James Madison High School (Dallas, Texas)

Infobox_School
name = James Madison High School
established = 1916
type = Public, Secondary
location = 3000 Martin L. King Blvd.
Dallas, TX 75215
district = Dallas Independent School District
grades = 9-12
principal = Marian Willard [http://www.dallasisd.com Dallas ISD] - [http://www.dallasisd.org/schools/realtor_new.cfm?id_con=52 James Madison High School] . Retrieved 3 October 2006.]
students = 602 [http://www.tea.state.tx.us/ Texas Education Agency] - [http://askted.tea.state.tx.us/org-bin/school/SCHOOL_RPT?Y::School::Directory School Directory] - type in school number "057905032" and select "view report." Retrieved 3 October 2006.]
mascot = Trojans
colors = Green and Gold [http://www.dallasisd.com Dallas ISD] - [http://www.dallasisd.org/schools/realtor_new.cfm?id_con=235 Lincoln High School] . Retrieved 7 January 2007.] color box|green color box|gold
free_label = Trustee dist.
free_label2 = Area
free_text = 9, Ron Price [http://www.dallasisd.com Dallas ISD] - [http://www.dallasisd.org/pdf/infosheets/schoolsbytrustee.pdf Schools by Trustee] . (PDF). Retrieved 3 October 2006.]
free_text2 = 2, Shirley Ison-Newsome [http://www.dallasisd.com Dallas ISD] - [http://www.dallasisd.org/pdf/infosheets/schoolsbyarea.pdf Schools by Area] . (PDF). Retrieved 3 October 2006.]
information = [phone] [http://www.dallasisd.com Dallas ISD] - [http://www.dallasisd.org/pdf/infosheets/schooldirectory.pdf School telephone numbers] . (PDF). Retrieved 3 October 2006.]
Fax: [phone] [http://www.dallasisd.com Dallas ISD] - [http://www.dallasisd.org/pdf/infosheets/schoolfax.pdf School fax numbers] . (PDF). Retrieved 3 October 2006.]
website =

James Madison High School, formerly Forest Avenue High School, is a public secondary school located at 3000 Martin L. King Boulevard in south Dallas, Texas (USA). Madison High School enrolls students in grades 9-12 and is a part of the Dallas Independent School District.

The school serves several areas, including much of Downtown Dallas and Cedars.

History

The original Forest Avenue High School was constructed in 1916 in the style of Italian Renaissance architecture, in what were then fast-growing suburban areas of Dallas. The building is on the United States National Register of Historic Places on the basis of its architecture as well as its importance in the growing South Dallas community over the period ending with the close of World War II in 1945. [http://atlas.thc.state.tx.us/shell-county.htm Reference No. 95000318, Old Forest Avenue High School] (requires search), listing in National Register of Historic Places, certified March 23, 1995] Over the 40 years after the building was erected, demographics of the surrounding community shifted as large numbers of African-Americans moved into the area.

On June 14 1956, the Dallas Board of Education announced that Forest Avenue High School would have its attendance zone redrawn to relieve overcrowding at the two existing "Negro schools," Booker T. Washington High School and Lincoln High School. In keeping with its existing policy on racial segregation, the school would be reassigned as a school for Black students and the current White student body would attend Crozier Tech High School.Sue Connally. "Forest assigned to Negro pupils: District added to Crozier's," "The Dallas Morning News", June 14, 1956, section 1, pages 1 and 9. "Note: At that time, "district" was used in Dallas to refer to the attendance zone of a specific school, rather than the system as a whole."] The following day, the front page of "The Dallas Morning News" reported the criticism of the Texas Field Secretary of the NAACP, Edgar Washington, Jr., of the district's decision to turn over the school rather than to integrateSue Connally. "Leader raps Forest switch," "The Dallas Morning News", June 15, 1956, section 1, pages 1–2.] ; the paper also ran an editorial in the same day's paper applauding the school system for providing Black students with an excellent facility while not violating state law by integrating the school."Course is set by school board," "The Dallas Morning News", June 15, 1956, section 3, page 2.] One week later, the paper reported a petition by "the Dad's Club [sic] and Parent-Teacher Association" of the school — with signatures from the student body — to request that the school's name, colors (green and white), and emblem (lion) be retired, with the colors and emblem remaining available to any future whites-only school that might request to use them. The principal announced at that same meeting that all Forest Avenue trophies and other memorabilia were to be transferred to Crozier Tech."Bid to retire name, colors, emblem made," "The Dallas Morning News", June 22, 1956, section 1, page 1.] The school reopened that fall as James Madison High School, and the first day was reported as uneventful, though the district's faculty and staff had been prepared for possible repetition of the 1955 attempts of 24 Black students to enroll in five White schools."Dallas schools enroll 17,000 on first day," "The Dallas Morning News", September 5, 1956, section 3, pages 1,15.]

Statistics

The attendance rate for students at the school is 87%, compared with a state average of 96%. 64% of the students at Madison are economically disadvantaged, 14% enroll in special education, 12% enroll in gifted and talent programs, and 6% are considered "limited english proficient." [http://www.greatschools.net Great Schools] - [http://www.greatschools.net/modperl/browse_school/tx/1864 James Madison High School - Dallas, Texas] . Information originally from the Texas Education Agency. Retrieved 3 October 2006.]

The ethnic makeup of the school is 86% African American, 13% Hispanic, 1% White American, non-Hispanic, and less than 1% Asian American/Pacific Islander American.

The average class sizes at Madison are 16 students for English, 22 for foreign language, 16 for math, 16 for science, and 17 for social studies.

Teachers at the school carry, on average, 12 years of teaching experience and 11% of the teachers on staff are first-year teachers.

Test Scores

Below is a list of percentages that represent the percent of students meeting or exceeding standards on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) test.

Notable alumni

As Forest Avenue High School:
*Stanley Marcus '21, department-store magnate
*Aaron Spelling '40, television producer
*Ruthe Lewin Winegarten '47, author and activist
*Jack Glatzer '56, concert violinist

As James Madison High School:
*Stone Johnson, 1960 Olympic track star, Kansas City Chiefs star
*Brett Maxie, assistant coach with the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, former NFL player
*Dave Stallworth, NBA player (first-round draft pick), won championship with New York Knicks
*Dwight White, former NFL Pro Bowl player, member of Pittsburgh Steelers "Steel Curtain" defense

References

External links

* [http://www.dallasisd.org/schools/realtor_new.cfm?id_con=52 Dallas ISD listing for James Madison High School]
* [http://www.dallasisd.org/eval/profiles/2005_06/english/high/032_MADISON.pdf School profile] (PDF)
* [http://www.dallasisd.org/eval/schoolinfo/highzones2007/Madison2007.pdf Attendance zone map] (PDF)
* [http://www.dallashsfootball.com/schools/madison.php Madison High School Football]