Washington High School (Fremont, California)

Infobox_School | name = Washington High School


motto = "We focus on empowering our students to become healthy individuals, responsible and ethical citizens, critical thinkers, effective communicators, collaborative workers, and lifelong independent learners."
established = 1892
type = Public
principal =Linda Fernandez (acting)
faculty = 85
enrollment = 2012
newspaper = Hatchet
free_label = Colors Mascot
free_text = Orange and Black Hank and Hannah Husky
location = 38442 Fremont Blvd. Fremont, CA 94536
information = [phone]
website = http://www.fremont.k12.ca.us/WHS/

seealso|Washington High School "for schools of the same name"

Washington High School (WHS) is one of the five Fremont, California public high schools, and was established in 1892. It is a part of the Fremont Unified School District.

History

The first high school classes in the Washington Township began January 11, 1892 in the Masonic Hall on Peralta Boulevard with 22 Students. The School was named Union High School District 2 and May Burdick became the first graduate in June 1892. In March 1893, the students moved into a new building on Peralta Boulevard that cost $6582.

In 1914 the school name was changed to Washington High School District and in 1916 five bus routes were started to bring students to school in canvas-sided buses. Publication of the school newspaper, the Hatchet, also began that year when the students decided it "could be used to bring untruth and deceit to an end." In 1923, the first volume of the school yearbook, the Washingtonian, was published by the senior class.

In 1923, 20 acres were purchased for $20,000 at the present Fremont Boulevard location. The new classically designed building was dedicated in August, 1924. By 1926, the school enrollment had grown to 300 students and the school was the largest business in Washington Township.

By 1958, the school had grown to over 2,900 students attending a triple staggered schedule. This was quickly followed by the openings of James Logan High School in Union City in 1959 and Newark Memorial and Irvington high schools in 1961 to spread the students around. In 1972, earthquake concerns led to the closure of the main building and many students in the northern attendance area began attending the new American High School on October 12, 1972.

In replacement of the old War memorial stadium which was dedicated to those who served the country during the great World Wars(now known as the freshman field). Construction of a sports stadium was started in the summer of 1972 and on October 12, 1972 it was dedicated as the Tak Fudenna Memorial Stadium in honor of 1939 WHS graduate, Takeo Fudenna, who gave much to the community and the project and who had died the previous August in an accident. The stadium was later remodeled in 2005. The Washington Football team was the first team to play on it (and win) and were also scheduled to play when Tak Fudenna Stadium was remodeled, but due to falling behind on deadlines the team was not able to.

After the passage of a bond in the early '90s, the main building and gyms were demolished to make way for new construction. Efforts of the Washington High School Alumni Foundation and its many members helped save the original entrance archway of the main building and incorporate into the design of the new building. The new building was dedicated on December 13, 1997 and stands there today. ("Accounts of some events taken from Reflections: The Educational History of Fremont, 1983")

Demographics

Demographics for the 2003-2004 school year: 20% Latino or Hispanic, 6% African American, 26% of these students were of Asian origin, 41% European American (White), 5% Filipino, 1% American Indian or Alaska Native, 1% Pacific Islander and 13% Multiple or No Response.

peech and Debate

Washington High School also has a Speech and Debate team which is competative in tournaments around the area.

Notable alumni and faculty

*Jack Acosta a figure on the Board of Directors of several San Francisco Bay Area companies
*Steve Barnett White Sweater Award (8 Varsity Letters). Nations Top 100 Prep Athletes-1958. University of Oregon Football-Selected as Division 1 "Sophomore Lineman of the Year". Three time "All Coast Selection". Two Time "All-American". Starter on the 1960 Liberty Bowl. Recipientof the "Emerald Trophy" as Oregon's "Outstanding Senior Scholar-Athlete and Citizen". First team Academic All-America senior year. Played East West Shrine Game, Hula Bowl and Coaches All-America Games. NFL second round draft choice, Chicago Bears. Inducted into the University of Oregon Hall of Fame in 2000
*John Doyle (soccer) (1966- ) Amateur and professional soccer player and coach--USF, 1988 Seoul Olympics, 1990 World Cup, San Jose Clash and Earthquakes [ [http://www.mustangsoccer.com/CoachingDirectorProfile.htm Mustang Soccer, Director Profile] ]
*Dennis Eckersley (1954- ), Class of 1972, Baseball Hall of Famer who played for the Oakland Athletics, and other teams; six-time MLB American League All-Star [http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/hof_weekend/2004/inductees_eckersley.htm National Baseball Hall of Fame] ]
* Takeo Fudenna (c.1921-72), Class of 1939, WWII veteran in one of the Nisei units and recipient of the Bronze Star; [ [http://www.javadc.org/RG%20NARA%20Index%20for%20442-100.pdf NARA Index, 100/442 Documents, US Navy] ] co-founder of Fudenna Bros., a Fremont development company; [ [http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4176/is_20050908/ai_n15809952 Oakland Tribune, September 8, 2005] ] namesake of Tak Fudenna Stadium
*Stebler Loze (c.1916-2000) A science and math teacher and adult school and summer school principal at Washington High School [ [http://www.alumni.berkeley.edu/Alumni/Cal_Monthly/November_2000/In_Memoriam.asp Cal Alumni Newsletter, November 2000] ]
* Natasha Paremski (1987- ), pianist and musical prodigy, graduated by exam in 2002 at age 15; [ [http://www.natashaparemski.com/mercurynews.htm T.T. Nhu, Mercury News, "Piano prodigy from Fremont to perform in San Mateo," November 15, 2002; accessed 10/29/06] ] winner of the 2006 Gilmore Young Artist Award [ [http://www.gilmore.org/gilmore_young_artist/ The Gilmore] ]
*Dr. Michael Ricupito, a Fremont Orthodontist, who still holds MVAL football passing records, played football at San Jose State, and served as President of the California Association of Orthodontists
*Bill Walsh (football coach) (1931-2007) Washington High School football coach, 1957-59 [ [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0FCL/is_1_32/ai_90622156 Football Digest, September 2002] ]
*Robin Williams, Class of 1971, award-winning author of dozens of books on Macs, PCs, and graphic design and of [http://www.wiltoncirclepress.com/pages/books.html "Sweet Swan of Avon: Did a Woman Write Shakespeare?," Wilton Circle Press, 2006] ; she is also the founder of the Santa Fe Mac Users Group. [ [http://www.ratz.com/robin/realbio.html Robin Williams, "Real Bio," accessed 10/29/2006] ]
*John Woodcock (football player) (1954-98) an NFL defensive lineman who played with the Lions, and later with the San Diego Chargers.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.fremont.k12.ca.us/whs Washington High School Web Site]
* [http://www.fremont.k12.ca.us/SARC/WashingtonSARC.pdf '04-'05 FUSD Washington High School Accountability Report Card (SARC)(PDF/Adobe Format)]
* [http://hometown.aol.com/dalejim/whs.html Washington High School Alumni Web Site]
* [http://www.washington92.com/ Washington High School Class of 1992 website]
* [http://www.whs1994.com/1/ Washington High School Class of 1994 website]
* [http://www.huskies2006.com/ Washington High School Class of 2006 website]
* [http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/ca/alameda/schools.html CAGenWeb Archives, Washington High School Alumni, Faculty, Administrative and Custodial Staff, 1892-2000 (over 19,000 names)]
* [http://www.whspolo.com]
* [http://gohuskiesfootball.com/ Washington High School Football]