The History of Pasadena High School
Imagine a one room "chicken-shack"
standing right about where the Shaver underpass is. Now look over at the
corner of Shaver and 225. Hard to imagine that both sentences describe
Pasadena High School. The "chicken-shack" was the beginning of the
history of Pasadena High School. This Pasadena High School accommodated
20 students and one teacher.
As the population of Pasadena
increased, and the prized crop, strawberries, kept growing in season,
the school year became adjusted to the growing season of strawberries.
Additionally as the city population increased, so did the number of
students enrolling in school. Students who wanted to receive high school
training would have to be bussed to nearby Milby High School in
Harrisburg. This presented a problem for the Pasadena Independent School
District.
In 1924, construction on the new
Pasadena High School began. PHS was dedicated in 1924, while
construction continued until it was completed in 1925. In 1929, a Girl's
gymnasium was added as well as an auditorium. In 1931, expansion
continued as a Home Economics building, which is still in use today, was
added. 1935 marked the addition of a Manual Training building to PHS.
This Manual Training building was used during World War II to aid in the
war effort. This building was torn down in 1972, however. In 1945, a
band hall was built and dedicated to Mr. Gene Stuchberry, first director
of bands at Pasadena High School, as well as the beginning of
construction on PHS's new cafeteria. When 1947 rolled around, a
$329,000.00 Vocational Building and a $100,000.00 budgeted Boys'
gymnasium was added to Pasadena High School. In 1950, the Science
building was built as an addition to the PHS campus. Pasadena High
School had begun taking shape.
1952 saw much expansion throughout the
Pasadena High School campus. The Vocational, Science, and Boys' gym were
all expanded to accommodate the growing number of students. A new
auditorium was built in 1957, and in the early 60's, the Main building
of PHS (at that time), was torn down so construction of a new Main
building could begin. The new Main building was opened in 1963, but
completed in 1965. The last major expansion of Pasadena High School,
before the campus was expanded in the 90's, was the addition of a
$2,500,000.00 three-story building. This building housed the current
cafeteria and classrooms.
The 90's saw major reform at Pasadena
High School. Property surrounding Pasadena High School was acquired by
the Pasadena Independent School District and expansion of Pasadena High
School continued. A new vocational building, main building, gymnasium,
and vocational annex were added to Pasadena High School. The population
of Pasadena keeps growing and enrollment at PHS continues to rise. What
does the future hold for PHS? Only time will tell.
List of Principals
-Richard T. Gore 1923-1924
-Clara Taylor 1924-1925
-Jack F. Horton 1925-1945
-Bill Avara 1946-1947
-Tilman White 1947-1967
-Lonnie Keller 1967-1982
-Tom Hancock 1982-1995
-Wayne Adams 1995-2002
-Morris Fuselier 2002-2006
-Chris Bolyard 2006-2009
-Joe Saavedra 2009-2019
-Laura Gomez 2019-present