Why the Admirals? And why the anchor?

 

Why would a land-locked school have a mascot of an anchor and call itself the Admirals? The simple answer is, “because someone suggested it, and everyone agreed to it”

 

Back in the early days of High School sports, teams were known as much by their colors as their name. There was the Lancaster Green Devils from Garrard County and the Henry Clay Blue Devils (which continue to today) for example.

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The Danville Independent School district began on October 21, 1911 when a public vote was taken regarding the question of whether the voters in Danville wanted a graded public school. The passage of this vote led to the Danville City Graded School opening on February 5, 1912. By 1917 the school was renamed Danville High School and the first graduating class, with 11 seniors, occurred in May 1918.

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Prior to 1925, the basketball team was known as the Blue Demons.  The year 1925 saw both the boys and girls teams changing their names. It was also common in those days to associate a color with the name.  The colors blue and white were chosen when the school started in 1912, with the boy’s team known as the “Blue Demons” (one would suppose that emphasized their style of play), while the girl’s team was known as the, “Blue Angels”.

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After a successful run by the basketball team in 1924, a meeting was held in 1925 to choose a new name as the name “Demons” was too close to several other schools names in the area.  A vote of the student body yielded the name, “Blue Admirals”. The girls’ team also changed their name form the, “Blue Angels” to the “Blue Belles," though no formal vote was taken as in the case of the boy’s team.

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The first yearbooks were called, “Signing Off” as in radio jargon. Later, after the team name change the yearbook was called, “The Nautilus” (1928-1934), and then “The Log” (1935). By the mid 1950’s the yearbook became known as the “Anchor”, a name that continues to today.

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The school system has an anchor outside the Gore House (on Proctor Street) that is on loan from the U.S. Navy. This anchor is displayed and maintained following the instructions of the Navy. The Danville Independent Schools file a status and inspection report to the Navy each year. This anchor was last painted in the spring of 2017 and is scheduled to be painted in the spring of 2020 per the Navy's instructions.

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A second anchor, donated by the Navy, is displayed at Admiral Stadium on Stanford Avenue. This anchor is maintained by the Danville Schools. This anchor was painted in the summer of 2019 by athletic booster volunteers.

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Now, the Alumni are getting another anchor donated by the U.S. Navy to be placed at the high school in honor of all DHS alumni and you can be part of our school spirit by contributing to the "Anchor Fund" to provide funding for transporting the anchor from Naval Construction Battalion Center, Gulfport, MS the home of the Fighting SeaBees.  After it arrives in Danville the anchor will be preserved, painted, and installed in front of our beloved school to signify the strength of our school spirit.

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Anchors symbolize strength, steadfastness and hope.  Our alumni anchor is a tribute of all who have gone before; those who have graduated from our great school to go out in the world to do good.  This anchor will be a reminder to current and future Admirals are school is place to learn to give back to our community and be good citizens.