Monrovia High School in 1907. Click image to see link to the collection, courtesy of the Monrovia Legacy Project. By Oliver Beckwith
Since the beginning of Monrovia’s existence to the present time, educating young people has been a key factor in fostering and maintaining the success of the city. City fathers recognized it; the first school, Orange Avenue School (now Monroe Elementary), was constructed in 1887 on land donated by William Monroe. The building had two stories, with elementary grades meeting on the first floor and the high school located on the second floor.
Early on Monrovia had a reputation for academic excellence. An early Superintendent was James A. Foshay (1856-1914). Foshay went on to become the Los Angeles City Superintendent of Schools. In 1925 Foshay had a school named after him and today it’s still educating students. The James A. Foshay Learning Center in Exposition Park is a testament to the memory of this Monrovia educator.
Since the beginning of Monrovia’s existence to the present time, educating young people has been a key factor in fostering and maintaining the success of the city. City fathers recognized it; the first school, Orange Avenue School (now Monroe Elementary), was constructed in 1887 on land donated by William Monroe. The building had two stories, with elementary grades meeting on the first floor and the high school located on the second floor.
Early on Monrovia had a reputation for academic excellence. An early Superintendent was James A. Foshay (1856-1914). Foshay went on to become the Los Angeles City Superintendent of Schools. In 1925 Foshay had a school named after him and today it’s still educating students. The James A. Foshay Learning Center in Exposition Park is a testament to the memory of this Monrovia educator.
Monrovia-Arcadia-Duarte (MAD) High School, 1929. Photo from a Facebook post by Mark Johnson on the California History Group page. Click photo to follow link. Before long, Monrovia had outgrown the second story school on Orange Avenue. In 1903 the school was moved to the larger Ivy Avenue School (now Clifton Middle School), again on the upper floor. That year the high school was ranked 4th out of the 21 high schools in Los Angeles County. In this period Monrovia High had an outstanding debate team, and by 1905 the school was ranked 7th in California.
In 1913 Monrovia High had a new principal named Archie Clifton. He was well liked, and later became Superintendent of Monrovia Schools. In 1931 he served as Superintendent at Los Angeles County Schools, and after his passing in 1942, Ivy Avenue School was renamed in his honor.
In 1917 the United States became involved in the Great War (World War I), as it was then called. 96 students left high school for the war. The first Monrovia High student to die fighting for his country was Paul Spence. The high school participated in bond drives and engaged in war related activities.
In 1920 students from Arcadia and Duarte joined the high school, and by 1927 the name was changed to Monrovia-Arcadia-Duarte High School. Along with the name change came a $625,000 bond to build a new high school. An election determined the site was to be at the corner of Orange (now Colorado) and Madison. In the 1920’s there was money available for building schools.
MAD High School was completed in 1929 with the final price coming in at just under $500,000. John C. Austin was the chief architect and his work was first rate. Among his other works are the Los Angeles City Hall and the Griffith Observatory. According to Austin, "We have never designed a school that gave us more pleasure.” The design has held up quite well in the past century.
Before 1929 was over the stock market crashed and the Great Depression was on. Teachers and administrators in the new MAD High School took pay cuts and class sizes were increased. The 1930’s were lean years for everyone and the high school was no exception.
In 1931 MAD High School acquired an unusually large collection of relics from all over the world from the estate of Dr. Salisbury, a recently deceased Monrovia dentist. The collection was in storage for more than 60 years until it was loaned to the Monrovia Historical Museum in 1992.
Friday, March 10, 1933 was an ordinary school day at MAD High School, but at 5:54pm that day the Long Beach earthquake (6.4 magnitude) hit the area. Damage to the new school was minor, but a number of Monrovia schools were heavily damaged.
As the decade came to a close, concern over another war grew when Germany invaded Poland in September of 1939. War came on Sunday, December 7th, 1941. Seaman First Class Dwight Orr (class of 1940) was stationed on the USS Arizona that morning and was among the 1177 sailors who lost their lives on that ship. By early 1942 all students of Japanese ancestry were removed from the Monrovia, Arcadia, and Duarte communities. Eventually they were sent to the Heart Mountain Concentration Camp for the duration of the war.
