Established in 1859 as New Haven High School, Hillhouse High School is New Haven's oldest public high school. Originally located on Orange Street, it adopted its nickname, "The Academics," in acknowledgment of its close association with Yale University. In 1863, the school was moved to a building at Orange and Wall Streets, which was replaced in 1871 by a new school. The school is named in honor of James Hillhouse of New Haven, who represented Connecticut in the U.S. Congress in the early years of the United States' existence as a nation, serving as both a Representative and a Senator. For many years, Hillhouse served not only New Haven but also suburban towns around the city that did not have high schools of their own. Its peak enrollment was nearly 5,000 students, when the school had to conduct double sessions to accommodate the large enrollment.
Statistics
The school includes grades 9 through 12 and enrolls about 979 students.
Hillhouse became involved in athletic competition as early as 1866, when some boys formed a club to play a sport that is described as having "resembled rugby and soccer." By 1884, students were participating in several sports, including modern football, which had been invented by Walter Camp of New Haven. Team competition in baseball, tennis, ice hockey, indoor polo and yacht racing also had been established around this time. Basketball was introduced around the beginning of the 20th century. Hillhouse football teams have won 17 state championships, ranking the school third in the state for football championships. The boys’ and girls’ basketball teams have a combined total 33 state championships. 24 for the boys and 9 for the girls. The boys’ and girls’ track teams also have more than 25 state championships between them. The Academics also have won state championships in baseball, swimming, ice hockey and tennis. In 1999, a grant was provided by the Connecticut Association of Schools to construct a fieldhouse for sports. Construction was finished in 2002, and it was named the New Haven Athletic Center, later to become the Floyd Little Athletic Center in 2011. The Athletic Center houses events for basketball, indoor track, and tennis. It has a capacity of 3,500 seats. In 2016, the school inaugurated its brand new Bowen field after the discovery of elevated levels of toxic PCBs in bleacher caulking joints and exterior locker room paint in 2013 The school's official colors are blue and white and the mascot is a bulldog due to the school's early close association with Yale University. The school competes in the Hammonasset Division of the Southern Connecticut Conference and the sports offered are:
Fall
Football
Boys' Soccer
Girls' Soccer
Cross Country
Cheerleading
Volleyball
Winter
Boys' Basketball
Girls' Basketball
Indoor Track
Spring
Baseball
Softball
Golf
Outdoor Track
- The school is known for having one of the best Basketball teams in the state winning the state championship many years: Boys Basketball State Championships: 1924, 1926, 1932, 1937, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1952, 1955, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1969, 1970, 1978, 1984, 1986, 1990, 2006, 2007, 2013, 2016, 2017. Girls Basketball State Championships: 1981, 1982, 1998, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2011. - The football team plays Wilbur Cross High School every year on Thanksgiving in the Elm City Bowl.
