St. Petersburg High School postcard (click for larger view)

Continuing with my Back to School theme this week, today’s post is on St. Petersburg High School.  You may have noticed that the headline of the post refers to the ‘Million Dollar High School’.  That’s exactly how this new St. Petersburg High School was referenced when it was first constructed.  Many articles that I located in researching the school called it the ‘Million Dollar St. Petersburg High School’, and even the back of this post card has that name printed.

Although St. Petersburg High School was originally founded in 1898, the St. Pete High that we are all familiar with today was constructed in the 1920′s, during St. Petersburg’s boom years, and it opened to students in December of 1926. 

When it opened, the much anticipated new school received rave reviews, comparing the school’s facility and features to university campuses.  According to a history page on St. Pete High’s web site, local magazines and newspapers were ebullient in their praise.  Some quotes from that web page:  “The finest school building in the South … superb equipment and unique architecture … an enormous auditorium with a stage as large as those in the greatest theaters in the world, on which basketball contests may be staged … shower rooms, lockers not only in shower rooms but also individual … tennis courts, baseball diamonds, football gridiron … cafeteria for 1,200 … private waterworks … electric light plant, oil-burning boilers for heat … rambling Spanish architecture makes the three-story building look long, low, impressive … an inspiration to walk toward it … to see the sun on the red-tiled roof … inside, one is almost lost at first.”

St. Petersburg High, once known as St. Petersburg Central High School, is a historic landmark and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.  The architecture is another gorgeous example of the Mediterranean Revival style that was so popular in Florida and in St. Petersburg in the twenties.  The building is constructed of brick, hollow tile and poured concrete, and its construction quality and appearance rivals many of the finest hotels of the 1920′s.

In terms of academics, St. Pete High has both a strong regular academic program as well as the very first International Baccalaureate program in the state of Florida.  The IB program was introduced at St. Pete High in 1983, and it continues to thrive today, usually attracting more applicants than there are spaces available.  If you’re interested in learning more about the IB program, check out the  IB informational brochure.  

St. Pete High has a great history and is filled with tradition.  It’s a perfect example of what makes St. Petersburg such a unique place to live, work, go to school, and play.  If you’d like to drive by to see this beautiful building, it’s located at 2501 5th Avenue North.  For more information about St. Pete High, go to their web page.

St. Petersburg High School Today (click for larger view)