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

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THE SCHOOL

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THE SCHOOL ' Churchill Mansion ' PAST THIS animal lias been dedicated to that visionary school of the future, so full of mystery ami great opportunity. We, of the present, cannot hope successfully to look forward in ihis great book of progress until we have first turned our attention to the past, which in due time grows as obscure as the future. It becomes our pleasure as well as our duty to re- call those events which created the foundation of this institution we attend today. Years of patient struggle and influence have brought about its overwhelming progress. Thirty-four d H ' ViW j M years in the old Central School marked its begin- ning. Nine years later, under the able leadership of. first, Ilurshel H. Brown and. later. George Blount, the Churchill Mansion was pur- chased for The meager sum of $12,- 000 and a separate independent unit was begun. By the year 1912 these quarters were completely outgrown, due chiefly to the ever progressive methods of Principal Alvin K. Stabler. Then a $ 1 r 0,000 bond issue was floated, ami the old Auditorium, Domestic Arts Building, Science Building, and the heating plant were erected. What an overwhelming improvement this was, but lo, — the growth had just begun! In 1018, with Daniel P. Jantzen as principal, it became necessary to appro- priate |5t0.000 for the construction of the Industrial Arts Building, Liberal Arts Building, and Gymnasium. A vast historic background has here been told in brief, concise facts. Nothing more can be attempted, and the efforts and sacrifices which made it possible are left to the imagination. PRESENT The happenings of the day continually pass before our eyes. The past is gone, and the future yet to come, so our chief concern is in the present. A stupendous background which only progressive action has made possible has aided in the creation of this great institution. Superintendent E. W. Montgomery, with the cooperation of the Board of Education, has brought about this continuous progress in size as well as development. Today tin- total enrollment stands at 3,650, as balanced against the first school of :! . That this is a wonderful increase can be easily seen. March 8. 1928. a $ V2: . 000 bond issue for the construction of a new High School and Junior College building and the remodeling of the old ones was passed on by the voters of the district. This step was absolutely necessary to relieve the congested conditions in class rooms. Of course these buildings come in the future, but many improvements have already taken place; the old auditorium has been replaced by a new one almost twice its size. To the northeast towers a mighty stadium, twice tilled to its ca- pacity, ten thousand, and ranked as the largest id ' its kind in the southwest. [21]