In 1871, the first public high school in New Castle County opened its doors. Four years later, Wilmington High School graduated its first class of eleven boys and seven girls. Wilmington High resided in a building on Delaware Avenue for 59 years before moving to its current campus location at the intersection of DuPont Road and Lancaster Pike.
When the new building opened its doors in 1960, it was the largest high school in the state. To preserve some of its rich history, remnants of the former Wilmington High campus were brought to the new building. The original granite cornerstone dated 1899 and some wrought ironwork were prominently displayed in the courtyard. The marble plaque honoring alumni who died in World War II found its permanent home in the theatre lobby.
Class sizes continued to drop at Wilmington High, however, and the school began to lose students as the surrounding suburbs expanded. To re-energize the educational standing of the campus, the Red Clay Consolidated School District allowed two new schools, Cab Calloway School of the Arts and the Charter School of Wilmington, to call the Wilmington campus home.
After 38 years on DuPont Road, Wilmington High graduated its last class in 1999.
Wilmington High’s reincarnation as two vibrant schools will preserve the WHS tradition of excellence and history of achievement. The sterling academic achievements already obtained by the new schools follow directly in the footsteps of their predecessor. As the News Journal said in 1996, “Wilmington High’s future will be on [the]cutting edge of 21st century education…Now it is home to vibrant new educational programs and its promise is boundless.”
