One of the Bay Area's most iconic high schools will celebrate its 120th anniversary in October.
The community is invited to a celebration to commemorate the 120th year of San Mateo High School and the San Mateo Unified High School District on Saturday, October 8.
The day of festivities will be from 11:00 to 14:00 hours.
The celebration will begin at the San Mateo Performing Arts Center with a historical slide show at 11:00 a.m., followed by performances by a variety of student groups and student-led tours of the campus.
The performing arts center is located at 600 North Delaware St., San Mateo.
The October 8 event is free and open to the public, rain or shine.
For more details on the celebration, visit www.smuhsd.org/SMHS120.
The actual anniversary date was September 15, when the school and school district turned 120 years old.
On July 26, 1902, Etta W. Tilton, then San Mateo County superintendent of schools, circulated a petition to create a school district. The petition was signed by a majority of county families and approved by the voters.
San Mateo was considered the best location for a high school. Until then, students could attend first through tenth grades at Central Grammar School in San Mateo. Students had to attend a private school if they wanted to continue their education beyond tenth grade.
San Mateo High School officially opened on September 15, 1902 in Dixon Cottage, located at 54 North Ellsworth St. During the school's first semester, there were 14 students and three teachers.
The first graduating class was in 1905 when seven graduates were sent out into the world to make their way into the 20th century.
In 1909, with 136 enrolled, voters approved a bond to build a new facility on Baldwin Avenue.
In 1926, the school district purchased 20 acres at Bellevue and Delaware Streets for the new San Mateo High School campus. The Delaware campus was completed in the fall of 1927 and included a main building, an arts building and a boys' gymnasium. The school had one of the most modern science departments at the time.
The school was structurally reinforced for earthquake safety in 1934 and 1935 and was completely rebuilt in 2005 providing state-of-the-art earthquake safety. The new buildings are designed to integrate state-of-the-art technology with the design and architecture of the original buildings.
Currently, the school's Visual and Performing Arts Department shares its Performing Arts Center with performing arts groups from throughout the county. The PAC, with a capacity of 1,600, is the premier performing arts facility in all of San Mateo County.
The Merv Griffin Quad, named for the legendary television host, entertainer and media mogul who graduated from the school in 1942, is located in the center of campus. It includes an amphitheater built in the Greek style and the Thomas Mohr clock tower, named for a longtime district superintendent. It is reminiscent of the tower and bells that were removed from the building during the 1934-35 structural reinforcements.
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