| Woodham High School was a secondary school located in Pensacola, Florida. The high school was closed after nearly 42 years of operation in May 2007. It is now known as Woodham Middle School. The school is named for Dr. William Jesse Woodham, Jr., a former Escambia County School District superintendent. William Jesse Woodham Jr. was born on August 2, 1914 and grew up in Oak Grove. He went to Ernest Ward High School where he was elected as the senior class president for 1933. He attended the University of Florida to get his bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees in Education. He was the assistant principal and coach at the Escambia County Board of Public Instruction in 1936 and served as the supervising principal from 1940 to 1945. From 1946 to 1948 Dr. Woodham was with the Osceola County Board of Public Instruction as the supervising principal. In 1951he became the director of instruction for the Bradford County Board of Public Instruction. He was the Superintendent of the Escambia County School District for two, 4-year terms--from 1952 to 1960. Since September 18, 1955, Dr. Woodham was a deacon for Brownsville Baptist Church, where he also taught Sunday school. He was also the Dean for the University of West Florida in 1965. Woodham High School opened for the first time in 1965. Dr. Woodham was happy that he was the namesake of the school but he didn't want to get a lot of media attention for it because he was a very shy man. His hobbies were fishing and golfing. Dr. William Jesse Woodham Jr. died on Tuesday, August 2, 2000 at the age of eighty-five. History Woodham High School was opened in 1965 response to the tremendous growth of Pensacola's northern suburbs. This move took pressure off of Pensacola High School, which at the time was suffering from severe overcrowding. Woodham itself also experienced overcrowding in the early-mid 1970s. Woodham students attended split class sessions, with half of the student body attending in the morning and the other half attending in the afternoon. In the fall of 1975 Pine Forest High School opened and some Woodham students were reassigned. Another reassignment occurred in 1982 the Booker T. Washington High School was rebuilt in its present location. In the late 1970s, Woodham featured a marching band which wore the same style of uniforms as the USC Trojan marching band. The band boosters worked for over two years to purchase these uniforms under the direction of Band booster President Ronald Campbell with the assistance and overwhelming support of band families.[citation needed] The marching band, concert band and jazz rock ensemble (JRE) all posted "superior" ratings at state contests. The football team won the district in 82, 84, and 85. In 1982 and 1984, the "Fighting Titans" won the state AAAA championship and, for a period of time, were ranked number one in the nation by USA Today. The 1982-4 seasons featured a 35 and 1 record, losing only to Choctaw by a score of 9 to 7, in 1983 regular season. The game winning field goal by John Laycock was taken of scoreboard with no time remaining. The school's boys' basketball team won the Florida Class 4A state championship in 2003. Woodham's baseball team also won back to back district 1-4A championships in 2002 and 2003. In March 2000, Woodham High School's Varsity Cheerleading squad won its first National Championship at the American Open Cheerleading Competition.[citation needed] The team of 15 members won the title in the small varsity division. The squad was featured in the August 2000 issue of American Cheerleader Magazine. Hurricane Ivan, which struck the Pensacola area on 16 September 2004, damaged several parts of the school. The cafeteria sustained moderate roof damage but was repaired within a few weeks. The media center, however, sustained significant damage, but is currently fixed and operational. In the fall of 2005, the Escambia County School District and the superintendent, Jim Paul, discussed plans of closing Woodham and converting it into a middle school for Brentwood and Wedgewood Middle schools. Current Woodham students would be re-districted to other area high schools. The plan, approved by the school board as of December 21, 2006, will be effective for the 2007-2008 school year. Woodham High School was the only high school in Escambia County to have a Law Academy, as well as to have a Future Educators Academy. In addition, Woodham also sported a Health Science Program. On May 27, 2007 Woodham High School held its final classes. Its website now reads: "In memory of all Titans, 1965-2007." This Page is dedicated to : Woodham High School 1965-2007 |
| Fightin' Titans |
| By Don Esty |
If you have an event that you want to advertise here, contact me at desty@bellsouth.net |
| WARNING!!!! there is a website that is trying to scam classmates, if you get an email from " Woodham Alumni [newsletter@alumniclass.com]" DO NOT think that you are connecting to the ACTUAL Woodham High website..You are NOT!!! |
| 1965 |
| 2007 |
| The Blues in Action |
| Notice!!! SOME Photos and Information on this website has been provided by family members of our Graduates, to be used on THIS WEBSITE ONLY!!! IT IS NOT OK TO COPY PHOTOGRAPHS, AND COPY INFORMATION FOR USE ON OTHER WEBSITES..!!!! Copyright 4-19-2010 |
| The reunion is over, but please don't let all of the work to renew the friendships go for naught, Please stay in touch with everyone via email, phone, or letter or on the websites... There was a lot of work done to find everyone and contact them.. |