William J. Keenan, founder of Keenan Oil Company, was on the Columbia school board from 1934 to 1959.
On a cold April 14 morning, Richland One officials broke ground for a new Keenan High School. The new location for the 45–year–old school is at the junction of Wilson Blvd. (Hwy 21) and Pisgah Church Road near the SC Department of Mental Retardation and the Hastings Point subdivision.
The Keenan High School Band under the direction of Willie Lyles opened the ceremony and Karen York, director of Richland One’s Office of Communications welcomed the audience. The Keenan Army Junior ROTC posted the colors and three cheerleaders – Kimberly Grace, Crystal McClain, and Tareva Martin – sang a beautiful acapella version of the National Anthem. School Board Member King B.L. Jeffcoat gave the invocation, and Dr. Jasper Salmond, board chairman, congratulated Keenan High School for being named Palmetto’s Finest High School.
The new campus was made possible by the $381 million bond referendum of 2002. The new building will be a prototypical high school facility with improved safety and security. It is designed to provide a high–quality learning environment.
Breaking ground for the new Keenan High School are (l-r) Richland One School Board Members Dwayne Smiling, King Jeffcoat, Jeanetter McBride, Wendy Brawley, Dr. Jasper Salmond, Vince Ford, and Interim Superintendent Richard Moniuszko.
Wearing hard hats and taking foot to shovel were School Board Members Dr. Jasper Salmond, Lane P. Quinn, Jeanette McBride, King B.L. Jeffcoat, Wendy Brawley, Vince Ford, Dwayne Smiling; Interim Superintendent Dr. Richard Moniuszko; administrators Dr. Sanita Savage, Robert B. Chestnut, Dr. Odell Stuckey, Dr. Diane James, Raymond Perkins, and Keenan Principal Dr. Steve Wilson.
Architect for the new school is Hal Fuller, AIA, of F&W Architects. The construction manager is David Lindsay of the Southern Management Group.
The original school, 3455 Pine Belt Road, opened in 1963. Lafaye, Fair, Lafaye and Associates were the architects. McCrory Construction Company was awarded the contract for $874,234 in 1962. C. Dwight Cathcart was supervising engineer. The school was named for William J. Keenan, founder of Keenan Oil Company, who was on the Columbia school board from 1934 to 1959.
Keenan cheerleaders – Kimberly Grace, Crystal McClain, and Tareva Martin – sing the National Anthem as the Army Junior ROTC Color Guard presents the colors at the Groundbreaking Ceremony for the new Keenan High School.
At the dedication ceremony April 16, 1964, the invocation was given by Dr. John L. Yost, former president of the Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary. Dr. Guy L. Varn, superintendent, welcomed the attendees. Caldwell Withers, chairman of the school board, introduced W.J. Keenan.
The school was designed as a junior high for 900 students to relieve overcrowding at Crayton Junior High and A.C. Flora High School. The Little School Plan used at Flora was adopted for Keenan, too. There were to be two little schools with 450 students each. It was the first school in SC to be fully air–conditioned.
Keenan Junior High opened in 1963 with John Cooley as principal. Ann Clements was the first assistant principal.
John Cooley was the first principal of Keenan Junior High School in 1963.
There were 610 students in grades 7–9. The staff of 33 included Bellewoods C. Nash, secretary; Garnetta W. Shealy, dietician; and teachers Pauline Brumfield, Allison Cooper, Hope Dunlap, Patricia Ford, Ruth Garrett, Elizabeth Hill, Louise Huffman, Edith Joy, Kay Kinard, Charlotte LeGrand, Nell Little, Mary B. Long, Marigene Loving, Rachel Mills, Jane Mitchem, Nell Mulligan, Julia Pack, Charles Riley, Reginald Robinson, Randa Sanders, Mary Beth Sjoberg, Lois Smith, Bruce Spigener, Charles Taylor, Paula Timmons, Eleanor Vause, Joe Weathers, John David Wertz, Mary Wessels, and Joseph Woodberry.
Keenan became a high school in September, 1970, with 1200 students. It was the district’s first fully integrated school with 54% white and 46% black. Johnny H. Lee took over for John Cooley as principal in September, 1971, when Cooley went to St. Andrews Junior High.
The first president of the student body was Richard Gergel (who ran for District One School Board in 1972). Other officers were vice president, Diane Hines; secretary, Ann Harper; and treasurer, Tim O’Rouke. Faculty sponsors were Mr. Wertz and Rachel Mills.
Dr. Johnny Lee was the first principal of Keenan High School in 1971.
The first full graduation of 352 seniors was held May 30, 1972. W.J. Keenan, namesake of the school, was the honored guest. Senior class president Ida Williams gave the welcoming address, and student body president Mike McKenzie delivered the graduation address.
Joe Strickland, a senior, was elected vice president of the SC Association of Student Councils in 1971. In 1989, he was appointed judge of the Richland County Master of Equity Court.
The first Miss Keenan (1971) was Janet Weed. The first Miss Homecoming (1973) was Priscilla Allen. Frone Studart was editor of the
Sword & Shield
, the student newspaper, in 1972. The newspaper won first prize in 1973–1974 from the SC Scholastic Press Association.
Richland One Interim Superintendent Richard Moniuszko gives closing remarks at the groundbreaking ceremonies for the new Keenan High School.
In 1978, Andrew Young, US ambassador to the United Nations, addressed the Keenan student body. He was introduced by Mignon Clyburn, daughter of James Clyburn, SC Human Affairs Commissioner.
Lee retired in 1985 and was succeeded by Herman Abel who served for one year. James Wright was principal from 1986 to 1998 when he took over the district’s alternative education planning. Dr. Steve Wilson became Keenan’s fifth principal.
Faculty members who served Keenan faithfully over the years include Vivian Watson, Charlotte B. LeGrand, William “Butch” Simpson, Claire Cunningham, Janie D. Phillips (later principal of Five Points School), Henry Young (later principal of C.A. Johnson High School), Sherry Bailey, Lemuel Stephens (later principal of Sanders Middle School), Jane Mitchum, Robert Young, Uel Jones, Howard Weaver, Ray Chetti, Dr. Eunice Adams, Charles Bolden (namesake of Bolden Stadium), Ralph L. Floyd, Van McCloud (award–winning coach), Ruth Ninestein, Harold J. Saine, Cooper Thompson, George Traylor, Barbara Weston (later district Teacher of the Year at Five Points School), Edith Joy, Sylvia Shoemaker, David Mesimore, Richard S. Winningham, Nora Esterhazy, Willie Lyles, Mary Willingham, Ann Ferres Pilat (later assistant principal in Lexington District Five), Johanna Pollock, and Ben Trapp (award–winning coach).
At the dedication of Keenan Junior High School in 1964 were (l-r) W.J. Keenan, Mrs. Keenan, School Board Chairman Caldwell Withers, Mrs. Withers, Superintendent Guy L. Varn, and Mrs. Varn.
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