OHS Timeline

• 1906 Oceanside-Carlsbad High School opens in the two upstairs rooms of the existing Grammar School located on the present site of Oceanside High School with 20 students.  Attending from places as far as Buena, Cardiff, Carlsbad, Del Mar, Delphy, Encinitas, Green Valley, Libby, San Dieguito, San Luis Rey and Vista and other then named places that were in existence at the turn of the century. 
• 1907 Two bronze statues of President George Washington and Abraham Lincoln acquired from the San Diego County courthouse and placed near the entrance of the high school.
• 1909 First graduating class of 5 students: Marguerite Brannen, Ramona Rieke, Sybil Spencer, Edith Cotterel, and Eunice Everett. The first yearbook was named the Nautilus.
• 1912 The yearbook was named the “Green and White.”
• 1913 District votes for a $20,000 bond issue to erect a building of four classrooms, a study hall, a ground floor office and a Home Economics room in the basement. There were 55 students, a principal and 3 teachers.
• School district included territory south of Encinitas and extended to the San Diego City limits, including Vista.
• 1920 Science building constructed at a cost of $17,500. It housed the chemistry, physics, homemaking and girls’ physical education classes.
• 1921 5 ½ acres purchased east of the buildings. An auditorium and double rows of classrooms extending north built at a bonded cost of $80,000
• 1922 Students from their class and years surrounding shared the joy of the “Dinky” or “Ding Dong”, a nicknamed Santa Fe railway train on which students commuted to and from school from Del Mar and other coastal towns.
• 1924 First Oceanside-Carlsbad school newspaper printed by the Blade Tribune and was known as the “O-C Hi Tide.”  This was sold in supplement to the Blade newspaper.  Later the name was changed to the “O-C Campus” and later still, the “Driftwood.”
• 1925 East wing built including a library. They used the building as a gymnasium and auditorium.
• 1926 Basketball, baseball and football teams were established.  Eight football games were scheduled that year.  At that time, the archrival was the Escondido “Grape Pickers.”
• 1927 First year, Oceanside High School formed an orchestra
• 1933 The yearbook was named the Pirateer
• 1934 Oceanside-Carlsbad Junior College department was added. All college classes were held in the high school classrooms.
• 1935 Earthquake damaged the west wing. Students attended school in 10 large military type tents with wood floors, but no heat or electricity.
• 1936-1937 Coastal towns and Vista formed their own districts except for Carlsbad. New high school built in Encinitas. First class to graduate from San Dieguito in the La Paloma Theatre in 1936.
• 1937 Work completed on west wing.
• 1938 First graduation class of Vista
• 1939 Home Economics building built.
• 1940 Machine and Carpenter shop constructed.
• 1941 The yearbook, “The Pirateer,” dedicated to the youth of America “in whose hands rests the destiny of our country.  May they hold fast to the heritage which is theirs and uphold the democratic way of life.”
• 1942 The World War II years.  The roof of the west wing school became a lookout for spotting enemy aircraft.  Interested private citizens spent many an hour on patrol, looking through binoculars from their roof-top lean to.
• 1945 Athletics and school spirit reached a new high.  The Pirates were undefeated in football and basketball and so were their respective junior varsity and “B” teams.
• 1948 New gymnasium built.
• 1949 Locker and shower rooms built.
• 1953 New arts and industrial arts building constructed.
• 1954 The Oceanside-Carlsbad Junior College wing was built adjacent to the OC campus. Day and evening courses were held.
• 1955 District library built
• 1957 Carlsbad students had classes in basement of the OHS.
• 1958 Carlsbad formed their own district. Carlsbad students moved to the new Carlsbad High School in January
• 1963 Oceanside Pirates Varsity Football team won first ever CIF championship.
• 1965 In May, the Oceanside Carlsbad Junior College was dedicated on land in eastern Oceanside on what was once land owned by the famed Olympic ice skater and actress Sonjia Henie. The official name of the college was changed to MiraCosta College. OHS alumna, Gloria Bedwell Carranza, ASB President of the college submitted this new name for consideration and the name was selected. Years later, Gloria served on the Board of Trustees at MiraCosta for many years and in 2015, was inducted into the OHS Hall of Fame in the area of Community Service.

