High School of Commerce - Commerce Yearbook (San Francisco, CA)

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7 COMMERCIAL HIGH SCHOOL The State of California in this year A.D. 1950 will celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of its birth. The High School of Commerce-that is, part of its buildings-will be forty years old in December. But the school traces its beginnings much further back than December, 1910. California was a very young state in 1883 when Commerce was born. By the use of a little imagination one can see cer- tain similarities in the development of California into a state and Commerce into a high school with a separate and distinct entity. It may be true, perhaps, that these similarities are nothing more than phe- nomena characteristic to all young, developing organi- zations. But certainly they are interesting enough to warrant a brief exposition of their nature. Our state's history shows that as California pro- gressed toward statehood in the Union, the flags of various countries flew over the land to proclaim its rulers. The banners of old Spain, of Mexico, newly freed from Spanish domination, and of the tempestu- ous California Republic, each symbolized the moment of power and glory of those who would rule the vast area. Manifest Destiny, as many people of the times re- garded it, was not, however, to be denied. In 1848 the region known as California came under the jurisdiction of the United States and a new flag fluttered over the land. Gold brought people, thousands of them, enough to insure immediate statehood without a long grow- ing-period as a territory. Upon September 9, 1850 California became the thirty-First state in the Union. The High School of Commerce also developed under other banners, but it too had a destiny that could not be denied. Our school history tells us that because San Fran- cisco business men felt there was a need for trained office workers a commercial department was organ- ized in july 1883 at Boys, High School. Today we know this old Boys, High School by another name: Lowell. The next year, 1884, the commercial department was moved into a building on Powell and Clay Streets and named San Francisco Commercial School. Thirty- six students were enrolled. In addition to the Com- mercial subjects, English grammar and composition, and Spanish were offered. It may be well to note in passing that Spanish has always been a study of major emphasis at Commerce, primarily, perhaps, because of its importance in commercial relations with our neighbors to the south, but also because of Californiais rich inheritance from the early Spanish and the great meaningfulness of the language in our state's place-names and early history. In 1914 a special journal, entitled El Tecolote was published entirely in Spanish. The school moved again in 1891 when the Board of Education provided a building at Bush and Stock- ton Streets. Enrollment had now reached 450. A new department was added in 1894-manual training. The school also acquired a new name: Poly- technic High School. Again the commercial department moved. This was in 1900. The new location was in the rear of the now famous Lincoln Grammar School at Fifth and Market Streets. Colonel Charles H. Murphy was appointed principal. The earthquake of April 18, 1906, and the result- ant fire necessitated another move. Plans were formulated to construct a new building for the rapidly growing but gypsy-like Commercial High School. In 1907 property was purchased on Grove Street between Polk and Larkin and construc- tion of a fine new brick building was started. Meanwhile, the students of Commercial High, in need of housing, had to share a building part-time with another school. Commercial retained its own identity as a school, but the building in which its classes were held had an ollicial name and the banners of that school oflicially, if figuratively, flew from its masts. Lowell and Polytechnic have already been mentioned in this story, you have, no doubt, guessed which colors were associated with the school which now housed Commercial High. Yes, it was Mission. Matters could not get worse. There was only room for improvement. It came in December, 1910. The new Commercial High School, shiney in its bright new bricks, proud of its fine light and airy rooms, amazed

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664 ,aj ,a eine! The Old Building. 5. New Building under way. Old Building showing play area. 6. 5211116- Exercises in play area. Principal Murphy is 7. Progress rnade. shown, back to camera, hands clasped. 3, Finishing tguchgs. Old playfield - used for soccer.

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-tha, M. the at its elevator, and goggled-eyed at the telephones in each room opened for business. Colonel Charles H. Murphy was principal and Mr. James B. Sykes, a teacher of commercial law, was vice principal. It seemed that at last everything was settled. What could be more permanent than a big brick building? But it was not to be. Commercial High seemed to be instilled with the same spirit of wanderlust that drove the earlier adventurers to California, or that moved the state capital as California expanded from San Jose, to Vallejo, to Benicia, to Sacramento success- ively. Truly the spirit of the state was in the school. In 1913 student body and ine brick building picked up and moved once more. This time to the corner of Fell and Franklin Streets. While the building was being moved Commerce went to school at Lowell. A cycle had been completed. At the time of this writing the building is still there where it was moved. We usually call it the Old Building, for in 1925 a New Building was completed on Van Ness Avenue between Fell and Hayes Streets. On December 12, 1912 the name of the school was changed from Commercial High to High School of Commerce. Like the state under whose educational system it functioned, Commerce had progressed from rather indefinite beginnings under a number of banners to a separate and distinct entity with its Own name, gov- ernment, traditions, and colors. She was now ready to settle down and prove what her destiny was. And as California had to gfiht battles, so did the school. What was to be one of the most important legal battles occured in 1915. The voters of San Francisco were asked to vote in March of that year on a Charter Amendment 135D which provided for the exchange of the land fronting 120 feet on Van Ness Avenue and 60 feet on Fell Street, the playfield at that time, for forty acres of the Sutro estate at Land's End. The land offered did not include Sutro Heights nor Sutro Baths. Commercites were against the amendment. They became politicians, in fact, were dubbed kid poli- ticiansn by their opponents. But the Hkid politicians fought the amendment with everything they had, and when the smoke of battle had cleared, they had de- feated the experienced politicians. It was a great battle and a greater victory. Commerce had shown its fighting spirit. Gold first, later the productive value of the soil, the climate, and the promise of wealth and health drew all races and creeds to California. Commerce too drew all races and creeds to its student body. Doubtlessly, it would be stretching words too far to say that gold-in the form of education-drew these students to Commerce. As- suredly, though, there was something of value, just as there was in the state of California that attracted students. And like California, not the least of these people, were the Chinese. But there were other racial groups too. Today, Commerce is as cosmopolitan a high school as one may find anywhere. Here all races, and creeds, meet and work together daily, for mutual as well as self betterment. And this is as it should be, for they and their parents are typical of California's cosmo- politan population in this year - the California centennial anniversary. site? 'ia gf HIGH SCHOOL OF COMMERCE