Stadium High School
Encyclopedia
Stadium High School is a 100-year-old high school
in Tacoma, Washington
and a historic landmark. It is part of Tacoma Public Schools
, or Tacoma School District No. 10 and is located in the Stadium District
, near downtown Tacoma. The original building burned to a shell while it was still a partially constructed hotel designed by Hewitt & Hewitt that was being used for storage. It was reconstructed for use as a school according to designs by Frederick Heath
, and a "bowl" stadium was added.
The main building was constructed by architects Hewitt and Hewitt for the Northern Pacific Railroad Company and the Tacoma Land Company at what was then known as Blackwell Point. Construction began in 1891 with the intention of building a luxury hotel resembling a French chateau. The Panic of 1893
however, brought construction to an abrupt halt when the Northern Pacific was faced with financial disaster. The unfinished building became a storage facility, with much of the building materials still inside. On October 11, 1898 the building was gutted by a massive fire. The walls remained standing and the Northern Pacific began to dismantle the structure removing some 40,000 bricks that would be used to construct still-existing train stations in Missoula, Montana
and Wallace, Idaho
.
The Tacoma School District purchased the gutted building February 19, 1904 with the intent of turning it into a high school. The redesign and later renovations were planned by the school's architect Frederick Heath
. It was repaired and renovated into a school.
The reconstructed building opened September 10, 1906 as Tacoma High School. Seven years later, the name was changed to reference the adjacent Stadium Bowl
. Later additions included a circular lunchroom, an underground swimming pool, a science and industrial arts complex, a gymnasium, and a multi-story parking lot structure with tennis
courts on the roof.
The stadium, also designed by Frederick Heath, dates from 1910 and is in a location once known as Old Woman's Gulch. It was originally much grander than it is today, with a seating capacity
of 32,000. Among those who spoke there were Theodore Roosevelt
, Woodrow Wilson
, Warren G. Harding
, William Jennings Bryan
, and Billy Sunday
.
The stadium was originally built in 1909–1910 using steam shovel
s and sluicing
to move more than 180000 cubic yards (137,619.9 m³) down the edges of the gulch to create a flat playing field of 2.5 acres (10,117.2 m²). Wooden molds were built to cast concrete
for 31 rows of stadium seating surrounding the playfield.
The original structure exceeded what the soils could support. A restoration project in the 1970s had to sacrifice roughly half of the seating capacity
because of instability; in 1981 a burst storm drain
washed away the scoreboard
and the bayward end zone
of the football
field. (Then reporter for the school newspaper, "The Stadium Tiger", David Smith, was at ground-zero during the crisis as the street collapsed in front of the school. See reference to former students below) This was followed by a further restoration allowing the stadium to reopen in 1985.
The school was the filming location for many of the scenes of the 1999 movie 10 Things I Hate About You
.
In 2005-2006 the school underwent a major renovation, seismic upgrade, historical restoration, and expansion. Bassetti Architects
were the design architects and Merrit Pardini Architects (later Krei Architecture) were the architects of record for this work. During this work students were temporarily relocated to the old site of Mount Tahoma High School
in the south end, just over 7 miles (11.3 km) away.
The 100 year celebration of Stadium High School was held in September 2006. At the celebration, a Guinness World Record was set for the largest recorded school reunion. 3299 alumni attended.
Daffodil Festival. A competition is held in house to select the Stadium Princess, who goes on to compete against other regional schools, for the Daffodil Festival Queen title. The Queen title is considered the highest honor of the regional festival. The Stadium band accompanies the float of Stadium's princesses every year in the parade, held annually in April.
In the years of 2006 and 2007, no one in Tacoma submitted a float, a requirement for participation in the festival. The festival board waived the requirement, but in 2008 warned that if no group within Tacoma School District boundaries presented a float, Tacoma and its students, including the Royal Court program, would be barred from participation in the 2009 parade. In response, the Stadium High School Environmental Club decided to build a float, ensuring Stadium and other area schools inclusion in the Daffodil Festival for 2009.