• 1967 The Vietnam War uniquely impacted the population of Oceanside as had World War II and the Korean War due to the proximity of Camp Pendleton.  Population of the city nearly doubled between 1960 and 1967 with most growth in the age range of families with school-aged children.
• 1967 OHS went to split sessions to alleviate overcrowding.
• Armand Selinger, an OHS alum from the class of 1936 retired after serving the longest continuous tenure (1953-1967) as principal.  Prior to his selection as principal, Mr. Selinger had from 1946 served as an art teacher, counselor, and dean of boys.
• 1968 Don Holton succeeded Mr. Selinger as principal and held that position for 13 years, the second longest tenure as principal in the school's history.         
• 1971 Graduation saw the end of open campus. Fences installed.
• 1972 January, new Oceanside High School East opened with Juniors and Seniors attending East and Freshmen and Sophomores attending West.
• 1973 Title IX implemented, beginning CIF sanctioned sports for girls at Oceanside High School.  Beginning with girls’ tennis and basketball and soon followed by softball, volleyball and field hockey.
• 1975 Oceanside High School Varsity football team won the CIF Championship.  This had not been done in 12 years.
• 1976 Oceanside East renamed El Camino High School
• 1976 The split into two separate high schools made an immediate change in the football program.  With the smaller student body and fewer athletes to field, the OHS invincible reputation temporarily suffered.
• 1977 Girls tennis won CIF.  Boys’ soccer won the Avocado League Championship.
• 1978 Senior pictures first presented in the yearbook in color.
• 1978 The Advanced Placement Program was begun, which enabled students to earn college credits while attending high school.  Funds for a school improvement program was applied for and granted.  This program sponsored many positive things including a communication center and lab.
• 1980 The boys’ basketball team won the Avocado League championship for 4 straight years, from 1980-1985
• 1980 ROP (Regional Occupation Program) classes taught on campus offering high school and adult skills in the medical, computer and other fields.
• 1984 Academic League was formed in 1984 with student teams competing against like teams from other area high schools.  This helped to increase the respect for Oceanside High School academic abilities.  Recognition was earned for OHS by the excellent ROTC program.  The unit won the Commandant of the Marine Corps Award, it’s highest honor.
• 1986 OHS celebrated its 80th anniversary under the leadership of OHS alumni including OHS principal Brian Sullivan who served in the school’s top position from 1984-1992 and graduated from OHS in 1963.  Celebration events included a downtown homecoming parade with alum, Jack White, popular San Diego newscaster as grand marshal and a gala held at Plaza Camino Real.
• 1986 The OHS Foundation was established.
• Friday, Oct. 31, 1986, OHS beat ECHS for the first time in Varsity football. With Junior Seau at their helm and it was a slaughter. It was ECHS first homecoming game on their own field. (From June “the mascot” Floyd-Blair)
• 1995 Oceanside Pirates football team defeated Mission Bay High School by a score of 31 to 20 at Jack Murphy Stadium to achieve the CIF Division III Championship.  The season record was 12-1.  This fete had not been achieved in 20 years!
• March 2000 – $125 million bond issue passed by the Oceanside residents under the spearheading efforts of OHS alum, class of 1963, Larry Hatter.
• October 2002 – The new, $12 million science and technology building was completed along with the renovated library, courtyard, administration building. Other existing buildings were also renovated such as senior hall and gymnasium.
• March 29, 2006 – Oceanside High, along with El Camino and the area Middle Schools were closed Thursday and Friday due to student demonstrations.  OHS students joined El Camino high school students protesting against proposed illegal immigration reforms.  They marched to the beach band shell chanting, “Viva Mexico”, waving Mexican flags.  The combined group numbered 300-400 students.
• April 29, 2006 – The renovated gymnasium is re-dedicated as the Wally Molifua Memorial Gymnasium, named for the first person of Samoan heritage to teach in the OUSD
• April 2006 – The district gave the OK to its architect to begin drafting plans for a performing arts center that would feature a 550-seat auditorium, along with classroom spaces for instrumental, choral and drama classes.
