Historic Hood River
Hood River High School, 1911
9-27-2011
Notes
In 1908 Hood River County’s first high school was constructed on May Street at the current site of the May Street Elementary School. Here we see the student body in 1911. If you look closely you can pick out several member of the football team of 1908-1909.
Charlott
It is apparent that the men on the top of the stairs would have to be the teachers. I know my great-aunt Gladys Mary Sylvia Clark is in the picture, but can’t get a close up of anyone enough to Identify her. She rode her horse Ginger, from Pine Grove to high school and back, at least part of the time.
l.e.
Do you know where the brick came from for the multitude of HR brick buildings?
Arthur
Charlott, I suspect the two very top men on the stairs may be staff, but the next grouping down contains at least 3 of the members of the football team. They must be seniors by 1911. The guy in the 2nd row from the top, 4th from the left? He’s on the bottom row, 3rd from left in the team photo (with shoulder pads). And the guy 2nd from left (same row) in the class photo is right behind him in the team photo.
I suspect this print is only a portion of the negative and we’re missing part of the class. There are photos from other years printed on wide strips of paper with a much larger student body. When we figure out how to scan them, I’ll post one.
Arthur
I don’t know where the brick came from, but I do know they recycled it when they could. I own a house built circa 1920 whose chimney has a jumble of bricks with the remains of a sign painted on them. Some day I’ll photograph them and try to piece together an image.
I’ve also heard (and been shown) that some of the brick used in this era was inadequately fired so it is very brittle. It can now be broken by hand.
Connie
And what about the people in the window at the top? Did they just not make it downstairs in time or is there some reason why they weren’t included with the group?
Bill Pattison
Bill Pattison
Harry Lee Howell class of 1947 was the only person known to have free climbed the corner of the building (the staggered brick construction) to the roof without any protection. The principal, Mr Durland suspended him, but he was our hero.