Macomber High School (Toledo, Ohio)

Irving E. Macomber Vocational Technical High School was a vocational public high school in Toledo, Ohio, USA, from 1938[1] to June 1991. It was named for the man who helped develop the city's schools and parks, and who used to live on the property the school was built on.[1] Macomber served the entire city and was part of the Toledo Public School District. The school began as Vocational High School in the original Toledo high school in 1927[2] before moving to its location on Monroe Street in 1938.[3] In 1959 the school became joint-operational with Whitney High School, an all-girls vocational school located just across 16th St., and the two buildings came to be known as Macomber-Whitney.[4] The building still sits on Monroe Street, just northwest of Fifth Third Field.

Macomber High School
Address
1501 Monroe Street

Toledo
,
Ohio
43604
Coordinates41°39′12″N 83°32′52″W
Information
TypeVocational School
Opened1938
Closed1991
School districtToledo City School District
Grades9-12
Color(s)Black & Gold
         
Athletics conferenceToledo City League
NicknameMacmen/Craftsmen

The Macomber Macmen/Craftsmen were members of the Toledo City League and donned the colors of black and gold. Their main rivals were the Scott Bulldogs, which was especially heated in their basketball match-ups. Macomber's lone team state title came in 1989, when their boys' basketball team won the Division I state championship.

A "unique" situation for Macomber was that they were only able to have true home games for basketball and volleyball.[5] Lacking a football stadium, ball diamonds, and a track, the Macmen made use of neighboring schools for "home" events, notably at Bowsher, Central Catholic, DeVilbiss, and Waite. During the 1980s when the boys basketball team had its greatest success, their home games were moved to other fieldhouses in order to accommodate the large crowds that turned out for their games.

Due to a declining enrollment and low finances, Macomber and Whitney were closed along with DeVilbiss High School by TPS at the end of the 1990-1991 school year. The school was spared after an attempt to shutter its doors in 1989[6] and had its freshman class eliminated during its last year in operation.[7]

Macomber remained empty until 1998 when TPS sold the building for $425,000 to an industrial roofing company.[8] After changing ownership a few times and finding a few other purposes for use, the building was purchased by the Cherry Street Mission in 2013 to help them have a centralized location for their ministry efforts to the homeless.[9]

In early 2014, TPS superintendent Romules Durant proposed re-opening Macomber-Whitney[10] (likely at another location due to Cherry Street Mission's purchase of the building)[11] so that Toledo could have a centralized vocational high school again.

Ohio High School Athletic Association State Championships
Further information: Ohio High School Athletic Association
  • Basketball, Division I: 1988-89[12]

Notable alumni
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References
  1. Grigsby, John N. (June 9, 1991). "Pioneering idea that kept working". Toledo Blade. Retrieved May 29, 2010.
  2. 1936-37 Vocational HS yearbook
  3. 1937-38 Vocational HS yearbook
  4. Hughes, Clyde (November 19, 2003). "Heat problems cause TPS to move classes from Whitney to DeVilbiss". Toledo Blade. Retrieved January 31, 2011.
  5. Bergener, John (June 9, 1991). "Speedy, tough, proud: Macmen". Toledo Blade. Retrieved January 31, 2011.
  6. Lane, Tahree (April 26, 1989). "School board gives reprieve to Macomber". Toledo Blade. Retrieved May 29, 2010.
  7. Gugger, John (September 2, 1990). "Uncertain times for Macomber". Toledo Blade. Retrieved May 29, 2010.
  8. Emch, Dale (August 12, 1998). "Macomber school's sale to roofing firm backed". Toledo Blade. Retrieved February 14, 2014.
  9. "Cherry Street Mission to buy old Macomber HS building". 13abc.com. February 19, 2013. Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved February 14, 2014.
  10. Burris, Keith C. (January 26, 2014). "Romules Durant: Heroic leader on an urgent mission". Toledo Blade. Retrieved February 14, 2014.
  11. Burris, Keith C. (February 7, 2014). "Time is right to revive Macomber". Toledo Blade. Retrieved February 14, 2014.
  12. Schooley, Duane (March 19, 1989). "75-72! Macomber wins it all". Toledo Blade. Retrieved July 18, 2010.
  13. Martinez, Frederico (November 11, 2013). "Toledo Marine keeps honors in perspective: Ex-UT player awarded Navy Cross after Vietnam". Toledo Blade. Retrieved November 11, 2013.
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