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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Libbey High School (Toledo, Ohio)

Edward Drummond Libbey High School was a public high school building located on the south side of Toledo, Ohio which held classes from 1923 until 2010. It is part of Toledo Public Schools and contained the Smart Academy and Humanities Academy. Libbey was named after Edward Drummond Libbey, the founder of the Toledo Art Museum and Libbey Glass. Edwin Gee was the building's architect.

The Libbey Cowboys were founding members of the Toledo City League from 1926 until the school closed. Their colors were royal blue and gold. The Cowboys were most famous for their boys basketball teams and had a strong basketball rivalry with Scott High School in Toledo. Prior to the Shoe Bowl championship for the City League football title, Libbey had an annual Thanksgiving Day football game with Woodward High School from 1923 to 1932, and with DeVilbiss High School from 1933 to 1963.

Fate of Libbey

Libbey High School had been rumored to be potentially closing since the 1980s, but was recommended to stay open by the school district each time the issue was brought up. In 1991, TPS decided to close two high schools that were to be chosen from a list of Libbey, DeVilbiss and Macomber-Whitney high schools. Libbey was spared while DeVilbiss and Macomber-Whitney were shuttered.

In April 2009, Libbey High School's Student Council President had strong words for administrators and school board members with regard to saving their school. The proposal to eventually send some Libbey neighborhood students to Scott, Bowsher, and Waite high schools is "segregation of different populations and is racist", they claimed. Libbey always had been the "unwanted stepchild" of Toledo Public Schools and 'their positive news is always overshadowed by the negative", students added. Libbey was left open for the 2009–10 school year, but the issue of closing the school was brought up again in March 2010. After a failed levy early in May, Toledo Public Schools ultimately voted 3–2 in favor of closing school at the end of the 2009–10 school year. The final class of 2010 graduated on June 3 in the fieldhouse. All remaining Libbey students were divided geographically, between Scott, Bowsher, Waite and especially Rossford and Central Catholic High Schools.

On July 15, 2011, Libbey High School was vetted by the Ohio Historic Site Preservation Board for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places.

Lucas County Auditor's Photograph of Libbey High School, 1965
Lucas County Auditor's Photograph of Libbey High School, 1965

The demolition of the building began in January 2012.

Organizations and clubs

  • Afro Club
  • Art Club
  • Band
  • Cheerleading
  • Choir
  • Debate Club
  • DECA
  • Deutsche Verein
  • Drama
  • FCCLA
  • Flag Corp
  • Future Teachers of America
  • Jazz Band
  • Libbey Legends Dance Team
  • Newspaper
  • Orchestra
  • Quiz Bowl
  • Spanish club
  • Student Council
  • Yearbook

Ohio High School Athletic Association State Championships

Toledo City League Championships

A map of the campus
  • Baseball:
  • Boys Basketball: 1930–31, 1939-40*, 1940–41, 1954–55, 1965–66, 1968–69, 1969–70, 1999–00, 2006–07, 2007–08
  • Boys Cross Country: 1959, 1960, 1961, 1966, 1967
  • Girls Cross Country:
  • Football: 1928*, 1929*, 1930*, 1931, 1941, 1942, 1944*, 1946, 1947*, 1949*, 1951*, 1952*
  • Golf:
  • Boys Track & Field:
  • Girls Track & Field:
  • Volleyball:
Written portion of the Libbey High School postcard, 1930
Written portion of the Libbey High School postcard, 1930

(years marked with an asterisk (*) denote a shared title)

Notable alumni

A postcard of the campus

Notes and references

  1. ^ OHSAA. "Ohio High School Athletic Association member directory". Archived from the original on 2012-05-15. Retrieved 2010-04-02.
  2. ^ NCA-CASI. "NCA-Council on Accreditation and School Improvement". Archived from the original on March 15, 2010. Retrieved 2010-04-02.
  3. ^ Libbey High School Archived 2014-02-01 at the Wayback Machine National Register of Historic Places Registration Form
  4. ^ Buckley, Frank (November 19, 1930). "Turkey Day Grid Clashes Bring Out Old Rivalries". Toledo Blade. Retrieved February 7, 2011.
  5. ^ Hackenberg, Dave (November 27, 2003). "Scott-Waite game kicked off great tradition of high school feasts". Toledo Blade. Retrieved February 7, 2011.
  6. ^ Krauth, Laurie (December 27, 1990). "Macomber, DeVilbiss, Libbey on list for possible closings". Toledo Blade. Retrieved May 31, 2010.
  7. ^ Ohio Historic Site Preservation Advisory Board Archived 2012-03-29 at the Wayback Machine
  8. ^ "Demolition of Libbey High School to start Monday". wtol.com. January 5, 2012.
  9. ^ OHSAA. "Ohio High School Athletic Association Web site". Retrieved 2006-12-31.
  10. ^ "Ramona L. Brooks; 1951-2014: Music ran in family for Toledo woman".
  11. ^ "10 Questions with Chet Trail". 2 October 2011.