Comments on: A look inside Washington High School

By: Terri Don

Terri Don — Sun, 19 Jun 2022 08:22:30 +0000

I just had to share my 2 cents lol. I went to the school when it was washington monroe. Actually the final year the school was open. I remember some of us walking to the school district to protest the school closing. But I guess it wasn’t going to work because they had already decided. I just remember some of the kids from chorus. I liked to sing. There was one girl who was a very good singer. Lots of memories. I’d love to walk the halls again just to see what I remember. On one hand it seems like yesterday and on the other it seems like a lifetime ago.

By: Becky Tiffin Rudberg (class of 60)

Becky Tiffin Rudberg (class of 60) — Mon, 11 Nov 2013 20:59:35 +0000

It will definitely be great to go see the renovation after it’s done. There were four of us Tiffins that attended back in the late 50s and early 60s. My brother Gary and I graduated from Wasington and Sharon and Nancy attended until they moved to San Jose and subsequently graduated there. Lots of memories…

By: Gary Tiffin

Gary Tiffin — Mon, 11 Nov 2013 18:59:15 +0000

What a terrific portfolio of reminder pictures from our past. I graduated in 1958 and my sister Becky in 1960. My other two sisters Sharon and Nancy attended in that same era before moving to California in 1960. Cannot ever forget our very small gymnasium with the indoor running track around the top of the gym, that also offered the best view of basketball games, nor our shortened outdoor running track (one fifth mile) that often disadvantaged us when ran on the normal one-fourth mile tracks at “away” meets – as we could not hold home track meets due to the shortened track. We enjoyed excellent teachers, advisors, and staff who in retrospect were likely under appreciated at the time. Having a “center-cut” auditorium surrounded by hallways, lockers and exterior classrooms was efficient and simple, but quite functional for passing between classes. My sister Sharon and I recently drove by the property taking pictures and lamenting is disuse. So we are glad to know of its planned renovation and are grateful for the photo reminders of important times past and all the positive memories conjured up. Gary Tiffin

By: Gary Tiffin

Gary Tiffin — Sat, 09 Nov 2013 03:17:09 +0000

What a terrific portfolio of reminder pictures from the past. I graduated in 1958, and my three sisters Becky, Sharon, and Nancy Tiffin attended (Becky graduated in 1960) before moving to California in 1960. Cannot ever forget our small gym with the indoor running oval track around the top of the gymnasium, nor our one-fifth mile oval track where we trained for the 440 and half mile, never quite ready for an actual one-fourth mile track in awat (never could hold one on our track) meets. We experienced excellent teachers, advisors, and staff whom were likely under appreciated at the time. Have a “center-cut” auditorium surrounded by hallways and exterior classrooms was very efficient and simple, but yet very functional for passing and communication. My sister Sharon and I drove around the building several months ago, taking pictures and lamenting its disuse – so are glad to know of its renovation. So thanks for the reminders of important times past and all the positive memories conjured up. Gary Tiffin

By: Percy G. Wood (class of `60)

Percy G. Wood (class of `60) — Thu, 07 Nov 2013 07:05:23 +0000

So good to see the auditorium again. I remember:
* Showing movies from the projection booth and running the lights.
* First meeting of my class there. Principle said the usual things – “some you see will not be here when you graduate.” “the longer you are in school, the better you do. Look at doctors.”
And of course, the banisters we all slid down.
Percy

By: Jean Gordon Bolton

Jean Gordon Bolton — Thu, 07 Nov 2013 05:12:51 +0000

Thought I’d throw in a few memories of my years from 56-59. Started out as a freshman taking Mr Maloney’s journalism classes and writing sports stories. As a senior year I was sports editor and learned all about football, basketball, baseball?, and track making me still one heck of a sports enthusiast at 72. Also remember having to step into a class full of students and having the teacher wondering why I was standing there, but as quickly as my sister passed by (and wouldn’t catch me wearing her skirt) I was out of there with my outfit intact. Had a few good times in the dark room. etc. I moved to Alaska 4 years later and just had my 50 wedding anniversary. I went to Bolton Grade School, and since I knew all the Bolton cheers, found a really great Bolton and married him. Sure enjoyed Washington High, except times my sister caught me in her shoes and I had to go barefooted to the gym to put my tennies on. Look forward to seeing the changes to it.

By: Linda Deardon Wolt

Linda Deardon Wolt — Thu, 07 Nov 2013 00:52:56 +0000

Oh wow, how I loved High School. I miss WH still to this day and all the friends I had there. Brings back great memories. Thanks for sharing. Wish I were around to see it but I live in Salt Lake City, Utah. I still love Portland.

Linda (Deardon) Wolt Class of “60”

By: Diane Peters (Pedersen)

Diane Peters (Pedersen) — Wed, 06 Nov 2013 21:17:17 +0000

Wow…..does this bring back great memories of years gone by. Thanks for the fun memories. Diane

By: Dianne (Sageser) Crook

Dianne (Sageser) Crook — Wed, 06 Nov 2013 19:14:08 +0000

Wow, seeing these photos turned back time for the best ever memories of Washington High. I attended there from 1954 – 57 and then got transferred and graduated from Madison High in 1958. My favorite school years though, were at Washington High. Hard to believe its been over 50 years since: I was sent to the principal’s office for unacceptable behavior or skirts that weren’t below my knees, attended the (yawn) boring assemblies, learned how to make aprons in Home-Ec, (still use them), dreaded going to P.E. and dressing down to the required shirt and shorts, cheered at the games, “fell in love” with the cute boy who worked in the library, crammed my locker with who knows what, ran up or down the stairway so I wouldn’t be tardy for “the next class” after chatting in the hall too long with my friends, hated science, loved history, loved being chosen (by the teacher) to operate the slide projector for social studies, and was envious of the girl who was chosen the Rose Festival Princess. The walls of those halls and classrooms are imbedded with memories of flirting, cheering for good grades, crying about the breakup of a steady boyfriend, fear of failing a test, getting caught passing notes in class, proudly showing off our “poofy pink poodle” skirts with those stiff crinolines underneath, and clapping and cheering on the last day of school; each June. The students of that era took with them unforgettable memories as they moved on to adulthood….going on to college, marriage, and war. And those memories are “brought alive” again when we look at these photos.

Thanks so much for sharing them.

I wished I lived closer to watch the transformation from a school to a functional venue of offices and retail for that beautiful – historic building in Portland.
The next time I’m in Oregon, I definitely plan to visit.

Dianne (Sageser) Crook.

By: Victoria Finjord Cummings

Victoria Finjord Cummings — Wed, 06 Nov 2013 19:04:04 +0000

So excited about this property and happy that Venerable Properties is doing the project. There are many of us “Washingtonians” living in Portland that have such fond memories of our time in the school and look forward to its new life.The last picture of the main hallway
was the main ‘acitivity’ during lunch (after eating) as we circled that main floor many times around seeing and being seen!