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Lawrence High School
ChestyTheLionLawrenceHS-refined.png
Address
1901 Louisiana Street

Lawrence, Kansas
66046

United States
Coordinates 38°56′57″N 95°14′34″W / 38.949085°N 95.242871°W / 38.949085; -95.242871
Information
School type Public, High School
Established 1857, 1954 (current building)
School district Lawrence USD 497
CEEB code 171690
Principal Jessica Bassett
Teaching staff 97.36 (FTE)
Grades 9 to 12
Gender coed
Enrollment 1,575 (2020–21)
Student to teacher ratio 16.18
Campus type Urban
Color(s) Red and Black
Song We Hail Thee Lawrence High School
Fight song Stand Up and Cheer
Athletics Class 6A
Mascot Chesty the Lion
Rival Free State, Topeka
Newspaper The Budget
Yearbook The Red and Black

Lawrence High School (LHS) is a public secondary school in Lawrence, Kansas, United States, operated by Lawrence USD 497 school district, and serves students of grades 9 to 12. The school is one of the two public high schools located in the city. Lawrence High enrolled 1,575 students in the 2020–2021 school year. The school colors are red and black and the mascot is the "Chesty Lion".

Lawrence High School was established in 1857 in order to help educate the growing population of Lawrence. The first classes were held in the basement of a Unitarian Church. Three years later, the school was relocated to 9th and Kentucky Streets. In 1923, a new high school was built at 14th and Massachusetts Streets and named Liberty Memorial High School while the 9th and Kentucky Street became Lawrence Junior High School. In 1930, the Lion was introduced as the school symbol and in 1946, it made its official debut as the school mascot. Lawrence High moved to its current location on Louisiana Street in 1954, and the Junior High moved in to 14th and Massachusetts Street, now Liberty Memorial Central Middle School. Lawrence High has been added on to and remodeled over the years, including a major bond issue remodel completed in 2021, bringing the 1950s building up to 21st century standards.

Lawrence is a member of the Kansas State High School Activities Association and offers a variety of sports programs. Athletic teams compete in Class 6A and are known as the "Chesty Lions". Extracurricular activities are also offered in the form of performing arts, school publications, and clubs. Throughout its history, Lawrence High has won more state championships in athletics than any other high school in the state of Kansas.

History

The school originated in 1857 and was referred to as "Quincy School". The first classes were held in the basement of a Unitarian church located at 906 Kentucky Street. Three years later the city of Lawrence chartered a public school system, which was located at 15th and Massachusetts, currently the site of Liberty Memorial Central Middle School. Construction of the original building for the school was completed in 1865. In 1946, Paul Coker designed the "Chesty Lion" logo. He would go on to become a famous cartoonist with works appearing in Mad Magazine, and on Hallmark Cards products, and is also the original author of the "Frosty the Snowman" character.

The high school occupied a succession of buildings until the opening of the present campus, at 19th and Louisiana Streets, in 1954. The building was expanded repeatedly over the ensuing forty years, as the school district struggled to keep pace with the growth of Lawrence's population. Finally, in 1997, a second public high school, Lawrence Free State High School, was opened, ending the city's long record of all students being educated in a single high school. In 2009, the school finished construction of a new football stadium on the school campus.

Extracurricular activities

The Chesty Lions compete in the Sunflower League and are classified as a 6A school, the largest classification in Kansas according to the Kansas State High School Activities Association. Throughout its history, Lawrence has won more state championships than any other high school in the state. Many graduates have gone on to participate in collegiate and professional athletics including former KU All-Americans Danny Manning, John Hadl and Paul Endacott.

Athletics

Currently Lawrence High has more than 110 state championships in various sports, one of the highest totals in the nation. The first state championship was won in 1914 in boys basketball. The next title in basketball was 1948, when the Lions defeated Newton 39–36 in the state final. This started a half century of athletic achievements by the Chesty Lions. From 1954 to 2009 the Lions added 104 more state titles, bringing their total to 105. In 2008, Sports Illustrated listed Lawrence High School as the top high school athletics program in Kansas. Additionally, due to the success of Lawrence High and the University of Kansas, Lawrence was featured as a candidate for Titletown, United States by ESPN.

Football

The Lawrence High School Chesty Lions have 31 undefeated seasons in football, the most in the United States. Additionally, the Chesty Lions won a High School Football National Championship in 1960. The Chesty Lions won five consecutive Kansas State High School Activities Association state championships in Class 6A, the state's largest, from 1989 through 1993. The record was broken by Hutchinson High School in 2009. From 1930 to 2008, games were played at Haskell Memorial Stadium. Following completion of the new football stadium on the Lawrence High campus, the football team began playing games on the new stadium in 2009.

State championships

Lawrence High has won the following state championships:

State Championships
Season Sport Number of Championships Year
Fall Football 28 1914^, 1919^, 1927^, 1928^, 1945^, 1946^, 1947+, 1952+, 1956+, 1957+, 1958+, 1959+, 1960+, 1962+, 1963+, 1964+, 1966+, 1968+, 1979, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995
Cross Country, Boys 2 2008, 2009
Cross Country, Girls 3 1985, 1986, 1987
Volleyball 16 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2018
Gymnastics, Girls 3 2004, 2005, 2006
Gymnastics, Boys 21 1960, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988
Winter Basketball, Boys 4 1914, 1948, 1983, 1995
Basketball, Girls 3 1984, 1992, 2008
Swimming, Boys 1 1997
Indoor Track, Girls 2 1977, 1978
Spring Golf, Boys 1 1983
Golf, Girls 4 1975, 1977, 1982, 1984
Tennis, Boys 2 1981, 1995
Tennis, Girls 1 1989
Baseball 3 1996, 2000, 2009
Softball 1 1977
Swimming, Girls 8 1986, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 2018
Track and Field, Boys 5 1989, 1990, 1991, 1997, 2006
Track and Field, Girls 5 1978, 1979, 2015, 2018, 2019
Total 111
^ predates KSHSAA playoffs and AP poll
+predates KSHSAA playoffs; ranked #1 in final AP poll

Notable alumni

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