Washburn High School in Minneapolis turning 100 years old with celebration

Minneapolis high school turns 100 years old

The high school with the largest enrollment in Minneapolis Public Schools, which opened its doors in September 1925, will celebrate its 100th birthday with events coming up this weekend.

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A south Minneapolis educational staple is celebrating its centennial.

‘Pretty exciting’

What we know:

For a century, Washburn High school has been a fixture in the Tangletown neighborhood of south Minneapolis.

Now the largest high school in the Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) system by enrollment is celebrating a major milestone.

"It's exciting to be part of this kind of history and I just love an excuse to get kids involved in history that means something to them," said Washburn High School history teacher Jason Jirsa.

A look back

The backstory:

Washburn opened in September 1925 and was named after Cadwallader Washburn, who founded a mill that eventually became General Mills.

Many familiar faces have walked the halls, including James Arness, who starred in Gunsmoke, astronaut Bob Cabana and musician Jimmy Jam.

"Students who went to Washburn tended to be really successful. I see a lot of articles about folks going off to college at a time when going to college wasn't a given," said Jirsa.

When the school opened its doors, 200 more students than expected showed up, and it has been a popular academic destination ever since.

Over the years, Washburn has also won a handful of state championships in sports, including football, and some students even made their own ode to the Batman TV show in the late 1960s.

"I think that there's plenty to be proud of after all these years of history, all these notable alumni, great old stories. people met lifelong friends here and got themselves prepared for life," said Jirsa.

Miller time

What they're saying:

After 100 years, Washburn is ready to begin its next century, but not before taking a moment to remember its past.

"At every meeting, our principal says our goal is for Washburn to be a destination school of excellence for students from all backgrounds. People are knocking down the door to get in. It's a wonderful school. I wouldn't want to teach anywhere else," said Jirsa.

Washburn will celebrate 100 years with a golf tournament, tours of the school and special reunion events on Friday and Saturday nights.