Centralia High School - Skookum Wa Wa Yearbook (Centralia, WA)

Page 18 text:

HISTORY OF THE OENTRALIA HIGH SCHOOL The Centralia High School owes its establishment to the efforts of Mr. Borst. In the first year of its history, there were twenty pupils enrolled. The first class to receive diplomas was the class of 1893, which had ten graduatesg the class of 1894 had eight graduates, the next year there were none. However, in 1896 there were thirteen graduates, and the following year nineteen. The enrollment has increased until, in the present year, 1913, there are two hundred eighty stu- dents. Including the eighth grade, which is also in the High School, there is a total attendance of three hundred ninety-five. This year there are twenty-seven to receive degrees. From 1901 up to the present time, one hundred fifty-two stu- dents have graduated from the Senior class. At first the pupils were placed in what is now known as the Lincoln building, then the only school in town, in a room with the grade pupils. On the following year, the Edison school was built, and the High School was moved to that build- ing. This year there was an increase of fifty-seven pupils. Mr. Borst was ad- vanced from principal to City Superintendent and J. E. Lease was made principal. In the year following, the attendance of the school fell from sixty to forty-five, AUDITORIUM STAGE VIEW

Page 17 text:

The High School I ' Jnuxn PART ONE Skookum Wa Wa, 1914

Page 19 text:

AUDITORIUM FROM STAGE which condition was caused by hard times. The school term was shortened to six months, because of lack of funds. As times became better, the school again prospered. In 1909 lt was moved into the Washington building, in the east part of the city. A few years later, in 1912, the school moved, a fourth time into its new building, which was not fully equipped until the beginning of this term. Visitors have complimented us on the excellent features of our building, which cost approximately S150,000. The building has forty rooms besides the gymnasium, auditorium and corridors. They are ventilated by the fan system. Each room is equipped with an electric clock and a gong which are regulated by the master clock. The rooms are well lighted, this one feature costing approxi- mately S3,000. The Manual Training and Domestic Science departments are well equipped: also, new apparatus has been added to the Science department. The auditorium has a seating capacity of eight hundredg five hundred seventy- flve on the lower floor, and two hundred twenty-five in the gallery. The stage of the auditorium is quite large, forty-five players having taken part in one play. The scenery has been painted by the students as it was needed. The acoustic properties are good. The following noted speakers have addressed the assembly: Governor Lister, Booker T. Washington, Dr. Sheldon, author of In His Stepsg Rev. Marshall, traveler and lecturerg Mrs. Jean Morris Ellis, phrenologistg Dr. Lull, of the University of Washingtong Prof. Kraeger, of the State Collegeg Prof. E. J. Klemme, of the Ellensburg State Normal, Prof. J. C. Herbsman, formerly of the State University, and a number of the local, leading citizens. V. H., '14,