DuPont Manual Magnet High School
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| Superintendent / Principal Administrator | Dr. Beverly Keepers |
| School type | Public, Magnet (U.S.) |
| Location | Louisville, Kentucky, USA |
| Founded | 1892 |
| Grades | 9-12 |
| School colors | Crimson & White |
| School mascot | Ram |
| Enrollment (2003-2004) | 1,800 students |
| Campus surroundings | Urban |
| Religious affiliation | None |
| Students per teacher | 21:1 |
| Students per computer | 4.9:1 |
duPont Manual High School is a secondary school located at 120 West Lee Street in the Old Louisville neighborhood of Louisville, Kentucky. It is part of the Jefferson County Public Schools district. It is a three story building built in the Gothic style, made prominent by a large, majestic tower that protrudes upward from the structure's center.
DuPont Manual traces its roots through the University of Louisville back to the Jefferson Seminary (1798). After several changes, the Jefferson Seminary was divided into the University of Louisville and the Louisville Male High School (1846). Soon, the Louisville Girls High School became operational (1856). In 1892, a generous grant of $150,000 from Alfred Victor du Pont became the foundation for the duPont Manual Training High School.
The endowment allowed for the purchase of a property at the corner of Brooke and Oak and construction of buildings there, completed and dedicated in May 1893. By 1923, there were over 1,700 students and a faculty of 56. At this time the facilities were expanded and Manual Stadium,which seats up to 8,500, was built a year later in 1924.
Although originally designed to teach young men industrial ("Manual") skills that would fit them for their duties in life, in 1950, the nationwide trend of coeducation led to the joining of the duPont Manual Training High School and the Louisville Girls High School, which had long been counterparts. This fusion of institutions resulted in the birth of the modern duPont Manual High School in Reuben Post Halleck Hall, former home of the Louisville Girls High School, at 120 West Lee. In 1984 it became known as duPont Manual Magnet High School.
Image:Manual crest.gif Today, Manual combines traditional education with modern novelties. It offers five distinct magnet programs:
- High School University (HSU)
- Math/Science/Technology (MST)
- Visual Arts (VA)
- Communications Media Arts (CMA)
- Youth Performing Arts School (YPAS)
Among these, the Math/Science/Technology program and the Youth Performing Arts School have achieved national recognition on multiple occasions.
Manual holds Kentucky's state record from 2000 of 52 National Merit Semifinalists, ranking third in the United States for that year behind only the Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology and Stuyvesant High School. In the past few years it has won both National Science Bowl (2000) and National Academic League championships, and performed exceptionally in Quiz Bowl tournaments throughout the eastern half of the nation, even achieving 7th place at the NAQT's High School National Championships. Manual has been mentioned several times in Redbook Magazine's "America's Best Schools", based on its innovative programs and commitment to excellence. It has also been featured in the United States Department of Education as a National School of Excellence. In 2002, Manual became its own region for the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. The YPAS chorus was the only chorus to perform at the inauguration of President George W. Bush.
Many interior shots of the 1999 film The Insider were shot at Manual. Dr. Jeffrey Wigand, the subject of the film, taught science at Manual after he was fired by tobacco company Brown & Williamson in 1993.
Among the distinguished alumni of this school are the politicians Mitch McConnell and Gene Snyder, astronomer and optician Dr. James Gilbert Baker and baseball player Pee Wee Reese.
Sports
DuPont Manual Magnet High School is home to the DuPont Manual Crimsons, one of the oldest high school football teams in [[Louisville, Kentucky. Their rivalry with the Male Bulldogs, dubbed the Old Rivalry, dates directly to 1892 and claims to be the oldest high school rivalry in America. The rivalry item is The Barrel.
The school also offers cheerleading, soccer, field hockey, basketball, baseball, and other sports teams.
Campus Life
There is no uniform policy in place at the school, though students' attire must comply with a basic dress code. During lunch, students may eat outside in the proverbial courtyard, weather permiting.
Manual is reputed to be one of the most diverse high school's in the region, enrolling students from various countries and of multiple ethnicities, backgrounds, religions and financial circumstances. Due to this great diversity, it is perceived to be a primarily liberal institution, associated with the political left.
The staff and administrators at Manual are all highly qualified in their field, many of them holding a Doctoral degree (PhD) or equivalent. Many of the school's athletic directors are also teachers, a symbolic reflection of Manual's balanced emphasis on academics as well as athletics, both areas in which the school has obtained considerable acknowledgement.
Nearby is the Youth Performing Arts School, also of national recognition, which attracts a great deal of artistically and musically talented students. Many Manual students take classes at YPAS, even if it is not their major.