Bessemer High School — Greensboro, North Carolina

Posted by DaveSanders | North Carolina | Posted on February 10th, 2010

Reunion Apparel for Bessemer High School
 
Bessemer High School
E. Bessemer Ave.
Greensboro, NC

mascot: Whippets
colors: Maroon & Gray
Opened: 1911
Closed: 1963
 
 
A one-room log schoolhouse was opened in Bessemer, NC on Bessemer Ave. in 1900 with Walter Jones as its first principal. That original Bessemer School only housed the elementary grades. In 1911, a larger school was built on the same site and the number of grades were expanded to include all 12 grades. This was the beginning of Bessemer High School. It is likely that some of the dozens of one-room schoolhouses in Guilford County closed when Bessemer High School opened. Grades 1-3 were housed in one building, grades 4-8 in another, while grades 9-12 had their own building. At some point, grades 1-3 were moved into a new building on Huffine Mill Rd. and named Bessemer Primary School.

During the entire 52 year life of Bessemer High School, it only had three Principals. Professor W. E. Younts, a Guilford College graduate, was the first Principal and he served for 36 years until his retirement in 1947. William H. Cude was selected as the next Principal and he served until his death in 1962. (When Bessemer Primary School was opened, Mr. Cude’s wife was selected as its Principal.) Upon Mr. Cude’s death, Assistant Principal Robert L. Clendenin, a 1950 BHS grad, took over and served until the high school closed in 1963. (Here’s an excellent Interview with Bob Clendenin.) After the Bessemer High School students were merged with Page High School in 1963, Mr. Clendenin stayed on as Principal of Bessemer Junior High School, then later became the Principal at Page.

In 1957, the towns of Bessemer and Hamilton Lakes had successfully petitioned to be annexed into Greensboro. Even though Bessemer was then part of Greensboro, Bessemer schools continued to operate under the Guilford County school system. In 1963, the citizenry voted to move the school system from the Guilford County school system to Greensboro City Schools. This led to the merging of Bessemer High School into Page High School. (Greensboro City Schools then merged with Guilford County Schools in 1993.) Apparently, Bessemer continued as a Junior High until 1967 when it was merged into Aycock Junior High School. (If this is wrong, somebody please leave a comment below to correct me.)

Much of the above history came from Mr. Clendenin’s interview and this Bessemer School History.

At some point soon after the closing of Bessemer School, all of the buildings except the Gym were demolished and Erwin Elementary School (now Erwin Montessori) was built on the site. Here’s a Google Street View of what I believe may be the Bessemer High School gym. (Again, somebody please correct me if I’m wrong.)

The Bessemer High School sports teams were known as the Whippets. Whippets are sleek but muscular hunting dogs prized for their speed, power and agility.

Bessemer football players certainly lived up to the image. They were a powerhouse in 6-man football in the 1940′s, then continued the tradition after switching to an 11-player team in 1945. They were the North Carolina State Champions in 6-man football in 1941. In the 1950′s & 60′s, they made four trips to the State Finals game, but a second football State Championship eluded them. Still, being four time State Runners-Up is an accomplishment of which any school can be proud.
   1941 – 6-man State Champions   1953 – State Runner-up (lost to Massey Hill, 20-0)
   1954 – State Runner-up (lost to Edenton, 41-20)
   1958 – State Runner-up (lost to Williamston, 26-20)
   1962 – State Runner-Up (lost to Brevard, 19-13)

The Bessemer baseball team gave the school a going away present in 1963. The Whippets won the State Championship by defeating Chapel Hill, 5-2.

——— Odds and Ends ———–

State Representative Joseph T. Carruthers, Jr. graduated from Bessemer High School in 1925.

Bessemer High School graduated 50 seniors in 1950, 62 in 1953.

Here’s a link to the Bessemer High School Alumni group on Facebook.

There’s a Bessemer Jr. High group on Facebook, but I saw some BHS folks on there, too.

