Orange County, Florida

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Orange County FLGenWeb: History of Orlando High School

Orlando High Schools first graduating class was in 1892. It consisted of 9 students, only two of which were men.

In 1905 the building on the corner of Jackson and Church streets burned down.

In 1906 a new brick building was built a the same location.


Orlando High School, from the 1920-1921 OHS yearbook, The Echo, on Central Florida Memory

The annual publication, "The Echo" was started by the class of 1912 and for the first few years it was read at the annual Christmas Party and for "Class Night" excersizes. The class of 1914 published it for wider distribution and it became the school's yearbook. At this time the graduating senior class (of 1914) consisted of 15 members and was, thus far, the largest graduating class from OHS.

A new building built on Lake Eola replaced the old. It was named Memorial High School in memory of soldiers killed in WWI. It was opened in December 1922 on Lake Eola.


Memorial High School, from the State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory

Though the school was officially named Memorial High School, the 1923 yearbook, The Echo, still used "O.H.S." and "Orlando High School" within it's work, though the athletic association was named "Memorial's Athletic Association. By this time, the graduating class size was 47.


Aerial view of Memorial High School (far left) and Lake Eola
from the 1926 yearbook, The Echo on Central Florida Memory

In 1926, yet again, another new building was built to replace the old. The new building was located on Robinson Street and once again named Orlando High School. The old building was used as a junior high school, until it was sold in 1961 and replaced by a hotel. The 1926 high school yearbook changed its name to "Las Memorias" beginning with the Class of 1926.

In 1952 Orlando High School was split into two new schools. These two schools were named Edgewater (Orlando North) and Boone (Orlando South). The old school on Robinson became a junior high school (now Howard Middle School).