HAGERSTOWN – In 1957, School Stadium was state-of-the-art.
But now, in 2025, the old, highly used facility is in a state of repair.
Time has caught up – and passed – the athletic complex at South Hagerstown High, nestled between South Potomac and Maryland avenues. The constant use has bordered on overuse for the grass playing surface and track.
With each passing year – and reparation – it becomes more apparent that School Stadium needs major help.
It’s just a bandage on a sore that can’t heal.
Fundraising effort under way
With that reality staring at it, South Hagerstown’s Athletic Booster Club, in support of the Rebels’ athletic department, announced a capital fundraising project to renovate and upgrade School Stadium while adding safety amenities for athletes and fans.
In essence, it’s a shot to bring the 20th century facility into the 21st century.
The fundraising target is $10,000 for revenue to start the project. It is listed at Schoolfundr.org, a donation-based fundraising website, similar to GoFundMe, designed for school-based organizations. While the Boosters would like to use artificial turf on the stadium, that would be a much larger project, perhaps for later.
Phase One
Phase One of the proposed renovation would include the surveying of School Stadium and fundraising. The Schoolfundr drive will help provide money to get the project started. The upgrade plan will address the needs of South athletes, the marching band and youth sports.
In its present state, School Stadium became one of the oldest athletic facilities in the county after Municipal Stadium – built in the 1930s – was demolished to make way for Hagerstown’s new Field House facility.
Facility now closed
Washington County Public Schools shut down the facility on May 22 to start a refurbishing project of reseeding and repair the field and maintaining its all-weather track. The last few events of the school year were moved and rearranged to help the summer-long project.
The current renovation is targeting filling holes and the leveling of the playing field.
“The field is rapidly deteriorating over the years,” said South Hagerstown Athletic Director Dwayne Freeman before the recent refurbishing shutdown. “This is mostly a safety issue.
“There have been a lot of complaints from other schools and the officials. Most of them come from schools who have artificial turf. They have already put down a lot of dirt to fill the holes, which is much needed.”
Many use artificial turf
Two schools in Washington County – Smithsburg and North Hagerstown – have a turf field. There is another at Meritus Park, the home of the Hagerstown Boxcars minor league baseball team. So do a number of Central Maryland Conference opponent schools in Frederick County, Maryland, and surrounding schools bordering in West Virginia, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
The grass field has little chance to survive because of weather and considerable use.
Used for many sports
School Stadium currently hosts football – tackle for boys, flag for girls – soccer, lacrosse, track and field and cross country during the school year. It was also the venue for two graduations in May, pep rallies, WCPS Unified Sports-Junior Olympic events, county and conference and youth AAU track meets, youth football and lacrosse games and tournaments. It’s also the home for the WCPS Showcase of Marching Bands since 1977.
School Stadium has been in constant use since opening in 1957.
That was when Hagerstown High was split into North and South Hagerstown, with both schools using the facility. In fact, the Hubs played football at School Stadium until 2006, when Callas Stadium was opened on North’s campus.
School Stadium had documented renovations in 1991 to upgrade lights, 1996 to build a press box and concession stands and 2009 to repave the track.