There are over 200 Bessemer High School alumni on Classmates.com.

Until it expires, you can read this interesting article about Bessemer: Humble Bessemer lives on in memories of school’s alumni.

If you grew up in Guilford County, you might find this post interesting: Old School: HS names from Guilford County’s past.

If you have memories of Bessemer High School, or you can add anything to this post, please leave a comment below.

27 comments
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27 Responses to “Bessemer High School — Greensboro, North Carolina”

  1. Bobby Vaughn says:
    March 16, 2010 at 4:41 pm

    I was at Bessemer HS from from 1947 to 1957 ..Mr Cude was the Principal and Mrs Cude was my 3rd grade teacher….She always had English last and I was glad when she ran out of time and did not do english…I hated english….We lived on Sykes ave. I I walked to school everyday…Once in the 6th grade it was pouring rain and I was soaked by the time I got to school….my teacher Ms Brewer was going to send me home to change clothes even then I know I would be wet again when I got back…..I loved Bessemer….we move when I was in the 8th grade…So I had to go to Proximity for the 9th grade Then Page for High School …..I often wonder what happen to some of my childhood friends…especially some of my sweet hearts….

    Reply
  2. Carla Morgan says:
    May 10, 2010 at 8:48 pm

    I didn’t have the opportunity to go to Bessemer High, but was in elementary school when the high school merged. But I had 2 older sisters — one of which was a cheerleader (she had to go to Page for her senior year). My mom made her cheer outfit and made me a cheer outfit from the scraps of material left over. My family went to all the ball games — home and away — and I always wore my cheerleading outfit. What fun memories!

    Reply
  3. Gloria Phillips Turlington says:
    August 3, 2010 at 2:35 pm

    Hi, Bobby, Great job with this website. i love the article you wrote about the history of Bessemer. So many of us have wonderful connections with the Bessemer community and are so happy to share our common roots. Thank you for a wonderful post. I hope you will also consider joining Facebook or if you are already on Facebook, please join our alumni facebook. Eddie Bigham has created a “Bessemer High School/Greensboro, NC/Whippets” Facebook Group. Please join us if you are an alumni, former principal, teacher and staff or child of these folks. Please search for friends by writing the search bar, “BESSEMER HIGH SCHOOL/GREENSBORO, NC/WHIPPETS.” Notices of alumni events are posted there, too. God Bless You All, especially BOBBY! Gloria

    Reply
  4. Jeanette Sumner Powers says:
    October 4, 2010 at 8:29 pm

    I graduated in the last class of 1963. The only buildings that survive today are the gym and the cafeteria. I remember we washed our hands as we entered the cafeteria in a large sink that was operated by a foot pedal. I think it was arc shaped. Good school and good memories. Thanks for posting this.

    Reply
  5. Kathy Matthews Hefferman says:
    October 6, 2010 at 7:04 am

    There is a reunion for Bessemer October 23rd 2010. You can contact Eddie Bigham at 1-336-674-1624. Cost is $18. time 12-4 at Mt. Pleasant United Methodist Church

    Reply
  6. Barbara Martin Cecil says:
    November 21, 2010 at 8:50 pm

    You have some things in the history of Bessemer that are wrong. The first principal was Professor W. E. Younts. He served until 1947. Don’t know the one you are talking about. Mr Cude was Wendel Holmes Cude. He served until his death January 17, 1962. I graduated in 1962. I was very fond of Mr. Cude. Bob Clendenin became principal under Mrs. Cude’s supervision. I was the Secretary/Treasurer of Bessemer Elementary School (formerly Bessemer Primary) until my retirement in January 2008. I have proudly worn my class ring for the last 48 years. I got it in the 10th or 11th grade and have never taken it off. It is worn, just like me but I will forever be a Bessemer Alumni.

