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OUR HISTORY
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Pompano Beach High School, the second oldest high school in Broward County, has a rich and colorful history. This is its story, as told by Bud Garner, one of Pompano High's earlier graduates, a member of the Pompano Beach Historical Society and the "unofficial historian" of the city of Pompano Beach, and as edited and added to by Steve Zimmerman, of the Pompano Beach High School Alumni Association: From 1897 to 1910, one room and one teacher were sufficient to accommodate the needs of the fledgling communities in Northeast Broward County, though the school moved many times. The town of Pompano formed in the year 1908 and in 1910 the need for educational facilities was answered with the building of a two room Grammar school (through sixth grade) on NE 1stStreet and 2nd Ave. During this time, the Jr. High and High School students in Pompano attended Ft. Lauderdale High. In 1916, the first building of the plant on N.E. 4th Street (currently the location of Pompano Beach Middle School) was built five rooms into which 50 students moved. Eventually, the town added to the Grammar school, and the High School was formed. In 1926 the auditorium and about half of the north building were built. The gymnasium and most of the other facilities were added after 1945. The first class to graduate from Pompano High was the class of 1928. There
were twelve graduating seniors that year and as of 2001, two of these
graduates are still living. They are Myrtle Darsey Ritter (valedictorian)
and Gretchen Raines Robertson. The 1929 graduating class numbered twelve
members of which there are two still living. The first attempts at publishing a school paper was sometime in the early years and there surfaced a copy of some of these papers about a year and a half ago. The name of that publication was "SEA SPRAY" and it eventually gave way to the publication in later years of the school paper "THE ORACLE." The first attempts at publishing a year book were undertaken by the Photographic Club and all the material was type written and the pictures taken by and incorporated in a folder type manuscript. The first published annual was in 1942 and it was the first one to have the name "THE BEANPICKER." This remained the name of the yearbook until the school closed in 1985, even after the school's nickname was changed to the "Golden Tornadoes." Basketball and football were the major school sports in the formative years, and the teams were also known as the "Beanpickers." Pompano was primarily an agricultural town in those days. "Bean Picking" is what many of the students did back then. "Beanpickers is what they were." So it was only natural that it became the nickname for the school's athletic teams. For the "Beanpickers" the schedules were hard to make because of the large number of boys that were playing and the lack of a means of transportation to games that out of necessity, had played during daylight hours and in close proximity to the town of Pompano. There were not many other schools close by, and often the teams had to travel long distances. Pompano had its first ever undefeated football season in 1941. It was marred by one tie game with Eau Gallie. Pompano played 6 man football, which was popular in these times because of small schools and limited players. The year 1944 saw another undefeated, untied football season and at this time it was 11 man football and playing larger and stronger schools. Pompano fielded many championship athletic teams, including basketball
teams, swim teams, golf and tennis teams, had award winning bands,
orchestras and choruses, and excelled in arts, sciences, and academics. The year, 1942 saw thirty three Beanpickers serving in the armed forces of The United States with many more to follow before hostilities ceased in 1945. Six former Beanpickers died in WW II, three of which were members of the undefeated football team. Many of Pompano High's students and graduates served in the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War as well. A monument to these students, originally erected at the base of the main flagpole on school grounds, was recently restored and relocated for preservation by the American Legion in Pompano Beach. Pompano High School had many good teachers, men and women. Teachers were originally paid a minimum salary of $1750 per year and a maximum salary of $2000. This was for the 10 month period beginning in August and ending in June. Only one year contracts were given. The face of "Pompano Beach" High School ( the name changed from "Pompano High" in 1947 after the merger of the towns of "Pompano" and "Pompano Beach") began to change with commencement of construction, in 1957, of a new facility further East on NE 6th St. (at its present location). In 1958, in anticipation of moving to a brand new modern facility, the student body decided upon a name change for the school. No longer were they to be called "BEANPICKERS,” now they were "The GOLDEN TORNADOS. In mid term, 1960, the school moved to its present location, which was dedicated on March 14, of that year. Many new and exciting things happened after the move. For example, a new football field and better stands, a new gymnasium, a theater and new classrooms and offices. The school was at last coming into its own with a full range of offered courses, sports, civic organizations and clubs. During this era the school thrived, and continued to maintain championship and award winning teams and programs. The school retains a huge cache of awards, trophies pennants and commendations attesting to the school's excellence in all areas during this period. The Golden Tornado band played at the inauguration of Richard Nixon, in Washington DC, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade an New York, and won numerous awards in national competitions. The school recieved awards for its literary publications and yearbooks. The school produced many notable graduates, including Barry Krauss, who played football with the Baltimore Colts and the Miami Dolphins, Alan Schreiber, Broward County Public Defender, John Dimetriolus, United States District Court Judge, and "Eddie" Accardi, a successful Pompano Beach Auto Dealer. The School's motto, in Latin, is "non summis sed ascendentes," which means: "Not at the summit, but ascending." The school song is the "Washington and Lee Swing" (the fight song of Washington and Lee University) The words of the fight song, and the School's Alma Mater, composed by Claire Canfield in 1952, are reprinted below. Due to the westward shift in population which occurred in Broward County in the 1980's Pompano Beach High School was closed in 1985, amid much political controversy and community protest. It remained closed for the next 12 years. During that time the building was used for adult education and community programs. But the Pompano traditions have remained strong and the spirit of the Beanpickers and the Golden Tornadoes carried on. The graduates from the "BEANPICKER" era have banded together, published a member directory that is up dated several times a year, and a " BEANPICKER" reunion is held once every three years on Memorial day weekend in Pompano Beach. It is attended by hundreds of former students from all around the country and World. Graduates from of the "Golden Tornado" era have held 10, 20, 25 and 30 year reunions consistently since graduation, and have maintained contact through various publications and the Internet. Pompano High graduates remained fiercely loyal to their alma mater. The spirit of the Beanpickers and the Golden Tornadoes, lingering in the hallways and impregnated in the brick and mortar of the old school, remained dormant for 15 years, while the school was closed, but it could never be eradicated. In 1997, the school reopened as Broward County's first "All Magnet" School, offering a curriculum specializing in International Affairs with Informational Technology. With the reopening of the school, and the bold decision of the students to embrace and nurture once again the history and traditions of their Alma Mater, Pompano High School is once again on its way to fulfilling its role as one of the community's premier institutions of learning. And if the graduates of the class of 2001 are an indication of the quality and character of the graduates to come, the generations of Alumni who they will join should feel confident that the spirit of accomplishment, pride, cooperation and companionship known by all Pompano High Alumni will continue for future generations.
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