Wilton High School

Before 1959

Even though Wilton became an independent town in 1802, separating from Norwalk, its education system was highly unorganized until the late 1950s.

In the early and mid-20th century, Wilton students went to high schools in Westport, New Canaan, Norwalk (until 1930), Danbury, and Ridgefield. Since the schools in these communities were becoming overcrowded with population growth, a regional high school for Wilton was proposed in 1935 but was vetoed by the state governor. The next year, Wilton, Weston, and Redding began a joint study, which rejected the idea again. Instead, the committee recommended that Wilton wait for population to increase enough to support a high school, and in the meantime buy enough land for the school. In 1940, a town meeting approved purchase of the Harbs Farm property, a 65-acre (260,000 m²) tract near the intersection of School and Danbury Roads. In 1944, a regional high school was proposed again, and again the idea was rejected, this time by the town of Redding, which killed the proposal. A consultant hired by Wilton town officials recommended in 1948 that town population growth could support a high school in less than a decade. The regional high school idea was then permanently dropped.

Prior to the 1959 academic year, all students seeking public secondary school education had to attend Staples High School in Westport. In 1951, Westport officials, facing their own town's population growth, notified Wilton that it should prepare to remove its high school students from that town's school by 1957. In 1956, 10th-grade students began attending classes in the Wilton Junior High School building, and 11th-grade students joined them there in the fall of 1957, so that only Wilton's seniors were at the Westport high school. In that final school year for Wilton students in Westport, the top two graduating seniors at Staples High School were from Wilton. A $1.2 million wing was completed for the junior high school building in the fall of 1958.

High School shuffle 1959-1971

In 1962, the public secondary education building moved again. This time the destination was a brand new structure currently known as the Middlebrook School. The first graduating class of this new high school, the class of 1963, numbered 170. Overall enrollment that year was 615. Although this was a new facility, it was quickly deemed as inappropriate due to its diminutive size, in the wake of the "baby boomer" education era.

In 1966, a building committee was created to expand the new high school building, but the group recommended that the town instead buy land to the northwest of the high school building, and in 1967 the town approved the idea. The land was condemned, but the property owners appealed to the courts, delaying the project. Temporary classrooms were set up outside the old high school building. The town approved $12.6 million for the building, and the new structure was built to hold 1,500 students, with the possibility of expansion to hold 2,000.

The present day Wilton High School opened its doors in September 1971, reaching a maximum student population of 1646 during the 1976-77 academic year. WHS has graduated nearly 12,500 students as of the 2006-07 academic year.

A Better Chance

In 1996, Wilton High School participated in the A Better Chance (ABC) program which brought minority students from inner-city schools to live in town and attend the school. As of 2004, ABC leased the former Goslee House at 6 Godfrey Place from the town library for student housing.

Recent construction

In 2001, two extensive additions to the school were completed as well as other renovations. The project included new classrooms, more modern science labs, new music rooms, a larger cafeteria, and a new theater building with an 800-seat auditorium.

Controversy regarding treatment of special needs students

In 2007, the state of Connecticut enacted legislation preventing physical restraint or seclusion of special needs students except in limited situations, largely as a result of allegations of mistreatment of four special education students in Wilton High School and other Wilton schools in 2005. Jill Ely claimed that, without notifying her, the school forced her retarded son into a room at the high school that was held shut until he became completely quiet. She said that her son injured his arm trying to get out and once, she later learned, “he was left crying and whimpering for almost the entire day.” An investigation by the Wilton Bulletin in 2006 found that the high school “safe room” had never been inspected by the fire marshall and lacked a Building Department certificate of occupancy. Maryanne Lombardi made similar claims that her 9-year old autistic son, who did not speak, was routinely sent to a “padded cell called the timeout room” at another Wilton school. Gloria Bass, the grandmother of two special needs students, also said that one child had been restrained for months in a storage closet without her knowledge. Superintendent Gary Richards defended the schools’ actions saying: “We do the best we can with kids who sometimes are very challenged.”

