Torrance High School

Torrance High School
Address
2200 W. Carson Street
Torrance, California 90501
United States
Coordinates 33°49′45″N 118°19′16″W / 33.82925°N 118.3211661°W / 33.82925; -118.3211661Coordinates: 33°49′45″N 118°19′16″W / 33.82925°N 118.3211661°W / 33.82925; -118.3211661
Information
Type Public
Established September 11, 1917
Principal Karim Girgis
Faculty 91
Enrollment 2,257
Color(s) Maroon and Gray
Nickname Tartars
Information +1 310 533-4396
Torrance School

Facade of Torrance High School
Area 1 acre (0.40 ha)
Built 1925
Architectural style Renaissance
MPS Torrance High School Campus TR
NRHP Reference # 83003542[1]
Added to NRHP October 13, 1983

Torrance High School is a high school located in Torrance, California. Founded in 1917, it is one of the oldest high schools in continuous use in California and is the oldest of the four high schools in the Torrance Unified School District. Four of its buildings are listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

Torrance High School is a popular filming location for television and motion picture production. It is most widely known for its appearance in high-profile television shows, including Beverly Hills, 90210 and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. It is the alma mater of broadcaster Paul Moyer, Medal of Honor recipient Ted Tanouye, World War II prisoner of war Louis Zamperini, and professional golfer Angela Park.

Torrance High once held an international soccer match between the United States and Canada at the 1991 North American Nations Cup.

School history

Torrance High School first opened on September 11, 1917 under the jurisdiction of the Los Angeles Unified School District as a combination high school and elementary school to accommodate the area's rapid post-World War I growth brought on by the regions petroleum industry and iron works, as well as the Pacific Electric Railway expansion.

Torrance High's first commencement ceremony took place June 18, 1918, during which three female students received their diplomas. In 1947 Torrance Unified School District—TUSD was formed but was not certified for a high school. During the school year of fall 1946 to summer 1947. Torrance High School became part of the Redondo Union High School District. Torrance High has a series of underground bomb shelters located throughout the school, dating back from the Cold War era. The very first graduating high school class from TUSD was the Class of 1948. In 2009, 97% of Torrance High's students passed the CAHSEE exam.[2]

Demographics

In 2013-2014 school year, Torrance High had an enrollment of 2,142.[3]

The average gross income of Torrance High's ZIP code (90501) is $46,839.[4]

Campus

The 1923 "Senior Patio" behind the THS Main Building. The distinctive Mediterranean Revival style façade of the Main Building is a filming location for many shows.

Torrance High has over 100 classrooms; a library; access to site, district, and county media resources; five computer labs; at least one computer per classroom; two gyms; and local athletic fields.

The Main Building 1917 with the 1921 'L wing' additions, the Senior Patio, the 1921 original Science Building—current Home Economics Building, the Streamline Moderne style 1937 Auditorium, and the first 1923 Torrance Elementary School, now referred to as the Annex: are all listed on the National Register of Historic Places (in 1983). These were Torrance's first such landmark listings. In 1921 a scenic Spanish Colonial Revival glazed tile fountain and Mexican Saltillo tile patio was added to Torrance High's Mediterranean Revival style Main Building, along with the attached 'L wing' expansion. The patio area is frequently seen in Beverly Hills, 90210, has been known for decades as the "Senior Patio," and is traditionally off-limits to underclassmen. The Main Building received a major exterior restoration and interior modernization in the late 1970s and is the campus building most often seen on film.

The Long Beach earthquake (magnitude 6.4) on March 10, 1933, left its mark on the campus. The quake destroyed the upper part of the original auditorium and caused the ground near it to sink several feet. The area was nicknamed the "Sunken Garden" until rebuilt. The landmark auditorium replacing it was built in 1937 as a Works Progress Administration project while the elevated administrative offices were added in 1962.[5]

The Ted T. Tanouye Memorial is located directly across from THS. Tanouye, class of 1938, was a technical sergeant in the US Army's 442nd Regimental Combat Team who was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously. The memorial was dedicated in 2004 on the 60th anniversary of the Tanouye's heroic acts during World War II.

