Cheney High School
Cheney High School
When High School courses were authorized by the State, classes were conducted in the Cheney Public School building.
1913 High School
With continued growth in the student population, in 1911 Superintendent A. E. Clawson, along with School Board Director M. E. Cook and Normal School President Noah D. Showalter determined that a separate high school was needed. They called a meeting on August 25, 1911 to discuss the matter. Attendees included J. S. Hull, George E. Fellows, Frank C. Greene, Dr. Francis A. Pomeroy, and Edward F. Betz. The men decided to hold a vote, asking the district patrons to approve a bond.
The new Cheney High School at 609 4th Street opened April 25, 1913 on the northwest corner of 4th and D streets. The cost was $45,000 and included a 40 x 80-foot gymnasium which was also available for community use.
The new high school was three stories and was located on the corner of 4th & D, facing City Park [Veterans Park]. With the new high school in place the old public school had more room for the elementary and junior high students.
The high school, along with the public school were closed October 1918 due to the outbreak of influenza in Spokane County. The schools re-opened in January, but closed for a week in February 1919 when there was a new outbreak of the disease.
In 1967, the district administration moved into the building as the old high school became Fisher Junior High. As the student population continued to grow through these years, the building at times housed elementary classes, as well as overflow high school and junior high classes.
After the high school moved into its new building in 1930, organizations such as the women's Tilicum Club helped to raise funds to re-establish a library at the Junior High School.
Work began to create a playground on the grounds in June 1934. A Playground committee raised funds to build and buy landscaping and equipment to create a playground for the Junior High School.
A room in the basement level became the first permanent home for the Cheney Historical Museum in January 1959.
In January 1972 the old school building was demolished and a new home for the Cheney Fire Department was built on the site.
1930 High School
In early 1929, Harmony District 56, District 133, and the western two-thirds of District 317 consolidated with the Cheney School District. In anticipation of the overcrowding this was to create, a special school board meeting was held on February 11, 1929 to discuss building a new high school. Superintendent P.F. Gaiser and board members Louis C. Van Patten, Dr. William Conway, and Noble E. Rolfe developed a plan to present to the public. It included converting the 1913 high school into a junior high, demolishing the 1893 school building, salvaging the bricks, and building a new high school on the site for no more than $125,000. The voters approved the plan, and the contract was awarded to George Shriner of Walla Walla.
The 3-story building, located at 520 4th Street, is 99 feet wide by 172 feet long. It is made of brick with terra cotta trim. The new school had 12 classrooms wired for radio. There were modern equipment for home economics, manual arts, and science and biology labs. On the 3rd floor was a 750 seat auditorium, with an additional 500 seats available through sliding doors to the Study Hall. The gymnasium on the ground floor could seat up to 1,000 spectators with its innovative folding bleachers. Adjacent to the gym were modern boys and girls locker rooms with showers.
The new high school gymnasium was inaugurated on January 7, 1930 with a basketball game against Davenport. Cheney defeated Davenport 18-14 in front of a crowd of 600.
On January 22, 1930 226 students and 15 faculty moved into the new high school. J.W. Hodge remained as principal; Omer Pence, who had been hired in fall 1929, continued as junior high principal. Clarence J. Cooil replaced P.F. Gaiser as superintendent, a position he held until 1948. Charles Salt took over as superintendent in 1948. He had served as principal of the junior high school for several years.
Fall 1967 saw the building renamed Fisher Junior High School. After the new Junior High opened in 1977, the Fisher Building continued to house the administration offices, as well as homes school and other special district functions until 2015.
1966 High School
1964-09-04 Proposed high school complex.
Located at 460 N. 6th Street , it opened for the 1965-1966 school year.