Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Talk About Ratty

San Juan High School, in suburban Sacramento, opened in 1913. Prior to then, there was no high school in the agricultural area that now encompasses Citrus Heights, Fair Oaks, and Orangevale. I've read, but cannot find the source now, that prior to San Juan High, anyone living "out in the sticks" and wanting to go to school past 8th grade had to go to a boarding school in Sacramento proper.

San Juan High has certainly changed in appearance and demographic since 1913. Look at the pictures from this article from the major Sacramento newspaper.

San Juan High in 1924. Note the Spanish style. How proud those farmkids must have been to attend such a beautiful campus!
San Juan High today. Who the heck thought they were making the school look better, or even more modern? It doesn't even look like the same school. In fact, could it look much worse?
Proposed San Juan High remod. Clearly getting back to its Spanish style roots.

According to the linked article it's going to cost somewhere between $23 million and $46 million dollars to overhaul what is described as the school district's "flagship campus". It remains to be seen whether or not the structural and academic redesign being discussed will contribute to a better educated student body. If nothing else, though, it will alleviate a true eyesore.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I wonder if the flagship highschool would have trouble getting funding for their football stadium.

Darren said...

According to the article, this is listed as a "possible future project":
5. Stadium remodel: $850,000

Anonymous said...

Roebbelen Contracting of El Dorado Hills, Ca has the renovation contract for San Juan High. I have seen the plans, the stadium will replicate that of the new Antelope High in the Roseville Unified HSD, and Kennedy High School in the Central District. Also Granite Bay High is getting the same stadium. Very impresive, to say the least.