HOCHS stands for Historic Old Central High School. For years the building was known as CAB Central Administration Building. It contained the administrative offices for Independent School District # 709.
The building is located on one city block bordered by Lake Avenue, Third Street, First Avenue East, and Second Street in downtown Duluth, Minnesota. Because of the historical significance of the building and because it now serves a variety of community entities, the name was officially changed on October 19, 2004.
As of 2005, the building houses the 1890s Classroom Museum, Unity High School, Area Learning Center, district print shop, and various district administrative offices. |
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During the Spanish-American war, the ship Oquendo set sail from Cuba on July 3, 1898. Hours after its departure the Oquendo found itself aflame on a nearby beach with an American fleet claiming victory over its demise.
The Duluth City Council asked for a memento from this event and was granted the aquisition of the ship's cannon. There was only one catch--the city must pay for all transportation costs for the cannon. The city paid the price, and the 17 foot 6 ton cannon was to have led a serene life near the front of Old Central. Life for the cannon was however, at times, exciting.
There was a class of Chemistry students who wanted to try their craft--and some homemade explosives--on the cannon. Needless to say, the windows that were blown out of the school were replaced, but the bill for them has long since been lost.
The cannon was sold as scrap iron in 1942 and was melted down and used during World War II. Because there was so much protest over the sale of the cannon, a flag pole was erected in 1949 on the spot where the cannon stood. |
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The clock is a product of the E. Howard Bell Company of Boston and was installed new in the Central High School Tower in 1893.
According to the manufacturer, the clock, with proper maintenance, would last 200-300 years. Changes have been made in the last 100 years--changes which included the electrification of the clock in the 1940s and the lighting of the tower in the 1990s. These changes coupled with the passage of time have resulted in the need for repair, restoration and ongoing maintenance of the clock and tower.
One goal of the Central Preservation Committee is that of establishing a permanent, dividend-bearing, Old Central Preservation fund, part of which would be dedicated to just such procedures.
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Honoring John Zorbas Chimes |
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Chimes
Almighty God,
Almighty Power,
Cherish Our School,
Throughout the Hour
These now famous lyrics were written in 1948 by John F. Zorbas while he was a student at Duluth Central High. He won a school sponsored contest in which entrants submitted lyrics to match the famous Westminster Chimes melody.
One of the planners of the 20-year reunion for the Class of '84 found out a surprising fact about the 1948 winning entry. Mr. Zorbas was not credited for writing the lyrics to Chimes. His name did not appear after Chimes in yearbooks, graduation programs etc.* However, something has finally been done to correct this five-decades-long oversight.
Mark Engblom, the reunion planner, and Gina Zorbas, the contest winner's daughter, both Class of '84, have had a special certificate presented to John Zorbas, lyricist, Class of '48. The certificate was signed by the Duluth Superintendent of Schools, the chairperson of the Duluth School Board, and the 2004 principal of Central High. Mr. Zorbas was honored at the Saturday evening reunion event at the DECC on July 24, 2004.
*Credit was given, however, in a brochure, circa 2001, created by the Central Preservation Committee.
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