A Reading Tour: The Original Severna Park High School

Members of the Severna Park Museum Inc. are sharing their memories of historical landmarks around Severna Park in a limited six-part series.

Severna Park High School (SPHS) has been a fixture in town since its opening in 1959. Over the years, the establishment has become a place where students have not only received a top-notch education, but where residents also flock to for the arts, music, sports and cultural events. The original high school was replaced in 2017 with a new facility; however, the history set forth by the first classes to graduate from SPHS remains in many of the traditions that students still follow today.

The property for the high school and surrounding woods was owned by the Robinson family, one of the principal landowners in Severna Park dating back to the 1800s. The original building was completed in 1959 for approximately $7 million. The school was built for a total capacity of 2,000 students. The campus included the school building along with a track and football field.

Prior to opening, all students were bussed to Annapolis for their education. The first year of students included seventh through 11th grade, so seniors did not have to change schools for their final year. The second year SPHS was open, students in grades eight through 12 filled the halls and then it became a true senior high in 1961 with ninth through 12th grades.

Scott Jay remembers being in one of the first graduating classes in SPHS history. “It was very exciting because we decided on the school colors, song, Falcon mascot, and even named the yearbook, ‘Embers,’” he said. Many of these class traditions have continued until this day.

During those first few years, Bill Griffith was the principal and Joe Mirenzi was the vice principal and disciplinarian. “One day, a bunch of girls skipped school and went to Yantz Cove,” Jay recalled. “On their way home, they stopped at Dawson’s Soda Fountain. That day, Mr. Mirenzi just happened to be sitting at the end of the counter at Dawson’s and told the ladies he missed them at school today.”

Furthermore, Mirenzi told the ladies that he would like a chance to give them a ride home and meet their parents. “There was not a lot of skipping school after that!” Jay said.

Jim Sakers was also part of the graduating class of 1962. He recalled, “We used to have sock hops in the gym and a senior play. There was also a homecoming parade that started at St. Martin’s-in-the-Field Church and ended at Dawson’s.”

On Fridays and Saturdays, students would go “downtown” to Lee’s Pharmacy or Frankie & Johnnie’s where they would hang out, eat and play pinball.

“It was a great town to grow up in. Everyone knew everyone else and their families,” Sakers remarked.

Sakers also noted that Severna Park’s biggest rival in football was Annapolis High. “The last game of the year was on Thanksgiving day in the Naval Academy Stadium in Annapolis,” Sakers said. “it was such a big thing that my mom had to move Thanksgiving dinner to another day because everyone went to the football game on Thursday.”

Another thing that brought the students together were the winter activities on the rivers. “In 1961, the Severn and the Magothy rivers froze over; students from our high school and Severn School went ice skating,” Sakers added. “We had kids driving cars out on the ice and skating to the Chesapeake Bay.”

Sakers and Jay both participate in a reunion every five years for the graduating classes of 1961–1963. Their 60th reunion is coming up in October 2022. “We love getting together and seeing each other and reliving the good old days. Jimmy plans everything and we come!” Jay said, laughing. “People come from California and Colorado – they are just amazing people.”

Both Jay and Sakers speak fondly of their time at the old Severna Park High School. Now that the school has been replaced, they hope it serves the same purpose. It wasn’t just a place where they went to class, or a football game, or a sock hop, or signed each other’s yearbooks. It was a place that went beyond the walls of that old school – it was a place where they both grew up and found a sense of community. It’s the reason why they keep coming back to reunions. It’s the friends that they met and the experiences that they had together.

Severna Park Museum Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-stock corporation sponsored by the Winkelmeyer family. Monetary donations are welcome at 528 Melrose Lane, Severna Park, MD 21146.