Phoenix Union High School - Phoenician Yearbook (Phoenix, AZ)

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In id DOMESTIC ARTS BUII .DINC mn

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SCIENCE BUILDING

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JC SCHOOL HISTORY EVEN beautiful buildings with a campus of approximately seven acres is the proud boast of Phoenix Union High School today. This is a far cry from the beginning of the institution when, in IS95, it occupied one room in the old Central School building which was torn down several years ago. This splendid development has been the result of tireless effort on the part of many citizens and the faithful services of those who have been members of the School Board: in addition to many thousands of dollars worth of bonds voted by the taxpayers. Foremost among those who have worked for the success of the school was the late B. F. Mclrall. From the time the High School was organized he was keenly interested in its growth. Although not a member of the Board at the time, he was invited to sit in the meeting when the purchase of the Churchill residence was discussed and decided. In March, l903, Mr. lVlcFall was elected as a member of the Board, where he worked contin- ually for the betterment of the school. He was an advocate of the estab- lishment of a separate department for the commercial subjects and after one was created he was sometimes known as the Father of the Commercial Department. As early as 1910, he supported the idea of a junior College in connection with the High School and the fall of l920 saw the realization of his plan. He favored a four year course of English in the High School and it was largely due to his efforts that such a course was introduced. ln january, I924, the twenty-first year of his service, Mr. lVlcFall resigned. He died on December I5, l924, and through his passing the school lost a true and loyal friend. The Phoenix Union High School District was organized in IS95. The superintendent of city schools was then also the superintendent of the high school. It was not until l904 that the two schools were separated and the high school was put under an individual administration. During the first year of the High School's organization, the faculty numbered four, with Hershel H. Brown as superintendent of schools and George Blount as assistant principal. The number of students enrolled that year was IOS. The following year saw the faculty increased to five: and one boy, john Merriam, and one girl, lsolim Coombs, were graduated that year. ln l897, when Mr. Blount was made principal, the faculty had six members, while the graduating class consisted of four boys and four girls. The next year it increased to six boys and eight girls. When the High School became a separate unit in l904, the First graduating class numbered 2l. ln l9l5, the school, with a faculty of 27 and a graduating class of 79, was taken over by R. Thane Cook. ln l9l8, Daniel F. ,lant- zen was appointed principal with a faculty of 52. The present faculty numbers 85 and the class of 1925 will have over 275 students graduated. 'IQ