ca. 1956. This artist's rendering from 1956 shows the design for Woodrow Wilson High School by the architectural firm of Lea, Pearson & Richards. Opening in September of 1958, Wilson was Tacoma's first new high school in 44 years. It was built to serve the rapidly growing West Tacoma area. Enrollment on opening was 1400 students, less than 10 years later it was 2000, with teaching staff almost double. It is designed in a campus format with 12 separate buildings spread out over 12 acres and linked together with covered walkways. The gymnasium was added in 1959. Construction of an auditorium was delayed for 12 years due to a lack of funds and the 1.2 million dollar structure was dedicated in 1970. The school is named for the 28th United States President, former educator and founder of the League of Nations Woodrow Wilson. ("For the Record" a history of Tacoma Public Schools by Winnifred L. Olsen) TPL-9293

Woodrow Wilson High School (Tacoma);

Ten boys wear the uniforms marking them as "Cheney Studs" as they pose in the Wilson High School gym on February 22, 1969. The beaming man standing next to the team is presumably their coach. Thanks to Ben Cheney's generosity, thousands of area youngsters were able to participate in amateur team sports. Color photograph ordered by the Cheney Lumber Co.

Basketball players--Tacoma--1960-1970; Uniforms;

Two Cheney Studs Courteers flash large grins as they palm basketballs on the Wilson High School court on December 2, 1965. Sponsored by lumberman and philanthropist Ben Cheney, the Courteers performed dazzling routines during half-times at various high school, college and professional basketball games. Photograph ordered by Cheney Lumber Co.

Basketball--Tacoma--1960-1970; Basketball players--Tacoma--1960-1970; Balls (Sporting goods);

Over thirty students - only one a girl - were crowded into Clare Sherwood's science lab at Wilson High School in December of 1958 for a presentation that centered on what appears to be the wiring harness of a pinball machine. Mr. Sherwood was the head of the science department at Tacoma's newest high school. Woodrow Wilson High School opened its doors in September, 1958, the first new Tacoma high school in four decades. It was designed by architects Lea, Pearson & Richards as a modified campus-type arrangement on a 40-acre site purchased in 1953 by the school board as tax title land. The total cost was approximately $2.84 million with a cost per square foot of $13.96. (Photograph ordered by Citizens Committee for School Support.) (TNT 7-14-57, B-8) TPL-9296

Woodrow Wilson High School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1950-1960; Classrooms--Tacoma--1950-1960; Sherwood, Clare; Teachers--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Chemistry students at the brand new Woodrow Wilson High School in Tacoma's west end focus intently on their lab experiments just prior to the Christmas holidays in 1958. The high school, with an enrollment of 1,350 students, had just opened in September of that year. Woodrow Wilson High School was the first new Tacoma high school to be built in forty-four years. About half of the students transferred from Stadium High School, and a few came from the University Place area. Maynard Ponko was Wilson's first principal. Photograph ordered by the Citizens Committee for School Support. (TNT 9-3-58, A-1) TPL-9297

Woodrow Wilson High School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1950-1960; Classrooms--Tacoma--1950-1960;

The eight-member Cheney Studs Courteers basketball team was photographed in November of 1962 in the Wilson High School gym, with coach Gene Anderson, a Cheney Lumber Co. executive, at left. The members of the Courteers were junior high students who provided half-time entertainment at various college, AAU and high school games. These youngsters showcased their ball handling and dribbling skills in exhibition numbers set to lively rock 'n roll. Kneeling at extreme left are Wayne Hoff of Mason Jr. High with Rob Norwood at his side. Tom (Hummingbird) Mack of McCarver is in the center of the second row. Ben Cheney continued his generosity in sponsoring youth sports teams, not only in his favorite pastime, baseball, but also in football and basketball. Tacoma's traveling goodwill ambassadors would perform in December, 1962, for audiences at the San Francisco Cow Palace and also in Los Angeles. Ordered by Cheney Lumber Co. (TNT 2-4-62, A-8, TNT 12-16-62, C-19) TPL-9880 (Additional i.d.provided by a reader)

Basketball--Tacoma--1960-1970; Basketball players--Tacoma--1960-1970; Uniforms; Hoff, Wayne; Mack, Tom; Norwood, Rob; Anderson, Gene;