LAWRENCE HIGH SCHOOL
HOME OF THE CHESTY LIONS
RED AND BLACK
As far as can be ascertained, our school colors date back to 1907 when our football teams wore red and black long socks.
WE ARE THE LIONS
The Lion was first adopted as a school symbol in 1930. On Friday, November 8, 1929, the school newspaper The Budget carried the following:
Lawrence High School has long needed a mascot and the suggestion, growing out of the recent pep rally, to call ourselves the Lions, has been wholeheartedly accepted. A mascot should symbolize the characteristics of the school and no other animal expresses our strength of purpose better than the lion, the king of the beasts, his strength, bravery, and aggressiveness which our competitors find we also have.
CHESTY THE LION
Original Chesty Lion symbol.
The original Chesty Lion symbol was drawn by Paul Coker in 1946. A Lawrence Memorial High School graduate, Coker went on to become a well-known illustrator and cartoonist, working on illustration for the Mad magazine, character design for Rankin/Bass specials like Frosty the Snowman, Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town, and much more.
The "Chesty" moniker given to Chesty the Lion stems from the mascot's bold and confident demeanor, signifying the collective pride those at LHS hold for their community, traditions, achievements, and the ideals for which Lawrence High School stands. Much like how the mascot stands tall with its chest out, "Chesty" represents the strength, resilience, and spirit of the Lawrence High family and how every Chesty Lion leads with their heart.
The Chesty Lion embodies the courage, leadership, and unwavering commitment to success that define the culture of LHS. These ideals are proudly carried out by Lawrence High's staff, teachers, and students, who strive to excel academically, athletically, and artistically while fostering a welcoming and inclusive learning environment. The Chesty Lion serves as both a symbol and a reminder of what it means to be a part of the proud Lawrence High School legacy.
HISTORY OF LHS
Lawrence High School has a rich and proud heritage. Its history is one of excellence in both academics and extracurricular activities. Public donations in 1857 built the Quincy School, which was held in the basement of the Unitarian church. In 1860, Lawrence received an amended charter which enabled the city to establish a public school system of eight grades. Central School, at Ninth and Kentucky, was built in 1865.
Photo of Liberty Memorial High School. Now home to Liberty Memorial Central Middle School.
Liberty Memorial High School was brought about when the students supported a bond issue for a memorial to 18 service men of World War I. To raise the money for their campaigning, The Budget was delivered by 102 students to each home. A circus was given, and a junior-senior play was presented with debates on the bond issue between acts. Liberty High School Week was declared, and students had such bond issue campaign slogans as "It Shall Pass", "Give Us Room to Grow", and "Things Go Wrong When We're All in a Throng". One of the wounded soldiers returned to school and led the mile-long parade for the campaign.
A similar bond campaign went on in 1949 when students of Lawrence assisted in a successful drive to build Lawrence High School at 19th and Louisiana Street. From that has come the slogan, "a gift of the citizen of Lawrence to their Children". The amount of the bond proposal was $2,620,000. From this came $1.8 million for the building, including furniture. The high school was moved from Liberty Memorial High School at 14th and Massachusetts to Lawrence High School at 19th and Louisiana on March 26, 1954.
In May, 1973, an ad hoc committee was formed to study the need for expanded facilities at Lawrence High School. Out of this study came the recommendation for expansion in the areas of vocational practical arts, physical education and fine arts. All three areas were ready for use in the fall of 1976. In the fine arts area, a large rehearsal room for he band and orchestra was added along with an art classroom. In the physical education area, a separate building was constructed.
In September of 1989, The School Board appointed a committee to "...review the physical plant at Lawrence High School in light of recommendations from the curriculum study to determine the necessary renovation of that building." The list of recommendations from the committee included the construction of a new library and a student commons area; upgrades of electrical, air conditioning/climate control, and plumbing systems; upgrades of physical education/athletic locker rooms, and athletic facilities; construction of a greenhouse. On October 22, 1995, an open house was held at LHS to showcase work that included the remodeling of 14 classrooms and all hallway ceilings, light fixtures, lockers, walls and floor finishes and the addition of administrative offices, an updated library/computer area, new cafeteria and commons areas, and a new, strongly-defined entrance.
Two bond issues passed in April of 2005 helped to address facility needs at Lawrence High. These included the renovation and construction of science rooms with up-to-date laboratories for chemistry and physics, the renovation of physical education facilities including locker rooms, and technology improvements to enhance computer and telephone access for the students, staff, and patrons of Lawrence High School. In 2007-2008, a new entrance was constructed for the east gym and in the following 2008-2009 school year, on-site sports facilities were added to the Lawrence High School campus, including a football stadium, a new track, a soccer field, baseball and softball fields, and tennis courts.