Washburn High School - Wahian Yearbook (Minneapolis, MN)

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1976 marks the fiftieth year of Washburn High School. During the fifty years there has been one goal in common — to train fine minds and strong bodies for the future. This goal has been reached and surpassed every single year. Washburn High School is situated on a site which covers five acres. The building is constructed in the shape of a “T,” the greatest length being 380 feet. It is a long, low building built out of brick, tile, and steel. Its boundaries included a spacious lawn, which was later made into an athletic field called MacQuarrie Field. It was named after Washburn’s first principal, A. E. MacOuarric. Construction began on Washburn High School in 1924 on the grounds of the Washburn Memorial Orphan Asylum. This orphan’s home was the idea of General Cadwalladcr C.Washburn, one-time governor of Wisconsin, and founder of the Washburn-Crosby milling industry. School opened in September 1925 and was officially named William D. Washburn. William D. Washburn was the brother of Cadwalladcr and also a major stockholder in the Minneapolis Mill Company. We arc called the Millers because of these men and their milling industry. WASHBURN’S FIFTIETH YEAR 1925-1975 Washburn was thought of as a very prestigious school and could boast of many things: a windowlcss auditorium which seated 1,500 pupils; two gymnasiums; a library; a music and chorus room; two study halls; thirty-four classrooms; two domestic science rooms; woodworking rooms; a sheet metal shop; a botany laboratory with a greenhouse in connection; and, a students’ lunch room and a teachers’ lunch room. There was also much debate over the building of a swimming pool at a cost of $50,000, but unfortunately it fell through. Washburn, when wholly equipped, represented nearly a million dollar investment. Until 1929, Washburn served both senior and junior high school students. It started off with grades 7,8,9,10. with the 11 and 12 grades to be added as the pupils advanced. So it wasn’t until 1928 that a senior class graduated from Washburn. The estimated enrollment at the opening of Washburn was 1,010. But at one time before Ramsey was completed there were over 2,500 students at Washburn in grades 7 to 12.

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WASHBURN SCHOOL SONG Cheer for the orange and blue Waving forever. Pride of old Washburn High May she falter never We’ll sing a song for the flag today. Cheer for the team at play. On we’ll go, we'll fight all the way. For Washburn High W-A-S-H-B-U-R-N Cheer for the team at play On we’ll go, we'll fight all the way For Washburn High. WASHBURN HIGH SCHOOL VOLUME 49 MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA

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The enrollment this year was approximately 1,500 students. Alexander Ramsey Junior High School was built in 1929 because Washburn had too many students in a wide range of grades. There was much desire in the community to make Ramsey the senior high school and leave Washburn as a junior high school, but fortunately, this also fell through. In the first few years of Washburn, everything was strictly either boys or girls. There were boys’ homerooms and girls’ homerooms, and in the auditorium the girls sat on one side, the boys on the other. But this has changed considerably. Everything is co-ed now, even the gym classes. There have also been other changes in Washburn that have occurred throughout the years: from hand programming, to machine programming, to student programming; from intramural athletics, to competitive boy athletics, to competitive girl athletics; and from one course offerings to multi-course offerings, to name a few. One of the major problems Washburn has had to face is that of being overcrowded. In 1966 Washburn’s enrollment was up to 2,000, about 500 more than it should be. for the school’s capacity was only rated at 1,500. In order to alleviate the school’s 50 per cent overcrowding, a seven-period day in three shifts was required. Washburn had more teachers than classrooms. But to solve the problem of overcrowding, it would be necessary to do one of two things: build more classrooms; or, change boundaries so the overflow of students can be sent to other schools. In 1967, the School Board decided to allocate money for the building of new classrooms and the rennovation of rooms in the old building. As a result new music, business, and shop classrooms were added plus a new gym. Home economics and electronic rooms were changed for the better, and the library was enlarged. It is 1976 and Washburn is still standing after 50 long years. But it stands with it head up high and still is considered a top-notch school. It is noted for its fine academic, athletic, and extra-curricular fields. Washburn is definitely a high school in which everyone of its students should take pride.