Garfield High School (Seattle)
| James A. Garfield High School | |
|---|---|
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| Location | |
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400 23rd Avenue Seattle, Washington 98122 United States |
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| Information | |
| Type | Public |
| Established | 1920 |
| Principal | Theodore Howard II |
| Faculty | 92 (October 2005) |
| Enrollment | 1,918 (September 2010) |
| Color(s) | Purple & White |
| Mascot | Bulldog |
| Newspaper | The Messenger |
| Website | Garfield High School |
James A. Garfield High School is a public high school in the Seattle Public Schools district of Seattle, Washington, USA. Located along 23rd Avenue between E. Alder and E. Jefferson Streets in Seattle's urban Central District, Garfield draws students from all over the city. Garfield is also one of two options for the district's Highly Capable Cohort for academically highly gifted students, with the other being Ingraham International School. As a result, it has many college-level classes available ranging from calculus-based physics to Advanced Placement (AP) studio art.
In 1917, the Seattle School Board authorized the purchase of property for East High School at a location suggested by the board’s secretary, Reuben Jones, because it was “on a hill and the school would stand out.” Construction was delayed until the end of World War I, and by that time there was a pressing need for space in the city’s four high schools. Immediate action had to be taken, which meant that a temporary structure was erected at the East High School site in 1920. The 12-room wooden structure housed 282 incoming freshmen who transferred from Broadway High School.
Midway through the 1920–21 school year, 140 more students entered East High School. Portables were added, and, by 1922–23, a total of 27 temporary buildings stood on the grounds. Enrollment by this time exceeded 900 students. Additional property was acquired and construction began on a permanent building. The first principal, George N. Porter, suggested that the school be named after James A. Garfield, 20th President of the United States who earned recognition as a congressman and Civil War leader. Porter also selected the Bulldog as school mascot and the colors purple and white. The new James A. Garfield High School opened in September 1923 with over 1,000 students. The three-story structure was designed in the Jacobean style by Floyd Naramore with elaborate terra cotta details. The main (north) entrance features a projecting bay with triple arched doorways.
As the 1920s progressed, Garfield’s student body increased to over 1,500. A bond issue passed in March 1929 provided funds for an addition to the building, and the city commissioned Naramore to design an addition. The south wing included laboratories and classrooms for 680 more students. Enrollment continued to grow until 1939, when it reached an all-time high of 2,300 students. In 1955, 9th graders transferred to junior high school, reducing enrollment from 1,500 to 1,250.
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