Zaragoza HS History
Opened: 1960
Closed: 1964
Re-opened: 1970
Closed: 1992
Zaragoza High School was located on Zaragoza Air Base which was in northeastern Spain on the main road between Madrid and Barcelona. The school was referred to as Zaragoza American High School, Zaragoza Junior/Senior High School, and Zaragoza High School. Zaragoza American High School opened in 1960 when Zaragoza American School became two schools for the 1960-61 school year. Prior to the opening of the separate high school, Zaragoza High was part of Zaragoza Dependent School.
In March, 1956, Zaragoza Dependents’ School was first established at Ruisenores, a section of the American Armed Forces’ offices in the city. The original school was held in the building formerly occupied by the Hospital. The school then moved to a building constructed around 1950 to house orphan girls of deceased Spanish school teachers. The facility was shared by the Spanish and Americans.
The total enrollment of the first school was twenty-eight, the school's population being almost evenly distributed through grades one to eight. The only high school student was Klara Smith, a ninth grader. During the summer months several other high school pupils arrived. For the 1956-57 school year, the school was at the new school building on the Air Force Base with seventy-six pupils. In the high school there were six students: a ninth grader, four tenth graders, and one twelfth grader. With the exception of typing classes, all classes were by correspondence, from the Extension Department of the University of Nebraska, and were under the supervision of Mrs. Shanks. The yearbook stated that:
The students find Spanish their easiest subject; among their best grades are those in this subject. In addition to hearing a great deal of the language spoken accidentally, a regular part of each day's class schedule includes a Spanish conversation class taught by Senorita Redondo. Written lessons are submitted to the University of Nebraska, to establish credit in the language.
For the 1957-58 school year, Joseph McCormick was the school principal and six faculty members taught the forty-one students in grades seven through twelve. No enrollment figures have been found for the elementary grades.
Mr. Dale Clark was the principal of the Dependent School for the 1958-59 school year. There were four additional high school teachers for the seventy-five students in grades seven through twelve. The Dependent School newspaper was La Mezcla, and the school had several clubs including yearbook and Spanish. It also had its first student council. The school had a boys’ basketball team and cheerleaders. Zaragoza Dependent school had 460 students in kindergarten through grade twelve for the 1958-59 school year.
The school mascot was the Zebra until 1964, and then the teams became the Toros. The school colors were crimson and black.
When the separate high school opened, the principal was Dale Clark and there were seventeen faculty members for the 187 students in grades seven through twelve. The first yearbook, Zaragon, was published in 1961 (previously the Spain schools were in a combined yearbook). The school had numerous activities for students. The boys’ basketball team played twelve high school games and fifteen games against military squadrons from the base. There was a baseball team and cheerleaders. Clubs were established for National Honor Society, Science, Photography, and Spanish. A Letterman’s Club recognized outstanding athletes and a Pep Club supported cheerleaders and school spirit. The first high school newspaper, Zebette, published four issues.
There is a picture of the school in the 1962 yearbook on pages 2–3. Mr. Charles Johnson was the new principal, and Charles Wyche was the acting principal in the principal’s absence. The enrollment was over 220 and there were nineteen faculty members. The music program included a band and a string group, as well as a Girls’ Chorus. A Junior Red Cross group that provided items to a local orphanage was established. The junior high had its own activities including a National Junior Honor Society and a newspaper. The school held its first Academic Fair and had its first football team. The school newspaper’s name was changed to Spirit and was published weekly.
The school had its first drama production for the 1962-63 school year when the school’s drama club and the base theatre group presented The Christmas Fable at the school and base clubs. The school enrollment peaked at 240 students. For the 1963-64 school year there was a junior varsity football team and Candy Stripes provided community service. The last annual before the first closing of the school in 1964 was published.
Zaragoza Junior-Senior High School was reopened for the 1970-71 school year. The base was reactivated when Wheelus Air Base in Morocco was closed. Mr. John Middleton was the principal, and the school now had a dormitory. There were twenty faculty members for the approximately 280 students enrolled in grades seven through twelve. Cross country and wrestling were added to the athletic schedule.
For the 1971-72 school year, Zaragoza High only had students in grades eight through twelve. The five grades had almost 300 students. The principal was Mr. Peterpaul. A chess club and Future Teachers of America were added to the extracurricular activities. The next year, 1972-73, the yearbook was titled Toroscope and retained this title until the 1980s. The athletic offerings expanded to include golf, track and field, tennis, and soccer. Girls had a gymnastics program, and the Girls Athletic Association was begun. A junior high student council was started. There were eight dorm counselors for the school. Mr. Locker was the vice principal. Girls’ basketball was a traveling competitive sport beginning in the 1975-76 school year.
Mr. Lyons was principal for two years beginning the 1973-74 school year, and then Mr. Rex Burgett became the principal. The enrollment continued to rise, reaching 320 students for the 1975-76 school year. After the dorms were closed at the end of the 1976-77 school year, the enrollment dropped to under 250.
The 1976-77 yearbook highlighted the sports teams. The football and teams had their best season ever and won the Spain championship. Local sports included competitions between the “dormies” and the “daysies”.
For the 1976-77 school year, the newspaper was again renamed and became Toro Talk.
Mr. Gerald Ludwig became the school’s assistant principal for the 1980-81 school year. During the 1980s, the school’s enrollment went from a high of 250 students to 145 by the end of the decade. The drama department presented at least one production each year, including West Side Story for the 1983-84 school year.
The new administrators for the 1984-85 school year were principal Dr. Royal La Plante and vice principal Robert Marble. The school’s football and wrestling teams were champs for Spain, and the girls’ basketball team was undefeated. The school hosted a combined concert for the bands and choruses of Zaragoza, Rota, and Torrejon. Students participated in Model United Nations during the 1985-86 school year, and Mr. Joe Davis was the vice principal. Ms. Genevieve Rucker became the assistant principal for the 1987-88 school year.
The school newspaper’s name was changed one last time to The Bull for the 1989-90 school year and the yearbook had its first color photos. The new administrative team was Frank Calvano, principal, and Joseph Cardone, assistant principal. Ms. Susan Simmons was the assistant principal for the last two years of the school.
The sixth grade became part of the school for the final school year. The school was closed in 1992.
Information from AOSHS archives and school yearbooks