The 100-year history of Webster Groves High School, at 100 Selma Ave., has been documented in the book "100 Selma ... 100 Years" by Minnie Belle Phillips, an English teacher at the school.

Phillips has taught at the school for 37 years, so she's been on hand to see part of its history. The book was released in August, with 400 copies already sold out of 600 printed.

Phillips said the book is an "exhaustive history of the school that is both thorough and detailed."

She said it took her about six months to write, with three months of editing and revisions.

Phillips said the book has many personal vignettes regarding faculty members, principals and students.

She said the book includes personal stories that represent the types of people who have worked at or attended the school.

In putting the information together, she initially considered breaking it down by decades but noticed the history of the school was reflected by its leadership, she said.

"Basically our leadership set the tone of the school," Phillips said.

As an example, Phillips cited James Hixson, principal of the school from 1907 to 1943 and who represents the Hixson era in the book.

Howard A. Latta, a principal from 1943 to 1968, led the school during growth in enrollment after World War II and its compliance with the 1954 U.S. Supreme Court decision mandating school integration. Webster Groves High School became integrated in 1956.

Phillips said a chapter of the book details the history of Douglas High School, which was in Webster Groves and served only African-American students, from 1925 until 1956. The school was the only African-American high school in St. Louis County and the first such school to be accredited by the state, in 1932.

"The school had a distinguished history and was a magnet school for African-American students throughout St. Louis County," Phillips said.

She said the book also chronicles important moments for Webster Groves High School, such as when it received national media coverage.

In the fall of 1965, CBS television produced a documentary showing what it was like to be a 16-year-old student in Webster Groves, particularly during one's junior year in high school.

"CBS's Charles Kuralt narrated the documentary, which became controversial," she said.

Students were seen as sheltered, parent-driven teenagers whose primary goals were a "good job, money and success," when it aired in 1966, Phillips said.

She said former President Bill Clinton spoke at the school in 1996, and in a televised speech commended the school on its drug- and violence-prevention program.

The school again received national press when representatives from "Time" magazine came to the school in fall 1999 to do a cover story on a "typical American teenager" in a "typical American high school," she said.

Phillips said she also wanted to relate the traditions of the school, such as annual Turkey Day football game between Webster Groves and Kirkwood high schools.

"The book provides a fairly detailed history of the game," she said.

The football game, which will mark its 100th anniversary this year, is the subject of another book, by different authors. That book, "Turkey Day Game Centennial," will be released Nov. 1, she said. Shawn Greene is the principal author of that work, with 40 contributing authors.

Phillips said through writing her 117-page book, she wanted to show a panorama marking the educational development of the school: "Covering people, events and recording how the school and the community contributed to the institution," she said.

Patricia Voss, Webster Groves School District alumni relations director, said Phillips was chosen to write the book since Phillips is both a writer and an accomplished teacher of writing.

Voss said she'd talked with current Webster Groves High School principal Jon Clark, and "both of us felt that Minnie was the obvious choice," she said.

Voss helped coordinate the pictures for the book. She worked with Phillips to make sure the photos reflected the text Phillips provided.

Voss also came up with the title.

"It was one of those things as I was going down the street and thinking that the high school is at 100 Selma and the school is celebrating 100 years, and why not go with that?" she said.

The book can be purchased at the main office at the high school and at Straub's, 211 W. Lockwood Ave. in Webster Groves.

You can contact Todd Smith at tosmith@yourjournal.com.