History of Yuma High School

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Taxpayers voted to establish the Yuma High School district in 1909. The school began classes that year, having three teachers and four classrooms. In 1910 classes moved to the abandoned Yuma Territorial Prison, commonly called the "Hell-Hole of Yuma" where prisoners had routinely endured temperatures over 110 degrees. The prison cells and hospital were used for classrooms. In 1912, when Arizona achieved statehood, the Prison was needed for a city jail and a bond was approved to build Yuma High School. The "Old Main" building of YHS was erected and classes began there in 1913. That year the YHS football team defeated the Phoenix "Coyotes". Perhaps feeling the victory had been "stolen", the Coyotes called the YHS players "Criminals". The name became official in 1917 and has been proudly used ever since.

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The above information is taken from the semi-official Yuma High School site.

If you have further information about the history of YHS, please email Joe Crim.

Some things that would be interesting to know:

Where were the 1909 four classrooms, and who were the three first teachers of YHS? What subjects were taught? Who were the students?

Who were the members of the 1913 YHS football team? What were the events of the game in which they earned the name "Criminals"?

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