A Pictorial History of Glendale High School

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Read about the city of Glendale's history here

Text taken from the 1921 GHS Yearbook from a section entitled, "The History of Our School."

In 1901, when Glendale was a small country village and the young people had to go to Los Angeles for a high school education, the residents of Glendale, La Crescenta, Burbank, Eagle Rock, Ivanhoe, Tropico, and West Glendale organized Glendale Union High School in order that the young folks could have equal privileges and chances for learning that those in other cities enjoyed. (webmaster's note: Ivanhoe is what is now Silver Lake and Tropico was the south side of Glendale which at the time was split into two towns. "Glendale" was property north of Windsor Road and "Tropico" was property south of Windsor Road. By the turn of the century, the commercial center of Tropico was at Central and San Fernando Road and its population was 700.)

The first sessions were held in September 1901 in the building now occupied by the Glendale Sanitarium. Mr. Llewellyn Evans was the first principal. There were two teachers and 29 pupils attending.

This was only temporary, however, and bonds were voted for a new building which was built on the corner of Brand Blvd. and Broadway. (At the time Brand Blvd. had not yet been put through.) Mr. George U. Moyse was made principal in that building when it was occupied for the first time in 1902.

But the rapid growth of the school made another enlargement necessary. On November 9, 1907, a mass meeting of citizens was called and the Trustees were instructed to take the necessary steps to secure a new $75,000 high school and equipment.

This amount, increased by the sale of the old site, was sufficient to equip and furnish the new building and to improve the grounds and athletic field. In September 1909, the administration building was occupied for the first time.

The next change came in the summer of 1914. At that time, $100,000 bonds were voted for the purchase of all property on the west side of Mary (Maryland) Street between Fifth and Sixth (Colorado Blvd.). Mary Street in this block was vacated and the street and new frontage became the property of the school. Two new buildings were put up, the Household Arts and Mechanical Arts buildings. These were occupied in the spring of 1915.

Since then the school has met needs in the city adequately until last year. The enrollment then was over 800. As the auditorium was built to accommodate 500, the students were again cramped for room. This year there are 1050 enrolled and five temporary bungalows have been put on the west front of the campus.

At the present time the faculty numbers 45 teachers.

Activities
Our present student government was organized in 1912 and held its first meeting on December 3. Instead of president, the highest officer was called Speaker. The school's first Speaker was Charles Wells.

The first "G" Club for wearers of the big G was also formed in 1912. Star athlete Frank Littell was its first president. The Latin Club, "Comities," is the oldest Club in school formed in 1910. Gladys Hamilton was the original Imperator.

The German Club was started by the senior class in 1913. "La Tertulia" is the name of the Spanish Club. It is another one of the oldest Clubs of the school, being organized in 1914. Lorin Litchfield was its first president. Four years later the first French Club was started with Herbert Toll at the helm.

Debating as been a school activity ever since the present buildings were occupied. The annual Oratorical contests started the second year in these buildings (1910).

In 1917, the school weekly newspaper was published. Several years before there had been a paper called the Spectator; but the Explosion as we know it was first published in 1917. Berna Martin edited that paper and put it on a self-sustaining basis.

The yearbook, Stylus, has not always been an annual. From January to June, 1909, it was published monthly and sold to the students for 10 cents a copy. In 1910 it became quarterly. The first issue was published by the Juniors, the second by the Sophomores, the third by the Scrubs (Freshmen), while the Seniors had the honor of publishing the last one of the school year. The editors have been: 1910: Amy Johnston; 1911: Elva Spencer; 1912: Marie Schwartz. The yearbook as we know it today was first published in 1913. The editor was Gladys Hamilton.

On May 23, 1924 the first Home-Coming Day was held. Alumni from all years were invited back to tour the new buildings. It was hoped that the concept would become an annual event.

Our story is detailed further 56 years later by the 1977 GHS Yearbook. It is taken from a section entitled, "GHS - Looking Back 75 years."

The Glendale Union High School District was formed in 1901. Until then the local schools formed grades 1-8 and an occasional ninth. Expanding enrollment emphasized the need for a high school. First classes were held in the dining room of the old Glendale Hotel (later called the Glendale Sanitarium) located on Fourth Street between I and J Streets, now Isabel and Jackson.

In September 1902 the corner stone was laid for a two-story frame school house, completed three months later. The school was the only structure in that area for at least two blocks and was considered quite a landmark.

In 1903 a horse shed was added to accommodate those who "drove" to school. By 1907 the enrollment in that two-story school house had increased to 105, and more space was needed. The block at Central Avenue and Fourth Street (now Broadway) was leased for use as an athletic field.

In April 1908, the board purchased the block bounded by Harvard, Colorado, Louise, and Maryland (streets unnamed at the time). In August 1908, a contract was set for construction of a two-story, pressed brick building facing Harvard. This marked the first departure of wooden school houses in Glendale. Buildings are grounds were soon inadequate because of increasing enrollment. In 1913, three acres were added to the site and two more buildings constructed.

Soon they were overcrowded too. Efforts continued to expand the high school, but the business section along Brand Blvd. wanted to expand also.

It soon became apparent that the school had to move. In 1921-22 two bond issues were approved for a site on a 21-acre lemon orchard belonging to L.P. Lukins at Broadway and Verdugo Road. The Harvard Street School continued to operate until 1937, first housing the GHS Freshman class, then Glendale College. Meanwhile back at Broadway and Verdugo, the first high school classes met in 1924.

George U. Moyse continued to serve as principal, as he had been doing since 1902. Additions were made to the school in 1927. The swimming pool was added in 1956.

On March 22, 1964, the school suffered massive damage after a fire burned through the administration building. The decision to rebuild the entire school was made and construction of the new building finished in February 1969. In 1975, the old Moyse Field west bleachers were replaced and additions made on the east side, marking the completion of a total reconstruction project. The entire project coast $1 million.

The 2001 Yearbook brings us to present day:
In September 1995, GHS became a four-year school. It welcomed ninth graders with a new building, the $7 million "J" building. With the building came a beautiful new softball field. The school has 21 bungalows to provide the extra classrooms needed and has an enrollment of 3,400.

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