The campus was composed of separate academic buildings spread out over 37.8 acres until 1999 when the school underwent major construction. All buildings were demolished, except for the auditorium, cafeteria, and fine arts building, which were renovated. A new gymnasium was constructed, as well as a new main building, consisting of four wings, each three floors tall, with an open air courtyard in the center. The combining of the academic buildings allowed for the addition of several new athletic fields. The track at the school was renovated in the summer of 2008. Additional construction began in 2016 to construct a new Science and Athletics building. In 2018, the Fine Arts building began renovations and expansion.
The school's athletic and other organizations have seen many successes with district, regional, and state appearances and championships. The school has achieved notable recognition in recent years for its UIL Academic teams, with both teams and individuals placing at the state level in science, current events, and social studies competitions, and a 2007 TMSCA State Championship in science. On a national level, MacArthur physics students have placed consistently in the top 15 in the JETS TEAMS Engineering Competition. The school was recognized as a National Blue Ribbon School in 1988–1989.[5]
MacArthur letter
General Douglas MacArthur sent a letter to the school in January 1964 after a birthday celebration in his honor. The letter is located on the first floor in the administration department.
Extracurricular activities
MacArthur hosted the first Texas French Symposium in 1964, and subsequently in 1965, 1966, 1970, 1971, 1974 and 1995.[6]
Since its establishment in 1968, the MacArthur Blue Guard (MBG) varsity level armed drill team has continually represented MacArthur's Army Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (J.R.O.T.C.). Battalion and MacArthur High School with military excellence and precision in U.S. Army platoon drill and exhibition. Since the mid-1980's, MBG has achieved best in state status, to include best armed drill team in the nation at the drill team championships in Daytona Beach, Florida in 1990. In addition to the Blue Guard, MacArthur High School's varsity Color Guard is made up of four members (U.S. Flag, Texas Flag, U.S. Flag Guard and Texas Flag Guard) of the MBG and would present those colors at all home football games as well as compete in competition around the state.
MacArthur's football team has made one appearance in the UIL State 5A Championship game in 1998. MacArthur had lost on December 12 to Katy High School, 14–6. However, Katy's win was forfeited for using an ineligible student during the regular season.[7] Given hours to prepare, MacArthur played in the state title game but lost to Midland Lee 54–0.[8]
MacArthur's baseball team reached the state finals in 1966 in Class 4A, the largest classification at the time. It lost to the Freeport Brazosport Exporters, 6–1. And again in 1987, the baseball team reached the state finals in the UIL Class 5A category, losing to Abilene Cooper, 13–3.[9]
The Boys Cross Country team placed second behind Churchill in the district cross country meet on November 1, 2008. One runner from MacArthur placed third in the individual division at the District meet. The team finished in 14th place in the Region IV-Meet. Also one female runner the cross- country team qualified in the top 10 individual division to qualify for the Region IV meet on November 1, 2008.
MacArthur High School also has a very active fine arts program with one of the highlights being the Marching Band known as "the Big Blue Marching Machine". The MacArthur marching band has stood for excellence for over 37 years. The band has a 27-year record of Superior UIL Sweepstake Awards in marching, concert and sight-reading. The band has been winners of major music contests in Texas, Florida, and California. The band won two State Marching Band Championships in Class 5A, one in 1985, and the other in 1986.[10] In addition, the theater department at MacArthur High School has been outstanding for many years, and won the UIL One Act Theater competition for many years, under the leadership of Charles Jeffries, Luis Munoz, Jerry Knight, and Molly Risso. In 2014, the MacArthur OAP was the only school in NEISD to compete in the state UIL competition, finishing fourth in the state. MacArthur Theater was under the direction of Dean Whitus and Casey O'Bryant. In 2015, under the direction of Dean Whitus and Margaret Tonra, MacArthur was the only NEISD school to make it into the Area competition, and finished in third place and alternate for state competition.
In 2007, the Brahmadoras varsity dance team WON nationals in the kick category at NDA nationals in orlando Florida
In 2009, the varsity cheerleaders won the Universal Cheerleaders Association National Championship in the Small Varsity category.
In 2010, the varsity football team won the title of District Champions.
In March 2015, the Lassies junior varsity dance team won the nationals in the Pom category at NDA Nationals in Orlando, Florida.
In 2015, the MacArthur Winter Guard won 1st place in Scholastic A Class at the TCGC Championships in College Station, Texas. Throughout the season, they have won first place at every competition. Their show was entitled "Lose Yourself".
TAP
MacArthur High School houses the Electrical Systems Technology Program for students interested in the electrical industry. The program was established as a Technical Apprenticeship Program (TAP) in conjunction with the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training. Students earn apprenticeship hours while they are in high school. They learn residential, commercial, and industrial motor control wiring, as well as state, local, and national electrical codes. Many go on to work for local electrical contractors such as Five Point Electric and Calcote Electric.
Notable alumni
This article's list of alumni may not follow Wikipedia's verifiability policy. Please improve this article by removing names that do not have independent reliable sources showing they merit inclusion in this article AND are alumni, or by incorporating the relevant publications into the body of the article through appropriate citations.(December 2022)
Athletics
Jace Amaro (Class of 2010) – former NFL player (tight end) for the Kansas City Chiefs[11]
David Bailiff (Class of 1976) – college football coach, most recently the head coach at Rice University, 2007–2017[12]
Keith Edmonson (Class of 1978) – NBA player (point guard)
John Gibbons (Class of 1980) – former MLB professional baseball player and is the current manager of the Toronto Blue Jays[13]
Jerry Grote (Class of 1961) – former MLB professional baseball player[14] And World Series catcher with the New York Mets
^"Blue Ribbon Schools Program Schools Recognized 1982–1983 Through 1999–2002"(PDF). Blue Ribbon Schools Program, Knowledge Applications Division, Office of Reform Assistance and Dissemination, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education. July 22, 2008. Archived from the original(PDF) on March 26, 2009. Retrieved December 20, 2007.
