Porterville High School opened in 1896. The original high school campus was actually located where Bellview Elementary School is. In 1922 a bond was passed and a new high school was built at our current location on Olive Avenue. However, that school looked a lot different than the school that we go to today, and even after the original building from this site was torn down because of earthquake damage and rebuilt as the campus that we now know and love in 1955. Still, even now things look much different than when this version of PHS was built. There have been many changes throughout the decades, and with the addition of the “H” building a few years ago and the new quad currently under construction, some alumni might find parts of our campus difficult to recognize. From lockers in most of the hallways, a panther statue in the front of the campus that our rival schools used to steal as a prank, and even a softball diamond in the middle of campus we’ve been through plenty of changes here at PHS. Here’s a look at a few:
After being stolen a number of times and found in different locations around town, the Panther was in such bad shape that only the head was salvageable. The Panther head is currently being remounted by our new Woodshop teacher. Mr. Price, and will be on display in the Administration Office once completed.The Class of 2011 gave the school this granite marker as a class gift to fill the empty space the Panther statue once occupied.
Lockers used to line the halls of our school, where students would keep their books and school supplies.In the late 90s, lockers were removed, and all that remains of them is the small concrete base where they once were.
This summer the transformation of the Quad into a much larger space has completely transformed the look of the entire school, adding an additional covered eating area and amphitheater.This summer the transformation of the Quad into a much larger space has completely transformed the look of the entire school, adding an additional covered eating area and amphitheater.
Until about 8 years ago our library had undergone very few changes. Although the South Computer Lab was added to the original building in the 60s as a Study Hall, and a fire in the 80s also caused some damage, things were pretty much the way they were in 1955 when the current library officially opened on campus.In 2015, the Library Media Center, as it is now called, was redesigned and transformed into a modern study space to prepare students for a collegiate library experience. *Look closely though the tables and chairs are the same ones that the school originally purchased for the school, and they are still in great shape!
