About WHS
The History of West High
School colors: Buff and Brown
Before 1908, high school students from the West Side of Columbus attended Central High School. In the early summer of 1907, production was started on a new high school for the West Side. The building was built on the corner of Central Avenue and West State Street. After a year of construction the building was completed at the end of the summer of 1908.
West High School began its first day of classes, on September 18, 1908 at 8:00am. There was a small staff of 13 including the principal, Otto H. Magly. The first day enrollment consisted of 125 students in their first and second year of high school, and 194 students in elementary grades. The class schedule consisted of seven periods, six 45-minute periods and one 30-minute lunch period. The end of the first day of school was 1:30pm.
Then Alumni, various Civic Groups, and Judge Cecil J. Randall inspired the School Board to move West High to the Powell Avenue site. Construction on the school start on Oct. 25, 1926 and was opened on January 28, 1929 with 676 students. The school architect was Howard Dwight Smith who was also responsible for designing Ohio Stadium.
ALMA MATER
Alice Schoenburger'25
As toward the West the constant sun proceeds.
Day after day across the sky,
So do our hearts hold true to you (thee),
West High, West High, West High.
Men view the sun in many a distant land,
His (their) face still westward in the sky,
Though (tho') we should (shall) go as far, we'll love
West High, West High, West High.
And 'til(till) the sun forgets its ancient goal
And seeks a new path through the sky,
Our loyal Hearts shall beat for you(thee),
West High, West High, West High.