Oceanside High School Foundation/Alumni Association

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The History of
OCEANSIDE-CARLSBAD HIGH SCHOOL

This is a work in progress, (as is the entire website).  If you have any important dates to add, please email me at zoe@webdesignbyzoe.com.  I would like to note that most of this information was compiled by Edith Swaim for the Oceanside Historical Society newsletters and from Oceanside, Where Life is Worth Living, Kristi S. Hawthorne.

  • 1891    School trustees for the Libby, San Luis Rey, South Oceanside and Oceanside schools to organize a Union High School District.  October 3, 1891, it was reported that "The high school is now open and ready for pupils."
  • 1904 Union High School District dissolved.
  • 1906    Oceanside-Carlsbad High School opens in the two upstairs rooms of the existing Grammar School located on the present site of Oceanside High School with 20 students.
  • 1907    Two bronze statues of President George Washington and Abraham Lincoln acquired from the San Diego County courthouse and placed near the entrance of the high school.   
  • 1909    First graduating class of 5 students:  Marguerite Brannen, Ramona Rieke, Sybil Spencer, Edith Cotterel, and Eunice Everett.
  • 1913    District votes for a $20,000 bond issue to erect a building of four class rooms, a study hall, a ground floor office and a Home Economics room in the basement.  There were 55 students, a principal and 3 teachers. 
  • School district included territory south of Encinitas and extended to the San Diego City limits, including Vista.
  • 1920    Science building constructed at a cost of $17,500.  It housed the chemistry, physics, homemaking and girls physical education classes.       
  • 1921    5 ½ acres purchased east of the buildings.  An auditorium and double rows of classrooms extending north built at a bonded cost of $80,000.
  • 1925    East wing built including a library.  They used the building as a gymnasium and auditorium. 
  • 1934    Junior College department added.
  • 1935    Earthquake damaged the west wing.  Students attended school in 10 large military type tents with wood floors, but no heat or electricity.
  • 1936-1937 Coastal towns and Vista formed their own districts except for Carlsbad.  New high school built in Encinitas.  First class to graduate from San Dieguito in the La Paloma Theater in 1936.
  • 1937    Work completed on west wing.
  • 1938    First graduation class of Vista
  • 1939    Home Economics building built. 
  • 1940    Machine and Carpenter shop constructed.
  • 1948    New gymnasium built.
  • 1949    Locker and shower rooms built.
  • 1953    New arts and industrial arts building constructed.
  • 1954    College wing built
  • 1955    District library built
  • 1957    Carlsbad students had classes in basement of the OHS.
  • 1958    Carlsbad formed their own district.  Carlsbad students moved to the new Carlsbad High School in January.
  • May 1965    MiraCosta College was dedicated in southeast Oceanside.
  • 1967    OHS went to split sessions to alleviate overcrowding.
  • 1971    Graduation saw the end of open campus.  Fences installed.
  • 1972    January, new Oceanside High School East opened with Juniors and Seniors attending East and Freshmen and Sophomores attending West.
  • 1976    Oceanside East renamed El Camino High School.
  • Friday, Oct. 31, 1986    OHS beat ECHS for the first time in Varsity football.  With Jr. Seau at their helm and it was a slaughter.  It was ECHS first homecoming game on their own field. (From June "the mascot" Floyd-Blair)
  • March 2000 - $125 million bond issue passed.
  • October 2002 - The new, $12 million science and technology building completed along with the renovated library, courtyard, administration building.
  • March 29, 2006 – Oceanside High, along with El Camino and the area Middle Schools were closed Thursday and Friday due to student demonstrations
  • April 29, 2006 – The renovated gymnasium is re-dedicated as the Wally Molifua Memorial Gymnasium.
  • April 2006 - The district has given the OK to its architect to begin drafting plans for a performing arts center that would feature a 550-seat auditorium, along with classroom spaces for instrumental, choral and drama classes.
  • September 2006 - Oceanside High celebrated it's 100th anniversary.
  • October 20, 2007 - The 2nd Annual Hall of Fame 2007

Copyright 2011 OHS Foundation/Alumni Association 
Website designed and maintained by Tom Adams & Zoe Erickson
Last modified: 8/18/2011