Maconaquah High School

On July 1, 1962, Maconaquah School Corporation was formed by consolidating two high schools (Clay and Bunker Hill) in southern Miami County, Indiana. The corporation is named after Frances Slocum, who was captured as a child by Delaware Indians in 1778 from her Pennsylvania home. She grew up with the Miami tribe and married a Miami Indian Chief. She lived in the area near Peru, Indiana, and became known as "Little Bear Woman" or Maconaquah. She is buried in a state historical site near the corporation boundaries.[2]

Maconaquah class of 1964 attended classes in the old Bunker Hill High School. A sign in the front yard read "Maconaquah High School". The current high school facility, located approximately 2 miles from Bunker Hill, Indiana, proper, held its first classes in August 1965. The following year the building proper was finished and the class of 1966 was the first to attend in MHS. Three years later, the Industrial Arts/Agriculture Wing was added on, allowing students to gain insight into different trades and career paths. In 1973, a social studies wing was added to which the next addition connected to that addition. In 1976, the Fine Arts Wing was added, expanding the school, with the additions including a 900+ seat auditorium with a full scene shop, a band room, a choral chamber, a green room, a black-box theater (later converted into a television studio), as well as numerous classrooms. The first event held in the auditorium was in Spring 1976, "Pow-wow", a student talent/skit event, held on 3 nights, (Thursday-Saturday). The next addition would have been in the 1980's which included a west wing addition including the swimming pool, 2nd gym and other rooms. The most recent addition is the remodeling of the Science and Business Department in 2005: The science laboratories were updated, and an additional lab was built.

The building has two multi-purpose computer labs, CAD lab, accounting lab, Cisco Network Academy, and a graphic arts lab. Each teacher has a room computer with access to Internet, Web and various programs. Teachers also have access to video, digital cameras, VCR, laser disc, film strip, CD-Rom, still video, 35mm slides, 16mm film, satellite TV, in-house TV, and voice mail.[3] The high school continues to serve constituents of six townships in southern Miami County (population: approximately 36,000). The district includes a farming community and nine small towns or communities and includes Grissom Air Reserve Base.

When the Bunker Hill AFB/Grissom AFB was an active duty base, as much as 45% of the student population were air base connected. The Grissom AFB base became a reserve wing in the mid 1990's. Until that time, there were approximately 1100 homes on the air base feeding Maconaquah Schools. For many years (especially in the 1970's), the high school had 8 periods a day, starting at 7 a.m. and going until 3:30. Students from base housing attended periods 1-7 (7 a.m.-2:30 p.m.), where as the rest attended periods 2-8 (8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.). This was done due the size of the school population which was approximately 1100 students and also for the number of school buses needed. And you have to remember that the 1976 and later additions to the building had not yet been done. Also due to the high percentage of military connected families, the school corporation received large amounts of federal aid which allowed those expansions with relatively no debt to the taxpayers.

The demographic breakdown of the 656 students enrolled in 2015-2016 was:

• Male - 50.2%
• Female - 49.8%
• Native American/Alaskan - 1.1%
• Asian/Pacific islanders - 1.4%
• Black - 2.1%
• Hispanic - 3.0%
• White - 86.7%
• Multiracial - 5.7%

45.0% of the students were eligible for free or reduced-cost lunch. In 2015-2016, this was a Title I school.[1]

Maconaquah High School (MHS) is accredited by the Indiana Department of Public Instruction.[4]

The Maconaquah Braves compete in the Three Rivers Conference. The school colors are red, white and Columbia blue. The following IHSAA sanctioned sports are offered:[9]

• Mike Otto, 2007 NFL Draft selection of the Tennessee Titans
• Tavis Smiley, author, political commentator, and talk show host
• Lorissa Sweet, member of the Indiana House of Representatives

• List of high schools in Indiana

• Official website