George Washington Preparatory High School Brief History: Taking Flight
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- Опубликовано: 14 июн 2024
- George Washington Preparatory High School Brief History: Taking Flight
In the unincorporated southwest community of Westmont (South LA / South Central), you’ll find a wide-spreading campus that, just under a century ago, was home to a one-of-a-kind aviation program for high school students.
Today we’re looking at a brief history of Washington Preparatory High School, and we’ll also take a look at how this local high school jumpstarted development in Southwest Los Angeles.
Clarification: Ice Cube attended George Washington High School (at least for the 9th grade), but didn't graduate from the school.
CHAPTERS
0:00 Intro
0:47 Building George Washington High School
1:41 Aviation at George Washington High School
3:58 Washington in the 80s
5:35 Present Day at Washington
Info that didn't make the cut in the brief history:
- In March of 1933, a devastating earthquake destroyed several buildings across Los Angeles County. In that, a series of buildings at George Washington High School were damaged, resulting in $200,000 of damages, cracking firewalls, towers, the cafeteria, and extensive damage to the original school building.
- Later that year, George Washington High School graduated its largest class at the time, 380 students.
- George Washington Preparatory High School was a home to a rising and award-winning arts program. It’s theater program became acclaimed, becoming a community event venue in Southwest Los Angeles. And it’s glee clubs captivated crowds.
More Washington Prep Alumni
Gino Jones and Jamin Butler, founders of Black Coffee Company - lastandardnewspaper.com/index...
UCLA Football Player Jim McElroy IV - lasentinel.net/local-legend-j...
WNBA Player Reshanda Gray - lasentinel.net/student-athlet...
Clarification: Ice Cube attended George Washington High School (at least for the 9th grade), but didn't graduate from the school.
Great Job as usual Eric! Fun Fact- WPHS is the original home of the famous "Throwing up the W" hand sign that now symbolizes the entire West Coast. It started as a sign of solidarity on the sidelines and in the stands at football games. And Oshay Jackson didn't attend... you just think he did cause his entire persona came from Generals he knew (he lived up the street but went to Hollywood High)
Thanks for sharing that. It’s really cool to see how powerful the culture is at Washington. The W fact is pretty interesting too.
And you’re right, I assumed Jackson graduated. I found a couple of sources that said he attended briefly, but him hanging around many generals holds up. But with all of that, thanks for adding this! I can only share so much. Real experiences like yours really help everyone learn more about the region.
@@SouthLARecap Oshea did attend Washington for a short while but he was later bused and graduated from Taft High School.
Ice Cube went to Taft bro not Hollywood High
My First Elders Grandson is giving this news . 🙏🏽
One of my most proud moments was breaking the GWHS record in the triple jump, held by JAMES LOFTON. His record was 48'-8". I broke it with a leap of 50'-6" in 1977!
I sure that I know you!
O’shea did attend for a short while but later was bused and graduated from Taft High School. And to add to the list Yolanda Whitaker rapper “YoYo” and Johnny Jackson (RIP) Producer of Tupac’s Makaveli Album, Rapper Candyman, some of Da Lynch Mob crew just to add a few more.
Thanks for adding these and clarifying O’Shea attendance. This is a great list
You on to something with these inner city school video's keep up the good work
Thanks, Rodney. I really appreciate it. My goal is to have a brief history on all of the original South La High Schools. Really glad you're enjoying it!
I graduated from Washouse in 2001 when Margarite Poindexter Lamotte was principle there RIP GWPHS still do outside graduation ceremonies we graduated on the football field in 01 I’m 40 now still drive past and be like it felt like it was yesterday when I had that royal blue cap & gown on man I lost many classmates and some still alive today RIP to the ones who ain’t here with us GENERALS!
I always love hearing anything about Southwest. My dad, H. Eugen Johnson was a much beloved counselor there for many years. Thank you so much for the walk down memory lane and I learned some new history as well. Keep up the good work.
Thanks so much, Tracy! This means a lot. That’s so cool your dad was able to help so many students there!
As a proud graduate from Washington high School! I thank you for the history lesson, keep up the good work.
Sandra! Thank you so much for this note. This honestly means a lot coming from a General alum! I’m really looking forward to telling more stories about the region. Thanks again for your support!
Good job! I took a class in aeronautics there in 1959. Learned about flight, aircraft instruments, "flew" a link trainer. Also had my first flight in a chartered Cessna from Hawthorn airport. The teacher, Mr. Benifield flew next to us in his own cessna. First black students came in 1958. I graduated Summer 1959.
Tom, thank you so much for sharing this! This is so cool to hear about this history directly from a source. That program sounds amazing! Feel free to share more stories for any users who might browse through these comments. Thanks again for watching!
Tom, thanks for sharing your story. I am a member of the class of '72. I lived on 112th and Van Buren. There was a man who lived a couple of doors away from me who would be around your age named Sonny (don't recall his last name) who lived all his life on that street up until that time and had attended WHS. Sonny was a sheet metal worker and would fabricate the fire walls and pans of the original funny cars. Top drag racers of that time would come to his garage to have work done. Perhaps you may have know him?
I went to Dorsey high graduated in 1961. I remember Washington being almost all white wow Dorsey may have been 50% White, 20 Asian and 30 black. In case anybody wonders I favor closing all government schools... separation of state and education completely. School is how everybody ends up brainwashed by the government. As George Carlin said smart enough to run the machines and fill out the paperwork but not smart enough to figure how bad they're getting screwed.
Cool, fascinating to learn aviation was offered over there. Ifinance my own flight training eventually became a commercial pilot with instrument and instructor ratings.