Annie Jeong of Stadium crowned Daffodil queen 2010.
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
in Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
and a historic landmark. It is part of Tacoma Public Schools
Tacoma Public Schools
Tacoma Public Schools is the main school district for Tacoma, Washington, USA.-District facts:-2004-2005 Budget:-School board:*Kurt Miller, President, Term expires: November, 2009*Connie Rickman, Vice President, Term expires: November, 2009...
, or Tacoma School District No. 10 and is located in the Stadium District
Stadium District, Tacoma, Washington
The Stadium District is a neighborhood of the north end of Tacoma, Washington, USA. It is named after Stadium High School, a historic landmark.The district is located between the affluent North Slope residential neighborhood and the Hilltop neighborhood...
, near downtown Tacoma. The original building burned to a shell while it was still a partially constructed hotel designed by Hewitt & Hewitt that was being used for storage. It was reconstructed for use as a school according to designs by Frederick Heath
Frederick Heath (architect)
Frederick Heath was an American architect responsible for numerous projects in Tacoma, Washington. He worked out of his own office and as a senior partner at architectural firms. He was involved with Spaulding, Russell & Heath , and Heath & Gove...
, and a "bowl" stadium was added.
History
Panic of 1893
The Panic of 1893 was a serious economic depression in the United States that began in 1893. Similar to the Panic of 1873, this panic was marked by the collapse of railroad overbuilding and shaky railroad financing which set off a series of bank failures...
however, brought construction to an abrupt halt when the Northern Pacific was faced with financial disaster. The unfinished building became a storage facility, with much of the building materials still inside. On October 11, 1898 the building was gutted by a massive fire. The walls remained standing and the Northern Pacific began to dismantle the structure removing some 40,000 bricks that would be used to construct still-existing train stations in Missoula, Montana
Missoula, Montana
Missoula is a city located in western Montana and is the county seat of Missoula County. The 2010 Census put the population of Missoula at 66,788 and the population of Missoula County at 109,299. Missoula is the principal city of the Missoula Metropolitan Area...
and Wallace, Idaho
Wallace, Idaho
Wallace is a historic city in the Panhandle region of the U.S. state of Idaho and the county seat of Shoshone County in the Silver Valley mining district...
.
The Tacoma School District purchased the gutted building February 19, 1904 with the intent of turning it into a high school. The redesign and later renovations were planned by the school's architect Frederick Heath
Frederick Heath (architect)
Frederick Heath was an American architect responsible for numerous projects in Tacoma, Washington. He worked out of his own office and as a senior partner at architectural firms. He was involved with Spaulding, Russell & Heath , and Heath & Gove...
. It was repaired and renovated into a school.
The reconstructed building opened September 10, 1906 as Tacoma High School. Seven years later, the name was changed to reference the adjacent Stadium Bowl
Stadium Bowl
The Stadium Bowl, originally known as Tacoma Stadium, is a 15,000-seat stadium located in Tacoma, Washington. The stadium plays host to the American football teams for both Woodrow Wilson High School and Stadium High School. The stadium is located next to Stadium High School with views of...
. Later additions included a circular lunchroom, an underground swimming pool, a science and industrial arts complex, a gymnasium, and a multi-story parking lot structure with tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
courts on the roof.
The stadium, also designed by Frederick Heath, dates from 1910 and is in a location once known as Old Woman's Gulch. It was originally much grander than it is today, with a seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
of 32,000. Among those who spoke there were Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
, Woodrow Wilson
Woodrow Wilson
Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, from 1913 to 1921. A leader of the Progressive Movement, he served as President of Princeton University from 1902 to 1910, and then as the Governor of New Jersey from 1911 to 1913...