Free speech controversy

In March 2007, a controversy arose which achieved national prominence when Principal Timothy Canty, on the objection of a student, cancelled an original student play by an advanced theater class concerning the Iraq War, a project he had originally approved. He justified his action by claiming it “might hurt Wilton families ‘who had lost loved ones or who had individuals serving as we speak,’ and that there was not enough classroom and rehearsal time to ensure it would provide ‘a legitimate instructional experience for our students.’” The play, "Voices in Conflict", had been written and produced by students under the direction of 13-year English teacher Bonnie Dickinson. It was supposed to have been performed in school during the day. School officials, including Superintendent Gary Richards, notwithstanding national attention over the cancellation and a letter protesting it signed by Stephen Sondheim, Edward Albee, Christopher Durang, John Guare, and John Patrick Shanley, refused to allow the production to be performed at the school.

Theater groups rallied to the students’ defense, and the play was subsequently performed at the Fairfield Theatre Company, The Vineyard Theatre, The Culture Project, and The Public Theater. The play was produced for Connecticut Public Television, and Bonnie Dickinson became the official 2007 Honoree of the National Coalition Against Censorship and the winner of the Connecticut Center for First Amendment Rights 2007 “Freedom Award.”

Decision to institute fees for athletics and extra-curricular activities

In 2013, after the Wilton Board of Finance returned its proposed budget with instructions to reduce it by $750,000, the Board of Education voted to impose "pay-to-play" fees on all athletics and school clubs, with a fee of up to $100 per sport and $50 per club.

Racially-tinged fan baiting at football game

In 2016, the night of Friday, Nov. 11, the Wilton High School football team played against Danbury High School at Fujitani Field and a group of Wilton students were heard chanting “build the wall” — a phrase commonly heard at Donald Trump’s presidential campaign rallies where he frequently stressed the need to prevent Mexicans from entering the country. While Wilton High School is relatively non-diverse minorities make up more than half of Danbury High School’s student body and a high number are Hispanic. Nov.17, the Mayor of Danbury, Mark Boughton, issued a request asking that Wilton High School publicly apologize. They did.

Boys' lacrosse

Since the sport gained school-sponsorship, the team has won 21 Connecticut state championships and 13 FCIAC titles. Guy Whitten, the varsity football coach, was hired in 1969 to field a competitive group of athletes from the school's club and intramural programs. Whitten, who is regarded as an influential figure to the popularity that the sport enjoys today throughout the state, would end up coaching boys' lacrosse at WHS for 26 years before his retirement following the conclusion of the 1995 season. Whitten competed for years against veteran New Canaan coach Howard Benedict. Whitten and Benedict are considered the "Founding Fathers of Connecticut Lacrosse." Whitten was chosen to represent his country as the Head Coach of the USA U-19 National Team, who won the World Championship in Adelaide, Australia in 1988. Upon retirement, Whitten had tabulated 410 wins versus only 77 losses for a career winning percentage of .842. He led the Wilton team to 17 state championships and 11 Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference titles. In Whitten's final year, 1995, the team was undefeated. At the time, he was one of only four coaches in the history of the sport to reach the 400 win plateau. In the history of Wilton Lacrosse, the varsity team has never had a losing season; the lowest record ever by the Warriors was in 2007 when they went %.500. Many of the program's athletes have gone on to compete in collegiate teams on the NCAA division I level.

Girls' lacrosse

The girls' gymnastics team won 13 FCIAC titles in 15 years, as well as several state championships. In 2001 the Warriors won their first state title, over rival Darien. In 2014 they won the Class M State Championship against New Canaan.

Boys' Soccer

The boys' soccer program has claimed State Championship titles in 1988 and 1998.

Baseball

The baseball team won the FCIAC Championship in 2015 and 1995.

Ridgefield

The Wilton-Ridgefield rivalry started in 1987, when, after a heated hockey game, a bench-clearing brawl erupted. After 10 minutes of fighting, two students had to go to the hospital and nearly everyone on both teams was suspended. The fans on both sides met after the game outside of the rink (Winter Garden Ice Arena) and proceeded to fight for up to an hour. Since then neither side has backed down and at nearly every sports event between the two there is some sort of fight.

Notable alumni