In April of 1963 we lost our High School to a devastating fire. One of our fireman lost his life that day. And another one was injured. They were laying the first hose line and failed to see the edge of the roof and fell 30 feet to the courtyard below. Burt Seymour died and Robert Day broke his pelvis. That was a horrible fire and was suspected to have been set intentionally. They never did arrest anyone for it but there were rumors for years about who might have done it.
The blaze started in the third floor of the original high school building, which was constructed in 1914. It started around 10:30 P.M. Twenty five classrooms were destroyed, along with the girl's gymnasium, the auditorium and a brand new language lab. Also the administrative offices and guidance office.
We had to share the elementary wing and have half days for a while. That part was the new area and away from the old part that the high school classes were in. There were 1200 kids in grades seven through twelve that they had to find room for.
They managed to save most all the records and musical instruments and other important stuff, thanks to the hundreds of volunteers who helped carry all that stuff to safety.
It was quite different for the next couple months, sharing the grade school rooms. The boy's gym was brand new and over in that section so the girl's could use it also. The cafeteria was also already in that new section. But we survived it all and eventually the old area was torn down and a new section was built.
I went up the next day with my camera and got a few photos. I saved some from the newspaper also. Here's a few. During the fire and after.
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