Garfield High School

Garfield High School, in Terre Haute, IN was opened on September 3, 1912 to its first 432 students. The school was not completely finished, as the floors were not finished and it did not have heat. Albert E. Highley, a math teaher at Wiley from 1910 to 1912, was the first principal of Garfield High. The students were the ones to decide what colors they wanted to represent as their school, and they chose purple and white.

After one year, Highley became superintendent of the schools in Marion, IN. In 1913, Garfield received a new principal, T. W. Records. In this year the first yearbook of Vigo County, the Benedictus, was published. In 1914, the senior class got to see the first printing of the school newspaper, "The Garfield Review", which before this time, that I found interesting, was that the newspaper was handwritten.

In the 1930's, the stock market crashed, leaving disaster. Even though the school had to get rid of some things, it did not affect their school spirit. The Junior-Senior prom had to be cancelled, but they came up with the idea to have a sunrise dance and breakfast to replace it.

On April 29, 1934, Garfield High was severley damaged by a fire, but survived. In November it was rebuilt, and even this did not take away the school spirit. In 1936, Russell McCoy, wrote the words and music to the school song, "Purple and White", which is followed:

"Purple and White,

See our banners gaily fly.

Purple and White,

We'll wave them through the sky.

Blaze away, O Eagles in your flight

Soaring on and up until you reach the height.

Purple and White,

7-6 will guide us there.

Purple and White,

Our drums and fife declare.

Go Garfield Go,

To the march of victory."

Garfield had a reputation of producing outstanding students, such as business leaders, while also having three Olympic gold medal winners, Clyde Lovellette in 1952, Gregg Bell in 1956, and Terry Dischinger in 1960. In 1971 sadly, Garfield High School closed due to consolidation.