• September 2006 – The OHS 100 anniversary centennial celebration was coordinated under the leadership of Pat Kimbrel (OHS athletic director) and Glenda Bedwell Kimbrel (OHS class of 1968 and counselor at OHS).  This celebration included a campus open house, the first OHS Foundation Hall of Fame Induction ceremony and a gala dinner dance held at Camp Pendleton with 1,200 people in attendance.
• The Pirateer yearbook theme, “Then and Now” in honor of the grand centennial year.  Student quote: “Though our original buildings and founders do not remain, our Pirate Pride still lives on and will continue to grow through the centuries.”
• 2007 OHS Library climate-controlled archive room dedicated exclusively to yearbooks, pirate memorabilia and books written by OHS alumni.
• 2007 yearbook features a tribute to OHS 100 years of trophies for band, surfing, ROTC, and much more.  Thousands of trophies and accomplishments represented.
• 2007 The 2nd Annual OHS Foundation Hall of Fame
• 2008 Pirateer annual celebrates OHS diversity.  Extreme sports, like skateboarding, surfing and motor cycle racing and stunts highlighted.  Robotics club competition also featured as a new addition.
• 2008 The 3rd Annual OHS Foundation Hall of Fame 
• 2009 OHS wins CIF and State Championship in football
• 2009 The 4th Annual OHS Foundation Hall of Fame 
• 2010 The 5th Annual OHS Foundation Hall of Fame 
• May 2010 Janeth Lopez (Class of 2010) wins Gates Millennium Scholarship which is an academic scholarship awarded to high achieving ethnic minority students in the United States to fully fund the recipient’s higher education.
• 2011 The new stadium celebration theme: “Out with old and in with the new,” as the new and improved Simcox Field is opened. “The dynasty will flourish as athletics continue to be OHS’s great legacy.
• September 2011 The Junior Seau Foundation gives OHS a $25,000 grant to build an obstacle training course on campus
• 2011 The 6th Annual OHS Foundation Hall of Fame 
• 2012 The 7th Annual OHS Foundation Hall of Fame 
• December 2012 NFL QB Drew Brees, through his Brees Dream Foundation, awarded a $55,000 grant to the OHS Athletics program honoring Junior Seau after his untimely death in May 2012. The amount derived from Seau’s number with the SD Chargers, which was 55.
• 2012 The yearbook theme: Changes through time highlights the school’s history from 1906 to the present.  Very well-presented contrasts with cheer uniforms of the late 60’s to the present. Band then and now, orchestra then and now, mascots then and now, the Oceanside pier then and now.  Excellent historical effort! Many of the seniors’ pictures have the guys dressed in black and white tuxedos and the gals in black shoulder drapes.  A “throwback” to a classy era!
• 2013 The 8th Annual OHS Foundation Hall of Fame 
• May 2013 Will Tate (Class of 2013) wins Gates Millennium Scholarship
• 2014 Student population:  564 Freshman, 535 Sophomores, 432 Juniors, 365 Seniors.  22 alumni of OHS now on campus as staff from classes of the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s.
• 2014 Reunion on campus of the 1968-1969 winning men’s basketball team and their coach, Bill Wagner for the re-hanging of their CIF banner in the gym.  All old CIF banners were replaced with new replacement to compliment the renovated gymnasium. 
• August 4, 2014 –the film “The Legacy of Oceanside High School” produced by KOCT was featured at the 2014 Oceanside International Film Festival, sponsored by the Oceanside Cultural Arts Foundation
•  2014 The 9th Annual OHS Foundation Hall of Fame 
• October 24, 2014 Oceanside High honors Junior Seau (1969-2012) presenting his parents with his retired #11 OHS Pirate jersey.
• December 8, 2014 Oceanside High Stadium officially named after longtime football Coach John Carroll, who announces his retirement after 26 years.
• December 2014 Pirate football wins Southern California CIF Championship as No. 1 team in San Diego County but loses the State Championship game to Northern California Champion Folsom High School.
