San Diego High School

Established	1882
Type	Public High School
Students	3000
Grades	9–12
Location	San Diego, California, USA
Campus	Urban
Colors	Blue & White
Mascot	Cavers
Yearbook	'The Old Grey Castle'
Newspaper	'The Russ'
Website	sdhs.sandi.net
The 100 building

San Diego High School is an urban public high school located on the southern edge of Balboa Park, in San Diego, California. The school was established in 1882, and initially named Russ High after lumberman Joseph Russ who offered to donate the lumber to build the school. The school served to educate a fast growing San Diego. By 1902 the school had become overcrowded and a new school was built on the original site, opening on April 13th, 1907. The new building designed by F.S. Allen of Pasadena, resembled that of a castle and was subsequently nicknamed, "The Grey Castle." Due to California Legislation in the 1960's, which required all school districts to demolish any school building built prior to 1933, The "Grey Castle" building was torn down in 1973 and the current building was dedicated in 1976.

San Diego High's Football Stadium, Balboa Stadium was built in 1914 for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition It originally had a capacity of 34,000 . Over the years it has played host to music legends such as the Beatles and Jimi Hendrix, and U.S. Presidents Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Delano Roosevelt. From 1961-1966 it was also the home of the San Diego Chargers.

Today San Diego High is the oldest high school in the San Diego Unified School District, and one of the oldest public schools in all of California; the oldest still on its original site.

In 2004, San Diego High School was divided into six smaller schools collectively called The San Diego High Educational Complex. These six smaller schools within the larger school focus curriculum on International Studies; Media, Visual and Performing Arts; Business; Science and Technology; Leadership; and International Communications.

Contents 1 Russ High 1887-1907 2 The Grey Castle 1907-1973 3 Modern San Diego High 1973-Present 4 Athletic History 5 Academic Recognition 6 Miscellaneous History 7 Notable Alumni and Faculty 8 See also 9 External links

[edit] Russ High 1887-1907

need input

[edit] The Grey Castle 1907-1973

need input

[edit] Modern San Diego High 1973-Present

In 2004, San Diego High School was divided into six thematic schools as a result of funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Each School provides a smaller learning environment for students with an emphasis on rigor, relevance, and relationships.

[edit] Athletic History

High School Football Mythical National Championship: 1916, 1955

High School Baseball National Champions: 1921

San Diego High participated in the first high school football game in San Diego County in 1898, defeating Escondido High School 6-0. Players and coaches from San Diego traveled in covered wagons over the course of two days to reach their destination.

[edit] Academic Recognition

In May 2006, Newsweek magazine ranked 1,200 public high schools in the U.S. and named San Diego High's International Studies school #22, making it the highest ranking in San Diego County and the second highest in the state of California.

[edit] Miscellaneous History

• Ted Williams who later played baseball for the Boston Red Sox, is rumored to have attended local rival Herbert Hoover High School because he was afraid that he wasn't good enough to make the San Diego High squad
• The 1922 San Diego High baseball team was barred from league play by the CIF after its 1921 National Championship Squad played an unsanctioned game against the East's best baseball team of that time Cleveland High. This game drew 11,000 fans which saw San Diego High defeat Cleveland 10-0. During the 1922 season the team played college and independent teams, losing to just Stanford and the Sherman Indians. Beating Cleveland again in front of 13,000 fans.
• It is said that when wrecking ball came to demolish the "Grey Castle" to coincide with the building of the current school it took repeated attempts to bring the structure down.
• Kate Sessions, considered the "Mother of Balboa Park," taught at San Diego High in 1884

[[1]]

[edit] Notable Alumni and Faculty

• Harold "Hobbs" Adams, College Football All-American, Coach
• Joe Alson, Badminton (12 time NCAA Champion)
• Belle Jennings Benchley, Zoologist, Author
• Earle Brucker, Former Major League Baseball Player
• Eileen Rose Busby, Author
• Marc Davis, Olympic Runner
• Earl Ben Gilliam United States Federal Judge
• Charde Houston Women's National Basketball League
• Deron Johnson, Former Major League Baseball Player
• Jacque Jones, Major League Baseball Player
• Mebrahtom Keflezighi, Olympic Silver Medalist
• Art Linkletter, Television Host
• Greedy Loco, Chicano Rapper
• Wayne McAllister, Architect
• William Miller, Olympic Gold Medalist, former World Record Holder (Pole-Vault)
• Richard H. Morefield, Iran Hostage Crisis Hostage
• Harold Muller "Brick," Olympic Silver Medalist and College Football Hall of Fame Member
• Stephen Neal, National Football League Player
• Graig Nettles, Former Major League Baseball Player
• Craig Noel, American Theater Producer
• Gregory Peck, Actor
• Clarence Nibs Price, College Football Head Coach
• Sol Price, Entrepreneur
• Art Powell, Former National Football League Player
• Charlie Powell, Former National Football League Player, Boxer
• Floyd Robinson, Former Major League Baseball Player
• Julia Robinson, Mathematician
• Paul Runge, Major League Baseball Umpire
• Seraphim (Eugene) Rose, Priest, Author, Blessed
• Russ Saunders, College Football All-American, Warner Brothers Executive
• Thomas Schelling, Nobel Prize Winning Economist
• Ambrose Schindler, College Football Player, Rose Bowl and College All-Star MVP
• Kate Sessions, Horticulturalist, Botanist
• Albert "Pesky" Sprott, Olympic Runner, College Football Player
• Paul Smith, Pianist
• Jeremy Tyler, First basketball player to skip his senior year in High School and go straight to the professional Ranks.
• Cotton Warburton, Film Editor, Actor and College Football Hall of Fame Member

[edit] See also

• Balboa Stadium

[edit] External links

• Official San Diego High School webpage
• The Russ- San Diego High student newspaper
• San Diego Union-Tribune article on San Diego High School's ranking in Newsweek
• San Diego Unified School District quickfacts
• San Diego Hall of Champions Inductees