The Beefcake of Science Hill

I would certainly not expect a school to be called Science Hill High in Tennesee, the site of the Scopes Monkey Trial and the Grand Ole Opry.   Especially not in Johnson City, in the Smokey Mountains on the far eastern corner of the state, near North Carolina.  Trip Advisor states that the top things to do in town are:
1. The Yee Haw Brewery
2. The Tweetsie Trail
3. Winged Deer Park
4. The Johnson City Public Library

Or you could just go to one of the many fundamentalist churches in town: Cornerstone Church, Calvary Church, Grace Fellowship, Highlands Fellowship, Redeemer Community Church, Redstone Church

There is a gay bar/drag club called New Beginnings, and in 2018 Johnson City held its first gay pride parade. According to the newspaper, "A heavy police presence was visible at the event. TriPride said threats from protest groups led to the extra security. Law enforcement were on roofs. A swat team stood ready, and THP patrolled the air in a helicopter."

Well, that's better than my first gay rights march in Iowa: the police were there to make sure we didn't rape any of the spectators.

But back to Science Hill, with the logo of a creepy Victorian Frankenstein called the Mad Hatter.  Apparently the team wins games by scaring their opponents into dropping the ball.

It was founded two years after the Civil War as the Science Hill Male and Female Institute, on a hill downtown next to the Public Library.  Every day students had to climb 88 steps to get there.

"Science" meant "knowledge" in those days, not specifically knowledge of the physical world, so it was appropriate for a school. 

I still don't get the creepy Mad Hatter.





It's not really on the cutting edge of academics.  The only world languages are French, Spanish, Latin, and German.  The only history is European and American.  Science includes Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. 

There are clubs for Cosmetology, Culinary Arts, Future Investors, Mountain Bikers, and Quidditch Players.  No gay groups.

But they do have a wrestling team.












I don't know why their singlets say "Le..avis" rather than "Science Hill."














The track team.













Another Hilltopper, this one in green.


















A swimmer.  He may be the same person as the wrestler, with a change of hair style.

Or not.  Lots of blonds in Johnson City.