Recorded Spring 2004
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| Hamilton in about 1945. Photo property of the Seattle Public Schools. |
Alexander Hamilton Junior High School was built in 1926. The school's first students started class there in January of 1927. We interviewed several past Hamilton students. One of them, Al Anthony, told us a little about the school when he attended.
Al Anthony: I don't remember having the tables. I remember having bolted down desks and I don't remember actually having this many things on the wall. When I went to school it was the end of WWII and in between the Korean War...
In 1945, Hamilton was used as a bomb shelter. During bomb drills, students would move close to the inner walls of the building. Audry Palmer describes this experience.
Audry Palmer: We used to have bomb drills, but I think we just went out into the hall. ...When I was here, it was right after WWII, so we didn't think there were going to be any more wars...
In 1947, Hamilton was not a very diverse school. The students who attended the school at the time could not remember very many different racial groups, which is almost exactly the opposite of the school now. Audrey Palmer talked about the ethnicity of the student body when she attended Hamilton.
Audry Palmer: There were maybe 2 or 3 African American boys, a couple of Filipino kids, and I think that was it. ... how lucky you guys are.
Hamilton has changed drastically since its beginning – the students within the school and the school itself have changed. Most students who attended the school can only remember good things about it. We'll close with Al Anthony singing the school song.
Al Anthony:
We are loyal to the colors gold and blue..
And we will great with cheer ..
H A M I L T O N..
(Note: A small edit was made to the beginning of this recording in Winter 2007 because of an incorrect start date for Hamilton.)