I enjoy your videos very much. I grew up in the Baldwin hills village Green 1943 to 1960 then attended Baldwin hills elementary, Audubon Junior high and Dorsey high.
My son, who’s about to start High School on Monday, attended Baldwin Hills Elementary once I moved into the village green across the street. Great school. When I moved back toward the Hyde Park/Vermont Corridor areas, I kept him in there. He finished in the beginning of the pandemic so he wasn’t able to experience the culmination.
Thank you for your comments. It's been nearly 75 years since I went there. One thing sure, the school is conveniently located for the VG. I lived in court 1 which was only a healthy and scenic walk away from Baldwin Hills. Last time I visited, I was saddened by the appearance of gates and high security that were not there during my years there. I've also come to believe public education to be a form of social control and suppression, more than a method of enlightenment and independent thinking, just as much in my day as your son's. I don't have children, but if I did, I would not enroll them in public school or a private imitation thereof. Nonetheless, a shame what they unnecessarily did to spoil your son's matriculation. Wishing you both all the best. @@j2skillful
Graduated from Washington in 1970, and I never knew the history to this level. Awesome job. Some other notable graduates are Rose Royce, Barbara Billingsly (Leave it to Beaver), Teresa Graves, and Esther Williams.
Thanks for sharing this list of alumni!
I always learn something knew after watching your videos. Great work!
Love your videos detailing the history of LA
Gotta do George Washington Carver Middle School when you get the chance
Keep going !
Thanks, Jr. Looks like Carver is in historic South Central, so I’m curious if the California Eagle captured some good stories around it. Should be interesting!
Other notible alumni from George Washington Preparatory High School are Raphael Cherry (star quarterback of the University of Hawaii), Fabien Cooper (state record holder in the quarter mile sprint in 1982), Hugh McElhenny (great running back for the San Francisco Forty Niners), Stanley Tookie Williams (after leaving Fremont High School), Jody Watley (singer and Soul Train dancer), Two members of the group Rose Royce, Actress Teresa Graves (Get Christi Love), Eva Marcille (1st black winner of America's Top Model), Clarence Davis (running back from USC and Oakland Raiders (1971 to 1978)), Wendy Raquel Robinson (stars in The Steve Harvey Show), etc...
Thanks for adding these, Jerome! It’s so cool to learn about the amazing things people have done after they graduated from this school.
@@SouthLARecap and to add to the list Yolanda Whitaker rapper “YoYo” and Johnny Jackson (RIP) Producer of Tupac’s Makaveli Album, Rapper Candyman, some of Da Lynch Mob crew and some.
Hello Jerome, all the original members of Rose Royce(except the female singer) attended George Washington Preparatory High School.
@@MrGkdrums Thanks! I thought all went to Bret Harte Junior High, then two went to George Washington Preparatory High School and the other two went to Locke High School. Thanks for the correction. I appreciate it.
@@jeromewhite7570 You're welcome! I really hate to correct anyone, but in this case I was in the school band with them. Thanks for sharing all the other information of well known people from Washington Preparatory High School to.
Eric, I just watched this again. You jogged a memory about Black students. There was an adjustment to the district boundaries in 1958 for the purpose of bringing in more Black kids. I just looked at the photo of my B football team when I was in the 11th grade and there were 4 black kids on that team. The next year, 1959, when I graduated Gil Garcetti was the class president.
Dope!!
I went to Wash from 2005 to 2009
Graduated and all
I remember those bad ass kids always turning on the buzzers and fighting
Love the videos Eric! You gotta do Jefferson high and LA high when you get the chance!
Thank you, Rocky! I’ll keep these in mind moving forward. There’s so much history behind every LA high school!
My bad Eric! I typed that LA and Jefferson comment but my friend was signed into his account on my phone haha. But yes every school has rich cultural history. Fun fact: one of my great grandpas went to Jefferson high back in the 20s and I was shocked to see white students in this old yearbook. It’s crazy looking at these historic LA high schools like Washington, LA, and Belmont and seeing white students in the yearbook archives 😂
@@tylerboulware3468 right! And it’s like you would never know about that unless you really dig deep. But I’ll look into Jefferson, though. And feel free to comment any time if any other things sound interesting to you!
@@SouthLARecap sweet! Absolutely
The school actually looks nice considering it’s on the corner of Normandie. It’s well maintained, no graffiti or trash. Also for the past couple of years, they’ve posted pictures of the graduates around the school. I won’t speak too fondly of the school though because they were our rivals in high school.😏
I don’t Remus havin a rival who was that??? I went to the Prep
Wow, I didn’t know about the history of Washington H.S. I thought it was built a few years before Crenshaw and was principally devoted to accept students kicked out of other schools. I quest I got it mixed up with Locke High School. Thanks for the correction.did you know that Manual Arts was the second High School ever built in Los Angeles after the original L.A High School was built in Downtown?
Actually the school for students being disciplined was Jacob Riis. My cousin got kicked out of Hollywood High for a year and ended up there.
Graduated '02. PREPPPP!!!!!!!!!!!
WASH -HOUSE Generals . Class of 2003 . Once a General always a General.
I’d love to learn more about John C Fremont
Already got you covered :)! ruclips.net/video/1gybSaJ098Q/видео.html
Class 2021 period
This is super cool. Every so often I'll meet an older white individual about 80 or so who will talk about south LA. Everything from where they went to school and it's really interesting to hear and see how the demographics have changed.
It’s insane. Literally a different world
Seems like their children and grandchildren are moving back in the area. I think some of them are part of this gentrification wave we’re getting in South L.A. 🤔
Do George Washington carver middle school on Vernon and McKinley
It’s on my todo list this year. Stay tuned!
Freshman 1986
Class of 09’
Cube went to Taft
Class of 91