, Warren G. Harding
Warren G. Harding
Warren Gamaliel Harding was the 29th President of the United States . A Republican from Ohio, Harding was an influential self-made newspaper publisher. He served in the Ohio Senate , as the 28th Lieutenant Governor of Ohio and as a U.S. Senator...
, William Jennings Bryan
William Jennings Bryan
William Jennings Bryan was an American politician in the late-19th and early-20th centuries. He was a dominant force in the liberal wing of the Democratic Party, standing three times as its candidate for President of the United States...
, and Billy Sunday
Billy Sunday
William Ashley "Billy" Sunday was an American athlete who, after being a popular outfielder in baseball's National League during the 1880s, became the most celebrated and influential American evangelist during the first two decades of the 20th century.Born into poverty in Iowa, Sunday spent some...
.
The stadium was originally built in 1909–1910 using steam shovel
Steam shovel
A steam shovel is a large steam-powered excavating machine designed for lifting and moving material such as rock and soil. It is the earliest type of power shovel or excavator. They played a major role in public works in the 19th and early 20th century, being key to the construction of railroads...
s and sluicing
Sluice
A sluice is a water channel that is controlled at its head by a gate . For example, a millrace is a sluice that channels water toward a water mill...
to move more than 180000 cubic yards (137,619.9 m³) down the edges of the gulch to create a flat playing field of 2.5 acres (10,117.2 m²). Wooden molds were built to cast concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
for 31 rows of stadium seating surrounding the playfield.
The original structure exceeded what the soils could support. A restoration project in the 1970s had to sacrifice roughly half of the seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
because of instability; in 1981 a burst storm drain
Storm drain
A storm drain, storm sewer , stormwater drain or drainage well system or simply a drain or drain system is designed to drain excess rain and ground water from paved streets, parking lots, sidewalks, and roofs. Storm drains vary in design from small residential dry wells to large municipal systems...
washed away the scoreboard
Scoreboard
A scoreboard is a large board for publicly displaying the score in a game or match. Most levels of sport from high school and above use at least one scoreboard for keeping score, measuring time, and displaying statistics. Scoreboards in the past used a mechanical clock and numeral cards to...
and the bayward end zone
End zone
In gridiron-based codes of football, the end zone refers to the scoring area on the field. It is the area between the end line and goal line bounded by the sidelines. There are two end zones, each being on an opposite side of the field...
of the football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
field. (Then reporter for the school newspaper, "The Stadium Tiger", David Smith, was at ground-zero during the crisis as the street collapsed in front of the school. See reference to former students below) This was followed by a further restoration allowing the stadium to reopen in 1985.
The school was the filming location for many of the scenes of the 1999 movie 10 Things I Hate About You
10 Things I Hate about You
10 Things I Hate About You is a 1999 American teen romantic comedy film. It is directed by Gil Junger and stars Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Larisa Oleynik, David Krumholtz, and Larry Miller...
.
Bassetti Architects
Bassetti Architects is an architectural firm based in Seattle, Washington with a second office in Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1947, the firm has designed several well-known Seattle landmarks and many schools in the greater Seattle-Tacoma area, including several buildings at the Pike Place...
were the design architects and Merrit Pardini Architects (later Krei Architecture) were the architects of record for this work. During this work students were temporarily relocated to the old site of Mount Tahoma High School
Mount Tahoma High School
Mount Tahoma High School is a high school in Tacoma, Washington. It opened in 1961 and is a part of the Tacoma Public School District. The school's mascot is the legendary Thunderbird.-History:...
in the south end, just over 7 miles (11.3 km) away.
The 100 year celebration of Stadium High School was held in September 2006. At the celebration, a Guinness World Record was set for the largest recorded school reunion. 3299 alumni attended.
Daffodil Festival
Every year, Stadium participates in the Pierce CountyPierce County, Washington
right|thumb|[[Tacoma, Washington|Tacoma]] - Seat of Pierce CountyPierce County is the second most populous county in the U.S. state of Washington. Formed out of Thurston County on December 22, 1852, by the legislature of Oregon Territory...
