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La CaÒada Junior High School
 by
Molly (Busch) Brockmeyer
March 2002

    La Canada Jr. High School opened in 1950.  We were the first class to enter as 7^th graders, and we were known as ìthe first four year graduating classî.  We got to help select the school colors, team names, mascot, etc.  The principal was Mrs. Louise Tingey, and the assistant principals were Mrs. Elma Weber and Mr. Harry Whitney. 

 La Canada Jr. High School changed its name to Foothill Intermediate School and has been affectionately known as FIS.  The La Canada Unified School District closed the school to the public in 1983, and has leased out portions of the campus to private schools (K-12) since then.  The District uses the lease income for maintaining the other District schools. 

 Walking around the Jr. High nowadays, one gets mixed emotions.  Some of it looks the same ñ the quad area, the outdoor stage where we had our variety shows and 10^th grade Sr. assembly (I remember going up Angeles Crest to pick yucca to decorate the stage!), the bleachers and the fields.  At the same time, you canít help but notice all the areas taken over by pre-school play yards, wheel toys, fenced off areas, and other signs of usage by the younger set.  There is also a city Skateboard Park nestled into the area by the gym, just south of the pull-through parking area in the front of the school.  When you peek into the old cafeteria, you see only books, boxes and some desks, as itís now used as a storage area.  The District maintenance equipment is all located on the upper play area, so it is full of trucks, and machines.  The school is definitely showing its age, but there is still enough that looks the same that you canít help but get nostalgic.

 Earlier this year, a District Advisory Committee recommended to the School Board to reopen FIS for students in grades 7 ñ 8.  Those students are now located on the La Canada High School campus.  Because the reopening would have meant a Bond and a Parcel Tax election, plus major renovation work and loss of rental fees, the District voted not to reopen the school.  The facilities at the High School are very nice, featuring new science labs, a beautiful brand new Community/School library, etc.  So for now, at least, there is no ìJr. Highî as we knew it.

 If you find yourself in the area, you might want to take a walk down memory lane and check out the old school.  Iím sure you will find lots to remember.   Hopefully, when we have our next Muir í56 reunion, we can find time to have a La Canada Jr. High reunion during the same weekend.  There were some of our classmates that did not go on to Muir with us, and it would be fun to see them as well.  Letís keep in touch!


For a Photographic Synopsis Click Here
 

Molly (Busch) Brockmeyer
Biography

Molly can be reached at:
Mnbrock@aol.com

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