George Washington High School - Continental Yearbook (Los Angeles, CA)

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econsffzuction Begins Finally after two years of nomadic existence the govern- ment took steps, and the contract which provided for the rehabilitation of the school was approved. Care was taken to see that none of the original buildings was removed or the quadrangle's arcades destroyed. Re-occupation of the build- ings was set for September, l935, and to the waiting students it seemed as if that day would never arrive. However, the in- sistent buzz of the air drills and the steady throb of the mul- tiple construction engines sang a song that promised better times. At last the day did come when the buildings were opened, even though they were still in the process of recon- struction. Students were admitted to the partly finished Science and Administration buildings amidst the smell of fresh paint in the rooms and piles of building materials in the halls. The tower was far from complete: so anyone wishing to pass between the two buildings was forced to walk outdoors. Gradually each separate unit was finished, until in june, I936, the plant was complete with the exception of the Art building and the Auditorium. As each part was pronounced ready for occupancy, teachers and students eagerly took pos- session. Busy times followed, as old regulations were re t and students were t h s ored, aug t that the informality of tent eti- quette was not suited to the more di 'f' eve d gnu led habitations. How- r, a justments were cheerf ll b u y made, the more quickl ecause everyone was so h Y appy to resume normal conditions. lfl61

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Mr Hughes' Cold rainy, winter daysg hot, dusty, sIm.,:mmIer t c i- days and wind. often accompanying both, such was e k d of the life in the tents Study was made matic bac groun . difficult social events were almost at a stand still, athletics B th s irit of carried on under tremendous difficulties. ut e p W shin ton held steadfast. The class of Summer '33 had 3 8 named themselves Pioneers and felt the name well chosen. Undoubtedly, however, the outdoor life made of us a hardier l'aCC. At the very first there was no gene g cept the bleachers, but soon the big circus tent was erected in h t is court making Washington a real tent city. There t e enn , new students were introduced to the school, operettas were ' ' f t the musical presented on the tiny home-built stage, o ten o b t of the billowing canvas, and there students strained their ea backs or craned their necks to see around tent poles in order ' ' d Il to miss nothing of the only too few au ca s. I mnus recalls none too quiet study hours in the Many an a u improvised study hall scattered among the lockers of the girls ' ' h ' I drafting gym and framed on all sides by offices, mec annca classes, and the sound of passing feet. And who can forget that never-to-be-forgotton hash line where beans were thor- oughly watered in rainy weather, and where one almost died from heat while waiting in the sun during warm September and june days? It was with difficulty now that Washington continued its d I ment. Enrollment naturally dropped off, for what ral athering place ex- eve op student enjoyed sitting in an English class in one tent and having Spanish float in from one side, shorthand from another, ' 'f d th ' d history from the back as the various teachers li te eir an , voices to bring all eyes away from the out-of-doors too close igafzflzqualze Days, 33- '36 ll5Il

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asliingfon H 7-adm, September, l936, brought the sun in full glory. The build- ings were completely rebuilt and refurbished, murals and frescos made them beautiful, modern stream line succeeded Tudor architecture, and cream and buff stuccoed walls re- placed yesterday's red brick and concealed the reinforcements which make the school proof against another earthquake. Students, too, prepared to build a new future upon the foundations of pre-earthquake customs. Traditions were re- vived, some intact, some improved, some adapted to new conditions. Those who had met for rallies on windy bleachers or inside flapping canvas walls will never forget their first assembly and the first football rally in the new auditorium. They who had eaten their lunches for years in rain or cold or blistering heat according to the weather's whims were appreciative of the friendly shelter of the Cafeteria. Campaigns to restore orderly passing in the halls and to make the quadrangle a place of beauty were undertaken with due enthusiasm. Today we are vying for honors as one of the four largest schools in Los Angeles. Our scholastic record is well above the average. Our athletic teams are able to hold their own in city competition. Our student body and faculty have an en- viable reputation for being friendly, helpful, and efficient. So we finish our history of the past ten years-a record upon which we look with pride and which we hand unafraid as a heritage to future Washingtonians. May the next ten years tell a tale of continued growth. ll7l