Eleanor J. Toll Middle School

History of Eleanor J. Toll Middle School

• In 1923, because of a rapidly growing population in Glendale, nine acres of land were purchased on the south side of Glenwood Road for a new school to be called Abraham Lincoln Intermediate School. The original building was two stories and contained eight classrooms, an auditorium, and five other rooms for offices and other purposes.

• When the school opened to students in September 1926 its name was changed to Eleanor Joy Toll Intermediate School to honor a local woman who had been prominent in advancing the interests of children and schools in Glendale. The new school was located in the center of a grape vineyard, but the vineyard disappeared a few years later.

• As the enrollment quickly grew new buildings were added in the summer of 1927 and 1928. In 1931 the basement of the school, which had been used for storage, were changed into classrooms.

• In 1932, ninth grade students were added and Toll became a junior high school with grades 7, 8, and 9.

• In 1933, an earthquake damaged the school and the auditorium and the center section of the school had to be rebuilt, and the brick facing removed.

• By 1945, the student population of Toll reached 1233 and rose to 1451 by 1955. Twelve more classrooms were added in a newly built west wing of the main building and the Industrial Arts building was also built in 1955.

• In 1970, a fire broke out in the basement of the school causing $125,000 worth of damage and destroying the attendance office, boy’s vice principal’s office and damaging an art classroom. The student population at Toll by this time was 1513.

• The gym was built in 1971. The Science Building and the student Cafeteria were built several years later adding even more classrooms.

• In 1992, Toll becomes a middle school as the ninth graders are moved up to high school at Hoover.

• In 2006, the first class of 60 sixth-grade students came to Toll.

School Principal History