Hutchinson High School (Minnesota)

Hutchinson Senior High School was founded in 1878 in the city of Hutchinson, Minnesota. The school boasts some 20,000 graduates since its inception.

Today, HHS graduates anywhere from 200-240 graduates per year. This rate has held fairly steady for the past 50 years. The first class over 100 was in 1953 (104) and the first class over 200 (200) occurred 10 years later in 1965. Over that time, Hutchinson HS has had a remarkably stable population of between 800-1100 students. Currently, the enrollment of Hutchinson HS is above 900 and expects to be there through the near future. A new remodeled high school will debut in the 2017-2018 school year.^[1]

History

• The first HHS graduates were in 1878 ( ). High school education generally was exclusive to private tutoring prior to this.
• In 1881, the Hutchinson school district became one of the first to receive state money to provide high school study.
• In 1890, the Hutchinson school district had 529 pupils, while only graduating 4 students. High school education did not gain popularity until the turn of the century.
• In 1913, a Normal School was started. The normal school took place in the summer after graduation and allowed many people to become certified teachers in a six week program. 50% of the graduating class went to the Normal school in 1915-17 before declining in popularity. The Normal School continued to operate until 19??
• The first documented valedictorian was E. R. Dennis in the Class of 1912. The practice of naming a valedictorian and salutatorian was ended by Principal Scot Douglas in 2000.

Graduation classes

Year	#	Year	#	Year	#	Year	#	Year	#	Year	#	Year	#	Year	#	Year	#	Year	#
1878	4	1897	16	1911	36	1925	65	1939		1953	104	1967	185	1981	213	1995	200	2009	221
1881	1	1898	14	1912	41	1926	51	1940		1954	95	1968	194	1982	216	1996	205	2010	234
1884	6	1899	18	1913	49	1927	53	1941		1955	104	1969	204	1983	214	1997	212	2011	212
1885	8	1900	16	1914	32	1928		1942		1956	115	1970	223	1984	195	1998	214	2012	203
1886	1	1901	24	1915	48	1929		1943		1957	100	1971	208	1985	187	1999	220	2013	204
1887	12	1902	29	1916	39	1930	200	1944	200	1958	129	1972	170	1986	192	2000	219	2014	219
1888	1	1903	35	1917	32	1931		1945		1959	120	1973	195	1987	201	2001	227	2015	238
1890	4	1904	39	1918	47	1932		1946		1960	142	1974	204	1988	226	2002	221	2016
1891	9	1905	48	1919	52	1933		1947		1961	152	1975	187	1989	197	2003	239	2017
1892	2	1906	33	1920	39	1934		1948		1962	156	1976	184	1990	219	2004	230	2018
1893	3	1907	32	1921	50	1935		1949		1963	146	1977	211	1991	170	2005	236	2019
1894	2	1908	33	1922	41	1936		1950		1964	172	1978	215	1992	190	2006	231	2020
1895	10	1909	23	1923	52	1937		1951		1965	200	1979	228	1993	206	2007	244	2021
1896	4	1910	37	1924	58	1938		1952		1966	184	1980	217	1994	210	2008	229	2022

Athletic history

One of the biggest prides of Hutchinson HS is their football tradition, sporting 5 state titles in 1983, 1984, 1999, 2012 and 2013.

Notable alumni

• Lindsay Whalen, WNBA star and Olympic gold medalist, Class of 2000
• Carlos Avery, Minnesota environmentalist and first Commissioner of Natural Resources in Minnesota. The Carlos Avery State Wildlife Management Area (over 23000 acres) is located just NW of Forest Lake, MN. Founded the Gopher Campfire Conservation Club in 1910. Class of 1887.
• Les Kouba, 1957-58 and 1967-68 Federal Duck Stamp winner and celebrated wildlife artist. Les was in the Class of 1935, but left school during his junior year to attend art school in Minneapolis. Les Kouba Art
• Colleen Gray, (nee Delores Jensen) big screen actress from the 1940's and 1950's. Class of 1939.
• John Bernhagen, Minnesota Legislator, (1969-1992). Class of 1952
• Harlow "Bonnie" Bonniwell, Minnesota Legislator (1915-1935). Only graduate of the Class of 1881.
• Harold Popp, Minnesota Legislator (1958-1969). Pharmacist. Married popular teacher Winnifred Ruth in 1941. Both were killed in a car accident in 1969. Class of 1921
• Other Hutchinson resident legislators.

Feeder schools

• Hutchinson Middle School
• Park Elementary
• West Elementary

References

1. Jones, Jeremy (March 16, 2016). "High school plan is coming together". Hutchinson Leader. Retrieved April 14, 2016.

External links

• Hutchinson High School

Coordinates: 44°53′04″N 94°23′35″W / 44.8845°N 94.3930°W