianettes - Timeline | Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2016-09-05.
  22. Scott Smith (2015-08-26), PHS Traditionals 2015, retrieved 2016-09-05
  23. sharris@journalnet.com, By Shelbie Harris. "New 'Ghost Hunters' show will apparently feature haunted Pocatello High School". Idaho State Journal. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
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