Filming history

Torrance High's unique architecture and relative proximity to Hollywood Studios make it an ideal filming location for major television programs and motion pictures. Its credits include:

Television
Movies

Activities

The Torrance High Marching Band, in the Torrance Armed Forces Day Parade.

Torrance High has had a long successful athletic history winning many league titles in the current Pioneer League and also in the past Bay League.

Historic records

Latest achievements

The Girls Softball team was CIF Champions 2014-2015.

As an unofficial tradition, Torrance High has been known for many of its graduates enlisting with the U.S. military, particularly the Marine Corps. Many alumni have gone on to become professional players, some before they even graduated. Deon Thompson graduated in 2006, and went on to play Basketball for UNC as a Forward.[8] Angela Park became a professional golfer in April before her graduation in 2006,[9] and went on to tie for second place in the LPGA US Women's Open of 2007.[10]

Student groups are a significant part of student life, with service clubs like UNICEF and KIWIN'S, and academic groups such as Model United Nations and United States Academic Decathlon serving many interests. Cultural clubs are also available for students interested in another nationality's culture. The largest clubs at Torrance High by average attendance are CSF, Kiwins, UNICEF, Bible Club, KCC (Korean Culture Club), KFCC (Filipino Club) all averaging between 50-100 students each month.

Academics

View of the THS main campus: the Science Building and two refurbished greenhouses on the right; the Band room and WPA Auditorium on the left.

The school's alma mater is set to the ballad "Annie Lisle."

The Torrance High Library is on the first floor, with multimedia classrooms up on the second level.

Torrance High offers 65,700 instructional minutes on a yearly basis and has nine minimum days for testing and/or staff development.

In 2004, Torrance High instated its Schoolwide Academic Goals in an effort to raise its education standards. Comprising an acronym of the mascot's name, they outline goals of technical competency and other standards.[11] Every year, about 50% of the seniors attend community colleges after graduating.

Notable alumni

Zamperini Stadium at Torrance High School

Military

Entertainment

Sports

References

  1. ↑ National Park Service (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  2. ↑ Ashley, Keric. "SUSPENSION OF THE CALIFORNIA HIGH SCHOOL EXIT EXAMINATION". California Department of Education.
  3. ↑ "Torrance High Student Body Demographics". Los Angeles Times.
  4. ↑ City-data.com: Zip code 90501
  5. ↑ Troppozada, Toussan R. (1989). "Earthquake Planning Scenario". California Geology. Archived from the original on 2006-11-13. Retrieved 2007-01-23.
  6. ↑ Like Totally 80s Blog: "Interview with director Keva Rosenfeld" — about filming All American High and All American High Revisited at Torrance High.
  7. ↑ Thorpe, David (June 7, 2014). "Torrance baseball captures first CIF title". The Daily Breeze.
  8. ↑ "Deon Thompson". Scout Hoops Experts. 2007. Retrieved 2008-03-14.
  9. ↑ Beers, Joel (March 2006). "Rising Stars". Southland Golf Magazine. Retrieved 2008-03-14.
  10. ↑ Hack, Damon (2007-05-18). "Park Feels Right at Home Among Sybase Leaders". The New York Times. Retrieved 2007-06-02.
  11. ↑ S.W.A.G. at Torrance High. January 31, 2007.
  12. ↑ World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame. Retrieved January 23, 2007. Archived December 29, 2006, at the Wayback Machine.
  13. ↑ MOH Citation for Ted Tanouye. Retrieved January 23, 2007.
  14. ↑ . Retrieved July 29, 2010.
  15. ↑ "Fred Kendall Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  16. ↑ "Jason Kendall Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  17. ↑ "Justin Miller Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  18. ↑ "Player Bio: Dion Thompson". Carolina: Men's Basketball. CSTV Networks, Inc. and the University of North Carolina. Retrieved 2007-10-14.
  19. ↑ "Bart Johnson Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
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