• 2015 The 10th Annual OHS Foundation Hall of Fame 
• 2015 OHS Varsity football under the leadership of coach John Carrol achieved all-time best 13 San Diego Section titles, 2 state championships in 2007 and 2009.  Carrol won 76.7 percent of games coached and made 22 straight trips to Section Semifinals 11 times straight, taking OHS to CIF
• May 2015 Saul Sandoval (Class of 2015) wins Gates Millennium Scholarship
• May 2015 OHS’s new Band Room renamed “Mark Phelps Music Room” after Mark Phelps, who retires in June 2015 after 33 years at OHS as music instructor and band director. Mr. Phelps is an OHS Alum from Class of 1971 and 2016 Inductee to the OHS Hall of Fame.
• In June 2015, OHS head football Coach John Carroll retires from 26 years of coaching. He is named Grand Marshall in the 21st Annual Oceanside Independence Day Parade on June 27, 2015
• August 8, 2015, Junior Seau (Class of 1987) is inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in Canton, OH (posthumously). He is the first player from Oceanside High and the first player of Polynesian descent.
• 2016 The 11th Annual OHS Foundation Hall of Fame
• 2016 Golden Football Ceremony on campus.  One of the more unique ways the NFL celebrated Super Bowl 50 was by sending a golden football to every high school in the world that had produced a player or coach who had appeared in a Super Bowl.  OHS is one of those schools.  Oceanside celebrated its 16th CIF football championship along with receiving the two special footballs.  One for Joe Salavea who played for the Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV and Junior Seau, Super Bowl XXIX and XLII.
• 2017 Yearbook honors in memory the passing of beloved teacher/coach, Pulee Poumele in 2016.
• September 30, 2017 Grand opening of the New Performing Arts Center.  Oceanside High School Foundation and Alumni Association, led by Pat and Glenda Kimbrel coordinated an alumni concert in conjunction with the present OHS Choral groups.  Band leader and clarinet player extraordinaire, alum, Ted Calcara was a Hall of Fame inductee in 2008.  He had pledged to return to campus when the performing arts center was completed.  He led a marvelous group of OHS alumni in performing at the opening of the new center.
• 2017 The 12th Annual OHS Foundation Hall of Fame, in the new OHS Performing Arts Center
• 2018 The 13th Annual OHS Foundation Hall of Fame 
• 2018 OHS Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial completed and located by the flagpole near the entrance to the library.  Dale Kelley, Class of 1962 spearheaded this event and was the Master of Ceremonies for the dedication ceremony.
• 2018 OHS students trained with the (CERT) Community Emergency Response Team program.  This program educates volunteers about disaster preparedness.
• 2019 The 14th Annual OHS Foundation Hall of Fame 
• October, 2019 Dee Archer, Class of 1967 alum and one of this year’s Hall of Fame inductees performed her one woman show in the Performing Arts Center. 
• 2019 17th Title in football with the CIF Division I Championship.
• March 2020 Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in California over the Covid-19 pandemic.  Less than two weeks later, schools across the state were shuttered, including Oceanside High School. Students and staff went to on-line learning.
• 2020 Meals were provided for students for pick up on campus on Tuesdays and Thursday in the parking lot.
• 2020 Extensive campus refurbishment was accomplished as students and staff were off campus with distance learning.
• 2020 The OHS Foundation Hall of Fame was cancelled because of the pandemic.
• 2021 Oceanside during Covid from the Pirateer yearbook:  wearing masks / social distancing / washing hands – school registration takes on a whole new look.  Photos of administrators in the yearbook were masked, and teachers were shown seated at their computer screens teaching students.
• 2021 Black Lives Matter protests were featured in the 2021 yearbook.
• 2021 Beloved former basketball and swim coach, Bill Wagner passes.  The new City of Oceanside Aquatic Center is named in his honor.
• 2021 Captain Fred Armijo, OHS class of 1989, named Chief of Oceanside Police Department.
• 2021 The 15th Annual OHS Foundation Hall of Fame recognized the 2020-2021 inductees.  Newest OHS principal, Skylar Garrahy is introduced at Hall of Fame ceremony.


This is a work in progress. If you have any important dates to add, please email Laurie Nelson Boone (Class of 1968) at historian@ohsfoundation.org.