Kamloops High School began in September 1904 in temporary quarters located above a livery stable with twenty pupils in attendance. Prior to then, in order to obtain an education beyond grade eight, parents had to make boarding arrangements for their children in Victoria, the Lower Mainland , the U.S. or in eastern Canada.
The High School functioned in various temporary locations until an eight room High School was constructed in 1912 and opened with much fanfare in 1913 by Dr. Henry Esson Young, the Minister of Education and the school's principal, Dr. J. F. K. English, who later became deputy Minister of Education. This building became the proud home of “Kam High” and its tradition of excellence in academics, athletics and the fine arts.
In 1952, as a result of the significant population growth experienced after WWII and due to the expansion of the School District to include a number of former rural school districts, a much larger facility was constructed in Kamloops.
The population of the area continued to expand and six additional secondary schools were constructed, within the city of Kamloops, beginning in 1956 with John Peterson Secondary School.
Kamloops High School, by then known as Kamloops Secondary School, was amalgamated with John Peterson Secondary School in 2003 to become Ecole Secondaire South Kamloops Secondary School.
The Centennial Homecoming of Kamloops High School was held during the summer of 2004 with over 2,400 in attendance. In preparation for this festivity, a history of early education in Kamloops and the History of Kamloops High School was prepared. In connection with the celebrations, a website, www.kamhigh.com was prepared. The website includes the early history of education in Kamloops, history of Kamloops High School, reminiscences of former students and teachers, a complete listing of teachers who worked at the school, copies of school annuals printed between 1916 and 2003 and much more.
Contributed by Gordon Lloyd, December 2004
