SCHOOL SPIRIT
How much do you know about Southland high schools?
High school. It’s only four years but its memories last a lifetime.
In the spirit of September and all things back to school, we present a pop quiz.
No, don’t roll your eyes, sigh, put your head down or panic. We’re not going to grade it. We’re even giving you the answers.
The Ultimate Southland High School Trivia quiz is designed to be “academic”— in the dictionary’s second sense of the word—“not of practical relevance; of only theoretical interest.”
So whether you’re in high school nowor are planning your 50th class reunion, have a go at it. The aim is to broaden your scope, promote our successes and invite you to help solve an on going mystery regarding the mascot called the Porters.
Thinking cap on? Ready, set, begin.
A. I’ll name the team, you name the school:
1. Blazing Trojans
2. Hawks
3. Olympians
4. Rams
5. Braves (Answers: 1-Bloom Township Trojans and Bloom Trail Blazers. Since 1995, the District 206 schools have had a cooperative athletic program, hence the blended nickname. 2-Hillcrest. 3-Rich Central. 4-Reavis. 5-Bremen.)
B. I’ll name the famous alum, you name the alma mater:
1. George Saunders, writer, New York Times best-seller, MacArthur Fellow and Booker Prize winner.
2. Actor Tom Berenger, who starred in “Platoon,” “The Big Chill” and “Inception.”
3. Ron “Coom Dawg” Coomer, former MLB player and play-byplay broadcaster for Chicago Cubs radio WSCR-670.
4. Sophia Danenberg, first African-Americanwoman to climb to the summit of Mount Everest.
5. Emmy-winning actress Jane Lynch, who starred in “Glee.”
6. Danny Clark, NFL player for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders, New Orleans Saints, Houston Texans and New York Giants.
7. Robert Hoff, Chicago firefighter who went on to become commissioner and incident commander for Chicago Fire Department’s deployment to New York post-9/11 and to New Orleans for Hurricane Katrina.
8. Col. James Hickey, whowas involved in the capture of Iraq dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003.
9. Saul White Jr., nicknamed Flip White or “Flip,” a member of the Harlem Globetrotters.
10. Jim Adduci, Detroit Tigers outfielder.
11. Susan Page, U.S. ambassador to South Sudan.
12. Actress Robin Tunney, who starred in the CBS series “The Mentalist.”
(Answers: 1-Oak Forest. 2-Rich East. 3-Lockport Township. 4Homewood-Flossmoor. 5-Thornridge. 6-Hillcrest. 7-Evergreen Park. 8-St. Laurence. 9-Argo. 10-Evergreen Park. 11-Homewood-Flossmoor. 12-Sandburg)
C. Do you knowwhat these mascots are and which school claims them?
1. A Thunderbolt
2. A Griffin
3. A Porter (Answers: 1-A crash of thunder accompanied by a simultaneous bolt of lightning; Andrew. 2Mythical creature with the body of a lion and the head and wings of an eagle; Lincoln-Way East. 3-There are two answers, and Lockport Township High School officials would like to hear from you if you know more. Some say the word porter is a reference to people whoworked on the locks, says Terri Lazinsky. Others say a reporter long ago gave the school the nickname. If you know more, please call her at 815-588-8102 so this history mystery can be solved.)
D. Where did these music makers once have a high school locker?
1. Kanye West, rapper, singer, songwriter
2. Kevin Cronin, lead singer of REO Speedwagon
3. Ray Manzarek, co-founder of The Doors
(Answers: 1-the former Polaris, in District 218. 2-Brother Rice. 3-St. Rita of Cascia.)
E. Hail the Olympians, can you picture them in the cafeteria? How about naming their alma mater?
1. Ron Gora competed in swimming in 1952 Summer Olympics.
2. Christine Magnuson won two medals in 2008 Summer Olympics.
3. Kendall Coyne Schofield represented U.S. in 2014 and 2018 Winter Olympics.
4. Sean Adigun, 2012 Summer Olympics track and 2018 winter Olympics bobsled, both for Nigeria.
5. Kevin Bracken competed for the United States in Greco-Roman wrestling at the 2000 Summer Olympics.
(Answers: 1-Tinley Park. 2Andrew. 3-Sandburg. 4-Homewood-Flossmoor. 5-St. Laurence.)
F. Random stuff you just might know:
1. Which school in District 228 is the oldest and which is the newest?
2. Which high school’s yearbook is called The Shield, a reference to its Spartan nickname?
3. MLB’s Steve Trout, NBA’s Eddie Curry and Olympic softball player Michelle Venturella all graduated fromwhich high school?
4. Mount Greenwood is home to four high schools. Can you name them?
5. Which two schools have roots dating to the 1800s?
6. Can you name two famous people who visited their namesake schools? (Hint: Both schools can be accessed from 135th Street.)
7. Which local high school is named for a corporation?
8. Which three south/south- west suburban schools sustained tornado damage?
9. Which two schools call themselves the Vikings?
10. Which two schools call themselves the Warriors?
11. At which local high school can you milk a cowand ride a horse?
12. Which local high school has 30 state championship titles, the most among private high schools in Illinois?
13. Which school is named for a man who served in World War I, World War II and the Korean War?
14. Which school boasts a tower and murals painted by WPA artist Edgar Britton, who studied under famous American artist Grant Wood?
15. Which district allows residents in one particular section to choose between schools?
16. Name the school that went without a nickname for its teams during the 2005-06 school year, re-emerging as the Indians at the start of the 2006 year.
17. Which high schoolwas open for only eight years?
18. Name two schools President Bill Clinton visited in the 1990s?
19. Which school opened officially in 1926, was destroyed by fire in 1933, and rebuilt and reopened in 1936?
20. Which south suburban high school is the area’s newest?
(Answers: 1-Bremen is oldest; Oak Forest is newest. 2-Oak Lawn. 3-Thornwood. 4-Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences, Marist, Mother McAuley and Brother Rice. 5Mother McAuley, 1846; Eisenhower (then Blue Island) 1897. 6-Carl Sandburg, Alan B. Shepard. 7-Victor J. Andrew. 8-Oak Lawn in 1967, Lemont in 1976 and Plainfield in 1990. 9-St. Laurence and Homewood-Flossmoor. 10-Crete-Monee and Lincoln-- WayWest. 11-Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences. 12-Providence Catholic. 13-Harold L. Richards. 14-Bloom. 15-A small section of District 230 can choose between Sandburg and Stagg. 16-Lemont. 17-LincolnWay North. 18-Hillcrest in 1994 and Homewood-Flossmoor in 1996. 19-Thorton District 215. 20-Southland College Prep Charter High School.)