    Reply
    • DaveSanders says:
      November 22, 2010 at 2:09 pm

      Thanks for straightening me out, Barbara. I got the info about the principals from the Bessemer Elementary history page that I reference in the post, but I misread it. Mr. Jones was the original principal of the Bessemer School, which pre-dated Bessemer High School. We would appreciate any other facts and memories you’d care to share.

      Reply
    • Carla Sockwell Morgan says:
      July 11, 2011 at 8:12 pm

      Another error on your post is that Bessemer High School did not convert to 12 grades. My mother graduated from Bessemer and there were only 11 grades at that time (mid 1930′s). Of course, none of the high schools went beyond the 11th grade at that time.

      Reply
  7. Gloria Phillips Turlington says:
    February 14, 2011 at 12:13 pm

    Please delete BessemerHighSchool/GreensboroNC/Whippets. People cannot access our fb because of it.
    Thanks, Gloria

    Reply
    • DaveSanders says:
      February 14, 2011 at 1:13 pm

      Hi, Gloria. Good to hear from you again. Thanks for the nice comments you left about our site earlier.
      The link from this page sends people directly to your Bessemer alumni FB page. I wish I knew how to interfere with people accessing FB; I could sell the idea & be rich! :)
      If people are having trouble reaching your group, it may be because there is a second Bessemer group that comes up in the FB search results if someone searches for BESSEMER HIGH SCHOOL/GREENSBORO, NC/WHIPPETS. Perhaps they are going to that page instead of yours?

      Reply
  8. Walt Pulliam Jr. says:
    February 20, 2011 at 9:09 am

    It was neat to read about BHS. My Class of 1961 is likely to have its 50th reunion this year. I was able to attend BHS all 12 years of public schooling and it was a terrific experience. The Cudes put up a basketball goal on the back of their garage and I spent considerable time wearing down the grass. My brother – Ray -attended through junior high and finished at Page which was an archrival. Mr. Bob Clendenin was a special person who helped me get my first teaching job out of college. To Gloria , I hope you are well and give my regards to Robert.

    Reply
    • Bobby Vaughn says:
      May 5, 2011 at 1:39 pm

      Walter I remember you, you lived behind the baptist church, I also knew your dad at the supermarket he worked at on N. Elm street….I do not remember the street name but it was perpendicular to Holt ave, just past where the Cudes lived.

      Reply
      • Walt Pulliam Jr. says:
        September 14, 2011 at 7:32 pm

        Bobby,

        Yes – my dad retired from the U-Save It on N. Elm. We lived on Alton Street and, later, on Delancy Street.

        Reply
  9. Walt Pulliam Jr. says:
    February 20, 2011 at 12:54 pm

    One correction – the 1962 Football team lost to Brevard although Bessemer was the better team.

    Reply
  10. Gwen (Adkins) Baker says:
    July 12, 2011 at 11:50 am

    I really enjoyed the info about Bessemer High School. I was also lucky enough to attend for 12 years and graduate in 1962. Bessemer has several sites on facebook. First you have to on facebook and search Bessemer High School, NC. Several classes have their own sites. Everone that went to Bessemer should look up these sites. Try it, you might meet up with an old friend you haven’t heard from in years. There are also a lot of good pictures. You might be in some of them, also. You might have some info and pictures to add to the group. The site that says Whippetts, is for anyone that went to Bessemer, at any time. Go on the facebook site and ask to join and see what happens. I lived really close to the school, and I remember watching them build the gym. We were so proud of that gym. We all had to take off our shoes in order to walk on the gym floor. I also remember all the sockhops there.

    Reply
  11. Walt Pulliam Jr. says:
    September 24, 2011 at 9:04 pm

    The BHS Class of 1961 held its 50th reunion on 9/17/11. It was a great event attended by about 1/2 of the classmates who are still living. We shared many fond memories. Many of us have siblings who also attended BHS. Regrettably, we have lost 13 from our original group and several are now struggling with health issues which inhibited their attendance.

    Reply

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