George Washington High School - Post Yearbook (Indianapolis, IN)

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No sooner had efforts been made to develop an athletic field on the original ground, than it was real- ized that the plot was too small. Again a group of west side com- munity citizens asked the Board to purchase additional ground. Twen- ty-two vacant lots were purchased to the east of the original plot, to the sum of 317,800 This approval came February 12, 1929, approx- imately 1 1X2 years after the school opened. Right: Aerial view of original building of 1927. Below: Aerial view following the 1938 ad- dition. To A Ei .W A . Y. G QQ! :O YJ U' f-'ji A , 19 .9-F ' ' 1 .' A i I fav .. , va - ' i Q ' .,.-'fmwfs-5 - i ,S ' 1 g,i 1 if 4 r . Vi I 9' ' I-3 E' , 9 i a., an . ':,: 3 w ,- Q H I 'A ni ' f . , Y , 'cf ' .V . ,, W, 1.7.1 .V , . ..g 5pg'f5g-'f' 114, , .V 1. 'xy AV-,IDI .x-U f 1 Q ads- - -.AA-.1--4 -- 2-yr.. 1.59 ' F ..'v.'g? Y' fi 5 -nr - F -1 I 1- . :W . ' .Q . ,v-

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POT George Washington High School 2215 West Washington Street Indianapolis, Indiana 46222 1977 FROMADREAM . In the year 1922 a population of about 42,000 Jeople were living west of White River in Indiana- volis. They had a dream . . . to have their own chool in order that their young people would not rave to ride buses into the downtown area and trans- er to other buses in order to attend high school .t Shortridge, Tech, or Manual tpresently Woodi. ..- - ' ,,.f Tk v- ls ' . - 1 I 3, . ':?'f'!'Z 'iT .1 . --.fi ff: -1 VFW - ,ri f Tiff lrlaff 1-ril'l'l f-ry' fi Q ff' J, i-f,.,vr rr? 'ir fl l l UT -... - rf: F F ,ff ', . 1 , ag: ff 1-- .I jr., , sys -sg ,Q N Q - , F - L 3733. ,ff 'I . mln 4, 1 '. Ltr- M- 'k:?.- , I Av V wang, .hi h V V up-nn, I ... an - , 4 . - ' ' . V S . ,Z up W ACTIVITIES 17 ACADEMICS ' 39 SPORTS 55 ALBUM 79 About 670 students made up the high school popula- tion from the entire west side community. As near- ly as could be estimated there were only about 60 west side students graduating from high school each year. The community was divided into three distinct communities: C15 Hawthorne or Washington Street district, occupying the territory south from the B. 8 O. railroad yards to the Pennsylvania railroad yards on either side of Washington Street. C25 Haughville-extending north from the B. ch O. railroad yards. C35 West 'Indianapolis-occupying that portion of the west side which is south of the Pennsylvania railroad yards. Realizing the need of a high school, representatives from the Hawthorne Community Association, the Hawthorne PTA. and Rev. Clarence Baker, editor of the West Side Messenger went before the school commissioners on April 25, 1922, and the dream be- gan to take definite shape. Because of the interest and insistence of these west side community groups and leaders, the School Board purchased 121- acres of land on Washington Street between Sheffield and Tre- mont Avenues, plans were drawn up and construction began in 1925. It took quite a bit of work and public opinion focused on the importance of a high school for the west side to get acceptance by the Board. They were not ready to ,believe that there were a sufficient number of west side high school students to fill or require a building. The contract price approved by the Board on Oct- ober 13, 1925, was 5B435,676.00. Construction began and at the close of the school year 1926-27, the build- ing was ready for occupancy. Pupils in other city high schools were given the opportunity to signify a desire to attend the new high school. The largest number of transfers came from Manual Training High School, hence the largest number of teachers were taken from that school and transferred to the new high school. Shortridge contributed also as the Principal appointed to Washington was Mr. Walter G. Gingery who was serving as Head of the Math Department and Assistant Principal. What a surprise to the entire school system when the doors opened in the fall of 1927 and 983 students enrolled. The building was built to hold only 1000 students and was almost filled the first year.

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RE LITY During the summer of 1931, four temporary rooms in frame build- ings tportablesj were added at the west rear of the building. It was the 1930's and the depression had al- ready laid its unwelcome pall on hundreds of homes in the west side' when spring matriculation began in February, 1931, but George Wash- ington High School was not to be y 'yi ww A -1i'r'-0-vul 'W ' T .ln-4 u:-ii' JM' Y x x L. ,qw Mb, y -at .A .. fu S' v 4 SQ! halted by a slowing down of bus- iness a n d industry. T h e record showed entrance of 1,435 pupils, far beyond the actual capacity of the school. In September, 1931, the west side school found 1,448 young men and women flowing through its channels of education. In Febru- ary, 1932, another boost came to the roster and 1,627 pupils said Here we are! Old Man Depres- sion. with all of his imposed sacri- fices, could not halt George Wash- ington High School. West side par- ents were determined that their children's future success was not to be impeded through lack of proper education. From year to year the enroll- ment grew by leaps and bounds and by the 1934-35 school year the en- rollment had reached the astound- ing number of 2103 students and 67 teachers. During the summers of 1935 and '36, eight more portables were ad- ded, four each summer. An addi- tion was requested. It was approved in 1937 at a cost of 95325000 and contained classrooms, shop rooms, science and home economics labs, art room, dean's ofhce, and gym with locker rooms and showers. The addition ten years later cost almost as much as the original building. The 1937 addition eased t he bursting at the seams for a short time. Enrollments increased and in 1958 another addition w a s ap- proved by the Board of Commis- sioners and now houses the science and home economics wing of the building. Enrollments increased again and again until at one point early in 1960 over 3,000 students were enrolled at this west side school that was so dear to the hearts of all those who had watch- ed it grow and their dreams realiz- ed. It was at this point that North- west High School was built to help ease the enrollment and incredible growth of Washington. Left: April, 1977 aerial view. 3