Tamalpais High School - History

History

Tamalpais Union High School District was founded in 1907, to serve students from the Mill Valley Elementary and Sausalito Elementary School Districts who had previously commuted to San Rafael to continue their education. Tamalpais Union High School held its first classes on August 4, 1908, in tent-like structures. The school opened with 70 students, including 40 freshmen, 21 sophomores, five juniors, and four seniors. Ernest E. Wood took the lead in founding the District and was the first principal. By its second year, there were six teachers, 100 students, and 300 volumes in the school library. By 1913–1914 enrollment had increased to 175, with 8 faculty; the library holdings had grown to 650 books plus subscriptions to eight magazines and 2 newspapers. E. E. Wood was principal for 36 years, until 1944.

Known in its early years as Tamalpais Polytechnic High School, Tam was a comprehensive high school from its beginning, with a curriculum that included both academic subjects and technical training. In an interview with the local newspaper the year before he died, Principal Wood said, "I believe the students learned by doing things, I believe in the philosophy of students getting in and doing work and accomplishing things." Architecture students designed the first building and students built several structures on the campus.