Okinawa American Dependent HS History
Opened: 1952
Closed: 1957
Okinawa American Dependent High School opened for the 1952-53 school year, when the enrollment on Okinawa almost doubled that of the previous year. This school contained the sixth grade, junior high, and senior high school students from Okinawa University School. This school was composed of Quonset huts converted to classrooms. Approximately 350 students in grades 6–12 occupied these Quonsets, which were used for two decades afterward.
According to the 1953 yearbook, in 1952-53 there was such a large increase in enrollment that it was necessary to move the sixth grade, the junior high, and the high school to Kubasaki in some of the Quonsets of the Army Training School. The school also had a gymnasium and an auditorium where basketball games, school programs, and assemblies are held. Several of the clubs were discontinued this year. The first class plays of OAHS were given by the juniors in February, the seniors in April, and the sophomores in May. Another "first" for OAHS that year was the senior lounge which was opened for seniors only in December. The Student Council was organized soon after school started, and during the second semester a Student Court was used instead of the previous demerit system.
The first edition of the school paper, The Typhoon, was published on November 1, 1952. This was a mimeographed paper of four pages. On December 17, the second issue appeared in printed form for the first time in the history of OAHS. This form was continued throughout the year. Pictures were now possible. Advertisements to help pay for the cost of printing were now necessary and the staff added selling advertising to the work already necessary to publish the newspaper. The paper was printed every two weeks instead of once a month, so the news was still news when the paper came out. The newspaper was now a three-column, four- or six-page paper printed in portfolio style. A Japanese typesetter set the copy and it was printed by the Okinawan Times.
The sixth graders were justifiably proud of their own newspaper, The Oceanside. The newspaper staff was composed of three members from each section. The staff collected and edited articles by the students and prepared the format for the paper.
The sixth graders had square dance lessons in the classrooms and in the field house which had ample room for all sections to dance together. This activity culminated in a dance for sixth graders held in the Youth Center. Music for the dance was furnished by a combo from the 29th Infantry Regiment. The field house was perhaps most appreciated as a place for basketball games. At the close of the basketball season, team spirit continued high as the three sections of the sixth grade headed for the softball diamond.
In 1956, the school split into a junior high and high school. The school became Kubasaki High School in 1957.
Information from Kubasaki Alumni website and school yearbooks