Daffodil Festival. A competition is held in house to select the Stadium Princess, who goes on to compete against other regional schools, for the Daffodil Festival Queen title. The Queen title is considered the highest honor of the regional festival. The Stadium band accompanies the float of Stadium's princesses every year in the parade, held annually in April.
In the years of 2006 and 2007, no one in Tacoma submitted a float, a requirement for participation in the festival. The festival board waived the requirement, but in 2008 warned that if no group within Tacoma School District boundaries presented a float, Tacoma and its students, including the Royal Court program, would be barred from participation in the 2009 parade. In response, the Stadium High School Environmental Club decided to build a float, ensuring Stadium and other area schools inclusion in the Daffodil Festival for 2009.
Annie Jeong of Stadium crowned Daffodil queen 2010.
Notable alumni
- Bill BaarsmaBill BaarsmaBill Baarsma was a mayor of Tacoma, Washington. He was elected mayor in 2002 and served until 2009. Prior to his election, he taught business and public administration at the University of Puget Sound. He served on the Tacoma City Council from 1992 to 1999. He has also served on two Tacoma charter...
, '60, Tacoma mayor - Bruce BennettBruce BennettBruce Bennett was an American actor and Olympic silver medalist shot putter. During the 1930s, he went by his real name, Herman Brix .-Early life and Olympics:...
(b. Herman Brix) '24, Olympic shot-put medalist and Hollywood actor - Rosemarie BoweRosemarie BoweRosemarie Bowe is an American film and television actress.Her father was a building contractor and her mother was a dress designer. The family moved to Tacoma, Washington when Bowe was a child. She graduated from Stadium High School in Tacoma just before moving to Los Angeles, California.-Beauty...
, actress - Cathryn DamonCathryn DamonCathryn Lee Damon was an American actress, best known for her roles on television sitcoms in the 1970s and 1980s....
, '47, stage/TV/film actress - R. N. DeArmondR. N. DeArmondRobert Neil "Bob" DeArmond was an American historian who specialized in the history of Alaska, especially the Alaska Panhandle. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, DeArmond wrote several historical columns for southeast Alaska publications; these included Days of Yore, Gastineau Bygones, and News of...
, author, American historian - Jeff DurganJeff DurganJeffrey "Jeff" Durgan is a retired U.S. soccer defender who played professionally for the New York Cosmos and seven times for the U.S. national team.-NASL:...
, professional soccer player (retired) - Evan HunzikerEvan HunzikerEvan Carl Hunziker was the first American civilian to be arrested on espionage charges by North Korea since the end of the 1950-1953 Korean War. He was taken into custody by North Korean police after swimming from China across the Yalu River drunk and naked...
, man who spent three months in North Korean custody for illegally entering the country - Edward LaChapelleEdward LaChapelleEdward Randle "Ed" LaChapelle was an American avalanche researcher, glaciologist, mountaineer, skier, author, and professor. He was a pioneer in the field of avalanche research and forecasting in North America....
, avalancheAvalancheAn avalanche is a sudden rapid flow of snow down a slope, occurring when either natural triggers or human activity causes a critical escalating transition from the slow equilibrium evolution of the snow pack. Typically occurring in mountainous terrain, an avalanche can mix air and water with the...
researcher - Michael ManuelMichael ManuelMichael Manuel is an American actor. Michael received his acting training at Yale Drama School.He is perhaps best known for his role as Agent Craig in the film National Treasure: Book of Secrets....
,actor - Vicci MartinezVicci MartinezVicci Martinez, Born on September 21, 1984 is an American singer/songwriter from Tacoma, Washington, who is now signed with Universal Group . She came in joint third on NBC's singing competition series The Voice in 2011. She came in first place on Team Cee Lo Green and represented him in the final...
