Fairfax High celebrates 100 years: Larchmont Chronicle

FAIRFAX HIGH The school as it looked in 1931.

The festivities will take place between September 6-8

Fairfax High School opened its doors 100 years ago. It was originally designed to be a mechanical and agricultural school focusing on practical skills – a bit ironic, it would seem, given that (according to the Fairfax High website) the school was named after Colonial America’s Lord Fairfax and still uses the family coat. of arms as an emblem.

In the school’s early years, courses included forestry, architecture, landscape gardening, and domestic science. Today, Fairfax students who are interested in a departure from the school’s traditional curriculum can also participate in programs such as: the Korean dual language program; the police academy’s magnet program, which includes courses in forensics, law, computer science and physical training; or the visual arts magnet program. (The high school is the only visual arts high school in the Los Angeles Unified School District.)

In 1966, most of the campus buildings were replaced with others designed to the latest earthquake safety standards. The auditorium and rotunda were the only two buildings that were upgraded, rather than destroyed. (In 1971, when Los Angeles High was damaged during the San Fernando earthquake, Los Angeles High students took turns with Fairfax High students to use the still-intact Fairfax buildings for classes while Los Angeles High School was under repair.)

During this year’s main three-day centennial celebration weekend (Friday, September 6 to Sunday, September 8), a history exhibit will be displayed in the historic rotunda. In the auditorium, a 20-minute documentary film created by alumnus David Zeiger spanning all decades of the school will be shown each hour.

A press conference was held in early August to promote the upcoming three-day celebration and also to honor the milestone.

lead and alumni attended the Fairfax High Centennial press conference in the historic rotunda. Front row, left to right: Alumnus Aleta Braxton, Colonial Lion, and Beverly Meyer, Centennial Co-President. Back row, left to right: Mohamad Almouazzen, Teddy Eccles, Craig Smith, TV City spokesperson Nick Melvoin, Adeena Bleich, Annette Shapiro, Rick Chavez Zbur, Steve Gee, director Leonard Choi and Richard Pink.

In addition to Centennial Committee co-chair Beverly Meyer, speakers included: LAUSD Board of Trustees member Nick Melvoin; Fairfax Principal Leonard Choi; Adam Schiff’s district representative, Mohamad Almouazen; State Assemblyman (AD-51) Rick Chavez Flight; alumna and philanthropist Annette Shapiro; and former student and former Los Angeles Clipper Craig Smith. Also in attendance were second-generation Pink’s Hot Dogs owner Richard Pink and Adeena Bleich of Television City Community / Hackman Partners, who are co-sponsors of the centennial.

Zbur, whose district includes Fairfax High School, talked about the school’s diverse student body, which today is 60 percent Latino, 15 percent Asian/Asian Pacific Islander, 12 percent African American and 10 percent white. Melvoin emphasized that this milestone is one that few institutions achieve and noted that over the past century, Fairfax High has “produced scholars, athletes, leaders, innovators and changemakers.”

Fairfax High School Graduates

Notable alumni include: Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky; actors Demi Moore, Mila Kunis, Timothy Hutton and the late Mickey Rooney and Carole Lombard; Scooby Doo co-creator Joe Ruby; musicians Slash (Saul Hudson) and Rob Gardner of Guns N’ Roses; and James Ellroy, author of “LA Confidential.”

Several alumni include major league baseball players Barry Latman, Al Silvera, Larry Sherry and Norm Sherry.

The three-day centennial weekend will begin Friday, Sept. 6, on the school’s campus at the corner of Fairfax and Melrose avenues. Guided tours of the school, an alumni flag football contest preceding the current team’s game and fireworks will get the weekend off to a festive start.

Alumni basketball games and class reunions will be held on Saturday, September 7th during the day. Kids can participate in craft activities offered by the Craft Contemporary Museum, and everyone can enjoy taking photos with the photo booth, playing carnival games and nibbling on food from local restaurants.

An induction ceremony at the Alumni Hall of Fame Brunch will conclude the weekend’s events on Sunday, September 8.

For more information, visit fairfaxhigh100.org or email [email protected].

Labels: Adeena Bleich, Annette Shapiro, Beverly Meyer, Centennial, Craig Smith, David Zeiger, Fairfax High School, feature, featured, LAUSD, Leonard Choi, Lord Fairfax of Colonial America, Los Angeles High School, Los Angeles Unified School District, Mohamad Almouazzen, Nick Melvoin, Richard Pink, Rick Chavez-Zbur, Zev Yaroslavsky

Category: News