University High School: A Brief History

By Dr. Don Sanborn and Sean O'Harrow (Class of 1986)

1895:

A department to train teachers is formed at Honolulu High School, located in Princess Ruth's former mansion (now Central Intermediate School). Honolulu High School later becomes McKinley High School.

1896:

The teacher training department moves to Victoria and Young Streets and takes the name Honolulu Normal and Training School. Teachers use the Fort Street School, an English day school, for a practice school.

1899:

Castle Memorial Kindergarten is founded at King Street near Kawaihao Church to demonstrate the progressive educational ideas of Dr. John Dewey. This school is later turned over to the University of Hawaii (founded eight years later in 1907) to operate.

1905:

After annexation, Hawaii becomes a U.S. territory. The name of the Honolulu Normal and Training School is changed to Territorial Normal and Training School. The school moves to the slopes of Punchbowl at Lunalilo and Quarry Streets.

1921:

Benjamin O. Wist becomes principal of the school.

1930:

The school moves to its new 15-acre site (once a pig farm) adjoining the University of Hawaii in Manoa Valley. Wist Hall, designed by C.W. Dickey, is completed in the summer. Wist Hall Annex 1 (now the COE computer lab) is also completed in 1930. The University's Department of Education becomes the School of Education.

1931:

The Territorial Normal and Training School merges with the School of Education and is renamed Teachers College.

1939-1941:

An elementary school (now University Elementary School) is built on Metcalf Street as part of Teachers College. Construction begins on Castle Memorial Hall, a gift of the Samuel and Mary Castle Foundation to Teachers College. The building is designed as a training center for kindergarten and nursery school teachers.

1941-1945:

Punahou School, displaced by the military occupying its campus, moves to Castle Memorial Hall and other buildings, but Teachers College continues to operate.

1943:

University High School Building 1 on the Metcalf Street side of Teachers College is completed.

1948:

University High School Building 2 is constructed adjacent to Building 1. The University Laboratory Schools now offer a complete K-12 curriculum. Dr. Hubert Everly (later dean of the College of Education) becomes principal of University High School.

1951:

The first class graduates from University High School.

1957:

University High School Building 3 is completed.

1959:

Teachers College becomes the College of Education, and Hawaii becomes the fiftieth state.

1963:

The Multipurpose Building is completed.

1966:

Wist Annex 2 on Metcalf Street and University Avenue is completed. The University Laboratory School of the College of Education becomes part of a new entity--the Hawaii Curriculum Center--to develop curriculum programs and materials for the schools of the state. This is a joint operation of the Hawaii Department of Education and the University of Hawaii.

1969:

The Hawaii Curriculum Center is phased out and the University Laboratory School comes under a new department of the College of Education known as the Curriculum Research & Development Group (CRDG).

Note: What follows are two graduates' emendations to this "Brief History":

Bets Clopton Lawrence's (Class of 1951) historical notes

Jon Fo's (Class of 1979) historical notes

If you would like to add your historical perspective, please send it to me .

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