, acoustic-rock singer/songwriter - Marjie MillarMarjie MillarMarjie Millar , was an American television and film actress.A blonde, she played a small number of second lead roles. She graduated in 1950 from Stadium High School in Tacoma, Washington, and then from Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri...
(b. Marjie Miller), '49, TV and movie actress - Eric T. OlsonEric T. OlsonEric Thor Olson is a retired United States Navy admiral who last served as the eighth Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command from July 2, 2007 to August 8, 2011. He previously served as Deputy Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command from 2003 to July 2007...
, '69, vice admiral and commander of U.S. Special Operations - Janis PaigeJanis PaigeJanis Paige is an American film, musical theatre and television actress. Born Donna Mae Tjaden in Tacoma, Washington, she began singing in public from the age of five in local amateur shows...
(b. Donna Mae Jaden), '40, film and theater actress - Jack M. Tuell, '40, author and bishop in the United Methodist Church
- Dixy Lee RayDixy Lee RayDixy Lee Ray was the 17th Governor of the U.S. State of Washington. She was Washington's first female governor.-Early years:...
, '33, chair of federal Atomic Energy Commission, governor of Washington - Debbie RegalaDebbie RegalaDebbie Regala is a Washington state senator serving the 27th district.Regala has served in the Washington State Senate since 2000. In 2003, she was appointed Assistant Democratic Floor Leader; and in 2005, she was elected Majority Whip. Prior to her election to the Senate, Regala served in the...
, '63, State Senator, District 27 - D - Irv RobbinsIrv RobbinsIrvine "Irv" Robbins was a Canadian born American businessman. He co-founded the Baskin-Robbins ice cream parlor chain in 1945 with his partner and brother-in-law Burt Baskin.-Early life:...
, '35?, co-founder of Baskin-RobbinsBaskin-RobbinsBaskin-Robbins is a global chain of ice cream parlors founded by Burt Baskin and Irvine Robbins in 1953, from the merging of their respective ice cream parlors, in Glendale, California. It claims to be the world's largest ice cream franchise, with more than 5,800 locations, 2,800 of which are... - Albert RoselliniAlbert RoselliniAlbert Dean Rosellini was the 15th Governor of the state of Washington for two terms, from 1957 to 1965, and was the first Italian American, Roman Catholic governor elected west of the Mississippi River...
, '27, attorney, civic leader, governor of Washington - James Sargent RussellJames Sargent RussellJames Sargent Russell was an Admiral in the United States Navy.-Biography:Russell was born in Tacoma, Washington, the son of noted architect Ambrose J. Russell and Loella Janet Russell. He attended DeKoven Hall School and graduated from Stadium High School in 1918...
, '18, admiral, commander of NATO forces in Europe - Sugar Ray SealesSugar Ray Seales"Sugar" Ray Seales, was the only American boxer to win a gold medal in the 1972 Summer Olympics.-Personal:...
, '71, 1972 Olympic gold medalist and professional boxer - Jeff StockJeff StockJeff Stock is a retired U.S. soccer defender who spent five seasons in the North American Soccer League and two in the Western Soccer Alliance. He also played in the Major Indoor Soccer League with the Tacoma Stars....
, professional soccer player - Josh KeyesJosh KeyesJosh Keyes is an American contemporary artist who works with painting, drawing, and installation art. He currently works out of Portland, Oregon...
, artist
Former students
- Dale ChihulyDale ChihulyDale Chihuly is an American glass sculptor and entrepreneur.-Biography:Chihuly graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in Tacoma, Washington. He enrolled at the College of the Puget Sound in 1959...
, studio glass artist — attended 1956 and 1957 - Marjie MillarMarjie MillarMarjie Millar , was an American television and film actress.A blonde, she played a small number of second lead roles. She graduated in 1950 from Stadium High School in Tacoma, Washington, and then from Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri...
(1931–1966, Class of 1950), actress - Ronald Hedum, stained glass, wood shop, hated algebra