Sturges Junior High School - Panther Yearbook (San Bernardino, CA)

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football Q i ueen Climaxing a hard fought gridiron season, lovel y Jo C rol Rnhh was crowned Sturges Football Queen of I960. She was sponsored by Richard Benites. Her court consisted of 1st princess, Virgie Harris; 2nd princess, Elvia Lazano; and 3rd princess, Betty Danley. Po s t

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. j :3o ' V ' On this campus of Sturges Junior vM High School the leaders of today Q gathered here yesterday. And as it has always been in the past and is now today, the same hopes, problems and desires that confronted their elders when they were students are still being discussed today. Here are some of the places on the campus of Sturges which have always served as gathering points for our students. Yesterday, today, tomorrow, the same problems, the same places, the same teachers, the same sun, the same grass, the same buildings, the same campus, but another generation c ampud ipi

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Located on the corner of 8th and E. Street, built over 60 years ago, Sturges Junior High School has witnessed both earthquakes and flood, and in its 47 rooms tens of thousands of students have lived out the drama that engulfs the 3 -year span of junior high school in each of our lives. Initially this location housed San Bernardino High School, but when the new high school was erected at 18th and E. Street in 1915, this location became known as the prep, and its purpose was to prepare 7th and 8th grade students for high school. The earthquake in 1923, which did so much dam- age to Southern California, damaged the prep so badly that it was no longer considered safe to use. Also, at this time, the State of California inaugurated the junior high school in its education program and Sturges Junior High School was selected as a pilot study. To qualify for this distinction as the first junior high school in California, it was necessary to add a 9th grade to the 7th and 8th grade curriculum. With the building destroyed, the board of education rose to the occasion by employing the use of struaures and facili- ties of two elementary schools, the basement of the YMCA, some bungalows of the Conrad Technical School, while an abandoned bakery building was used as a gym. Thus Sturges made its appearance on the educational scene of California and San Bernardino. Bonds were soon voted toc! the present buildings that now comprise the campus of Sturges Junior High School were constructed. Since junior high schools were a new concept in the educational field, it was very difficult to obtain competition in the field of sports, and the nearest junior high school in the area was located in Pomona. Sturges was not only the first junior high school in San Bernardino, but also the largest junior school for many years. Its namesake, David B. Sturges, was an early educator in San Bernardino, and the academy he operated for many years in the latter part of the 19th and early 20th century on 4th street, had as its graduates many members of the board of education. The distinguished alumni of Sturges is proficient and outstanding in many fields. Among them was Erny Pinkert, Ail-American football player; Chuck Rod- riguez, Medal of Honor winner in Korea; Raymond Contrearas, outstanding artist, whose brief career was terminated at 23 as the result of an incurable malady, and of course many lawyers, doctors, teachers and pro- fessional people received their early education at Sturges Junior High School. Pag9 9