Watertown High School (New York)

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Watertown High School
The current high school in 1977
Location
1335 Washington St

Watertown
,
(Jefferson County)
,
New York
13601

United States
43°57′26″N 75°54′46″W / 43.9572°N 75.9129°W / 43.9572; -75.9129
Information
School typePublic school (government funded), high school
School district
Watertown City School District
NCES District ID
3630120[1]
SuperintendentDr. Larry Schmiegel
CEEB code335815
NCES School ID
363012004057[2]
Faculty84.33 (on an FTE basis)[2]
Grades9–12
GenderCoeducational[2]
Enrollment1,139 (2023-2024)[2]
Student to teacher ratio
13.51[2]
CampusTown: Remote
Colors   
Purple and White
MascotCyclones

Watertown High School (WHS) is a public high school located in Watertown, Jefferson County, New York, U.S.A., and is the only high school operated by the Watertown City School District.

Watertown High School, Watertown, NY, circa 1905

Gary M. Jones became principal of the high school in 1898 and remained its leader until 1906. In 1910, he again became its principal, remaining such until at least 1932.[3] The school's chapter of the National Honor Society is named for him.[4]

As of 1917, the school had 25 teachers for 719 enrolled students with an average daily attendance of 591. Among the graduating class of 87, 30 attended college, 3 continued their studies at normal schools or normal colleges, and 10 entered professional or technical schools. Instruction included Latin, French, German, history, English, physics, botany, bookkeeping, shorthand, typewriting, and chorus and the rudiments of music.[5]

On Monday, June 25, 1934, three senior students drowned in Lake Ontario on their class picnic, just days before their Wednesday graduation. Their boat swamped when the fourteen-foot dinghy meant to hold five people was overloaded with eleven.[6]

In October 1954, four male students confessed to throwing tomatoes at Senator Irving M. Ives, then a Republican candidate for Governor of New York, at a rally in Watertown. The students apologized in a note sent to the high school's principal Albert B. Scholl. Ives and his wife, who was also splattered, accepted their apology.[7]

As of 2026, the principal is Leslie Atkinson.[8]

Athletics

The school's athletic teams, which compete under the name "The Cyclones," include boys and girls lacrosse, track and field, and girls flag football.[9]

The school has a turf field and ten tennis courts, including three that can also be used for pickleball. It also has a basketball court.[9]

Notable alumni

Notable alumni include:

References

  1. "Search for Public School Districts – District Detail for Watertown City School District". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved June 26, 2025.
  2. "Search for Public Schools - Watertown Senior High School (363012004057)". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved June 26, 2025.
  3. Landon, Harry F. (1932). The north country; a history, embracing Jefferson, St. Lawrence, Oswego, Lewis and Franklin counties, New York. Vol. 2. Indianapolis, IN: Historical Publishing Company. p. 603. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
  4. Watertown High School Student Handbook 2025-2026 (PDF). Watertown City School District. 2025. p. 6. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
  5. "Volume 2 of the fourteenth annual report of the Commissioner of Education of the State of New York as submitted to the Legislature". University of the State of New York Bulletin (714): 452–461. July 15, 1920. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
  6. "3 Graduates Drown on a School Picnic". The New York Times. June 26, 1934. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
  7. "Boys Admit Pelting Ives With Tomatoes". The New York Times. October 8, 1954. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
  8. "About Us - Watertown High School". whs.watertowncsd.org. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
  9. Busler, Mel (August 5, 2025). "Watertown High School set to add a new girls sport". 7 News. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
  10. Leonard, John W., ed. (1909). "Robert Lansing". Who's Who in New York City and State (4th ed.). New York: L. R. Hamersly & Company. p. 807. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
  11. Griffin, Emily (August 25, 2023). "History lesson: Famous actor hails from Watertown". 7 News. Retrieved April 21, 2026.
  12. Landon, Harry F. (1932). The north country; a history, embracing Jefferson, St. Lawrence, Oswego, Lewis and Franklin counties, New York. Vol. 2. Indianapolis, IN: Historical Publishing Company. p. 651. Retrieved April 21, 2026.