By Sara Ballenger

Photo by Monique Schoenfeld, Town Crier

The Mountain View-Los Altos Union High School District celebrated both its future and its past this last Thursday at the dedication of the new $2.6 million library at Mountain View High, coupled with the district’s centennial celebration.

“It’s a place with a long and good history,” said Rich Fischer, superintendent. “To open a new library at the same time, and to celebrate at the same time, seemed appropriate. It’s a real honor for the community.”

More than 300 people from the district and community were treated to lunch in the main quad at the high school, with a view of the new library. The library is part of the district’s $58 million facilities renovation plan now nearing completion.

The Mountain View High Marching Band played patriotic tunes, signaling guests into the new library for a tour, library dedication and a bit of a history lesson.

Guest speakers included Fischer, former board member Martin Spangler, Judy Hannemann, president of the board of trustees, and Cass Chen, student body president at Mountain View High.

“It’s really exciting to have it open,” said George Kaufer, manager of Vanir Construction, which worked on the project. “It’s got a lot of exciting features. It’s a top-rated facility.”

The smells of new carpet and paint mingled with the history of what had gone before. A collection of yearbooks from each decade, going back to 1915, were proudly displayed on new wooden bookshelves. Also on display was a board record book from 1892.

“Steve Hope (associate superintendent) and I found the minutes from before the turn of the century,” said Fischer. “The minutes are all hand written. You can see the action they took to form the district and build Mountain View High School.”

Mountain View High School and the district have gone through several incarnations since the school began.

“Back in 1901, the people decided that we should have a high school,” said Spangler.

According to the board minutes, the first bond issue to pass for building a high school in the Mountain View-Los Altos area was for $7,000, in January 1902. The vote passed 95 votes to 5, according to the minutes.

“In 1902, the original high school (Mountain View) was built. The school opened with 19 students and by the end of the year had 26 students,” said Spangler.

Mountain View’s school colors of blue and gray were taken from the Civil War, and their mascot was the eagle, Spangler said.

“Now our sister school, Los Altos, has our school colors and our mascot,” Spangler said. Mountain View’s school colors are now black and gold and their mascot a Spartan.

“In 1922 the Castro Street location was purchased, and the bond was issued for construction and 20-acres for $197,000,” he said. “It was a two-story structure, completed in 1924.”

It wasn’t until 1948 that the district purchased property on Almond Avenue for what would become Los Altos High School.

“The 30 acres on Almond Avenue were purchased to the tune of $105,000,” he said. “The community was going to recall the board for making such a decision.”

In 1960, the Mountain View Union School District was renamed to include Los Altos, Fischer said.

“You get a new group of students every year, so there is this constant turnover of people,” Hope said.

“It’s constantly changing, yet the district is still here providing quality education. It’s nice to have that sense of connection and community.”