Alcée Fortier High School

Former high school in New Orleans, Louisiana
The former Alcée Fortier High School, later the secondary campus of The Willow School (formerly named Lusher Charter School).

Alcée Fortier High School was a high school in Uptown New Orleans, Louisiana that served grades 8–12. It was located five blocks away from McMain Secondary School.[1]

History

The school opened in 1931 and was named for the renowned professor of Romance Languages at Tulane, Alcée Fortier.[2] Originally Fortier was an all-boys school.[1]

In 1992, Michael Lach and Michael Loverude of The Christian Science Monitor stated "Based on test scores, dropout rates, and socioeconomic status of the students, the schools we taught in were two of the worst high schools in the country - Booker T. Washington and Alcee Fortier high schools. Given these circumstances, both schools do a fine job, but students leave deserving so much more."[3]

Around 2003, the school made an "academically unacceptable" list.[4] In 2006, John Schmid of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel said that Fortier was considered to be one of the "worst" schools in Louisiana.[5] The high school closed in 2006.[6]

Lusher Charter School's secondary campus opened in the former Alcée Fortier building.[5]

Curriculum

The school offered German after its 1931 opening. About 150 students per academic period studied German. German was discontinued in the New Orleans school system in 1938, with the approach of World War II.[2]

Athletics

Championships

Football championships

  • (1) State Championship: 1948

Notable alumni

  • Ashley Ambrose — NFL Cornerback from 1992 to 2004, played for several teams including the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints
  • Victor Gold (Class of 1945) — journalist[7]
  • Al Hirt — Musician
  • Russell Long — U.S. senator from 1948 to 1987
  • Jason Mitchell — American actor best known for portraying rapper Eazy-E in the 2015 biopic Straight Outta Compton.
  • Howard K. Smith — television journalist
  • Matthew Teague — NFL linebacker
  • John Kennedy Toole — novelist[8]
  • Dave Treen (Class of 1945) — governor of Louisiana from 1980 to 1984[9]
  • Norman Treigle — operatic bass-baritone
  • Tony Washington — played American football at school during his junior year, moved to University School of Las Colinas because of Hurricane Katrina[10]
  • Aeneas Williams — NFL defensive back, member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame

Notes

  • Merrill, Ellen C. Germans Of Louisiana. Pelican Publishing, 2005. ISBN 1455604844, 9781455604845.

References

  1. ^ a b Sisco, Annette. "McMain class of 1941 holds 70th reunion, celebrate the event in Metairie." The Times-Picayune. Wednesday June 8, 2011. Retrieved on March 18, 2013.
  2. ^ a b Merrill, p. 236.
  3. ^ Lach, Michael and Michael Loverude. "Our Abandoned Teachers." The Christian Science Monitor. August 31, 1992. Start Page 19. Opinion section. Retrieved on March 18, 2013. Available at ProQuest.
  4. ^ McGill, Kevin. "New Orleans School Woes Are More than Elementary; Superintendent Confronts Wide Range of Problems." The Washington Post. September 7, 2003. A06. Retrieved on March 18, 2013. Available on ProQuest. "Green was tapped to be valedictorian at Alcee Fortier High School, one of those on the "academically unacceptable" list. She learned only a few days before[...]"
  5. ^ a b Schmid, John. "URBANOMICS REBUILDING AMERICAN'S [sic] INNER CITIES Johnson Controls has a blueprint to revive urban centers across the country while expanding its business. First on its list: Hurricane-ravaged New Orleans. Corporate catalyst for stricken cities." Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. January 8, 2006. Retrieved on March 18, 2013. "But Lusher took on another challenge in its charter: It agreed to reopen Alcee Fortier High School, one of the state's worst schools."
  6. ^ "Alcee Fortier High School (Closed 2006)". publicschoolreview.com. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
  7. ^ Quin Hillyer (June 7, 2017). "Victor Gold RIP". nationalreview.com. Retrieved June 18, 2017.
  8. ^ "[1]" (Kiwanis Club Certificate) Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  9. ^ http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2009/10/former_louisiana_gov_dave_tree.html Former Louisiana Gov. Dave Treen dies at 81]." New Orleans Times-Picayune. October 29, 2009. Retrieved on March 18, 2013.
  10. ^ Glock, Allison. "Unforgiven." ESPN. August 31, 2010. Retrieved on March 18, 2013.
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