Dedication and Open House
History of Albany Union High School

The increasing high school population of Albany and surrounding territory having outgrown the facilities that had been used for a high school, it was necessary to formulate plans and build a new union high school.

On the 16th day of June, 1951, Tangent, District No. 26 held an election to decide whether they would unionize with the following school districts: Price District No. 6, Grand Prairie District No. 14, Oak Creek District No. 15, East Knox Butte District No. 18, Knox Butte District No. 19, Dever District No. 20, Riverside District No. 24, McFarland District No. 25, Millersburg District No. 32, Hulbert District No. 69, Midway District No. 86, Crabtree District No. 110, Lakeview District No. 114, Scravel Hill District No. 119, Clover Ridge District No. 136, and Santiam District No. 141. The election carried and on July 17, 1951, the petitions requesting that the districts be included in a union high school district and that the site for the proposed union high school be located in McFarland School District No. 25 were filed with the Linn County Boundary Board.

A hearing to consider the petitions was held on Friday, August 31, 1951, at which time a remonstrance was filed which made it necessary to hold an election. The County Boundary Board directed the districts to hold the election on September 25, 1951. The results of this election were favorable and to be effective December 3, 1951.

On March 10, 1952, School District No. 5, Linn County, and Schools Districts No. 4, No. 34, No. 43, and No. 74C, Benton County, petitioned the County Boundary Board to be included in the union high school district. This petition also included a request for a vote to locate the site of the union high school within the Albany city limits. The election was held on May 27, 1952, carried in all districts except Fir Grove District No. 74C, Benton County. The County Boundary Board declared a union high school including all districts except Fir Grove District No. 74C.

In June, 1954, District No. 74C petitioned to be included in the union high school district. An election was held and District No. 74C voted to be included in the new district. This concluding election created a union high school of twenty-two elementary school districts.

The present site included approximately forty-two acres of ground which is believed ample to care for all necessary school facilities for a number of years.

(this excerpt is from the "Dedication and Open House" program dated October 9, 1954 and provided by Mr. Douglas Killin, Principal, Ret.)