One of the mainstays of Columbus has been the presence of a public high school to provide a formal education to students.
That began in the fall of 1868 with the city’s first high school, called Central School, which was located at the current Central Middle School site. The school changed its name to Columbus High School in 1905, and in 1956 it moved to its current location at 1400 25th St. The school’s name changed again — to Columbus North — in 1972, the year that the city’s second high school, Columbus East, opened.
The Bull Dog Alumni Association is honoring the 150th year of its Central/Columbus High/Columbus North history with multiple events spread over nine months to educate and involve the community, and bring back past graduates.
It’s an ambitious but welcome and exciting effort that begins with an Aug. 25 concert by the Four Freshmen, a group that rose to national popularity in the late 1940s and early 1950s with two Columbus brothers as members. Don Barbour, a 1945 Columbus High graduate, and Ross Barbour, a 1947 graduate, founded the Four Freshmen jazz and vocal group with a cousin, Bob Flanigan, and a friend, Hal Kratsch.
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Other 150th anniversary planned events include:
•Sept. 21: Homecoming and Alumni Hall of Fame event
•Nov. 9: Veterans Memorial Display dedication
•Feb. 21: History Day “Triumph and tragedy”
•April 17: 150th Day Celebration, marking 150th day of 150th school year
•May 10: American Pie musical history concert
•May 11: Current Debuteens and Music Men concert, plus alumni collection of groups dating 1960 for Debuteens and 1970s fro Music Men
That’s a lot of good activities for the school and community, and quite appropriate for the milestone anniversary.
The school has been an integral part of the community for a century and a half, and educated thousands of students who have made positive contributions locally and abroad. North and the Bull Dog Alumni Association have many reasons to be proud and celebrate.
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