Many MAD High School students joined the military, as did some teachers. Others joined the Red Cross, tended Victory Gardens, worked on scrap metal drives, and raised money for war bonds. By the end of the war more than 50 former MAD High School students had lost their lives.
Changes were afoot in the postwar years. Student life began to return to normal, but population increases after the war led Arcadia to form its own high school in 1953. For a number of years the place would be known as Monrovia Duarte High School, but by 1961 Duarte would form its own high school.
In October of 1946 an important political debate was held at the High School for the upcoming Congressional election. Newcomer Richard Nixon squared off with incumbent Jerry Voorhis. Nixon prevailed in the campaign and became the local Congressman for Monrovia. In 1953 he became Eisenhower’s Vice President. Nixon lost the 1960 Presidential election to John F. Kennedy, and he lost the California Governor’s election in 1962. But in 1968 he was elected as President of the United States.
In 1913 Monrovia High had a new principal named Archie Clifton. He was well liked, and later became Superintendent of Monrovia Schools. In 1931 he served as Superintendent at Los Angeles County Schools, and after his passing in 1942, Ivy Avenue School was renamed in his honor.
In 1917 the United States became involved in the Great War (World War I), as it was then called. 96 students left high school for the war. The first Monrovia High student to die fighting for his country was Paul Spence. The high school participated in bond drives and engaged in war related activities.
In 1920 students from Arcadia and Duarte joined the high school, and by 1927 the name was changed to Monrovia-Arcadia-Duarte High School. Along with the name change came a $625,000 bond to build a new high school. An election determined the site was to be at the corner of Orange (now Colorado) and Madison. In the 1920’s there was money available for building schools.
MAD High School was completed in 1929 with the final price coming in at just under $500,000. John C. Austin was the chief architect and his work was first rate. Among his other works are the Los Angeles City Hall and the Griffith Observatory. According to Austin, "We have never designed a school that gave us more pleasure.” The design has held up quite well in the past century.
Before 1929 was over the stock market crashed and the Great Depression was on. Teachers and administrators in the new MAD High School took pay cuts and class sizes were increased. The 1930’s were lean years for everyone and the high school was no exception.
In 1931 MAD High School acquired an unusually large collection of relics from all over the world from the estate of Dr. Salisbury, a recently deceased Monrovia dentist. The collection was in storage for more than 60 years until it was loaned to the Monrovia Historical Museum in 1992.
Friday, March 10, 1933 was an ordinary school day at MAD High School, but at 5:54pm that day the Long Beach earthquake (6.4 magnitude) hit the area. Damage to the new school was minor, but a number of Monrovia schools were heavily damaged.
As the decade came to a close, concern over another war grew when Germany invaded Poland in September of 1939. War came on Sunday, December 7th, 1941. Seaman First Class Dwight Orr (class of 1940) was stationed on the USS Arizona that morning and was among the 1177 sailors who lost their lives on that ship. By early 1942 all students of Japanese ancestry were removed from the Monrovia, Arcadia, and Duarte communities. Eventually they were sent to the Heart Mountain Concentration Camp for the duration of the war.
Many MAD High School students joined the military, as did some teachers. Others joined the Red Cross, tended Victory Gardens, worked on scrap metal drives, and raised money for war bonds. By the end of the war more than 50 former MAD High School students had lost their lives.
Changes were afoot in the postwar years. Student life began to return to normal, but population increases after the war led Arcadia to form its own high school in 1953. For a number of years the place would be known as Monrovia Duarte High School, but by 1961 Duarte would form its own high school.
In October of 1946 an important political debate was held at the High School for the upcoming Congressional election. Newcomer Richard Nixon squared off with incumbent Jerry Voorhis. Nixon prevailed in the campaign and became the local Congressman for Monrovia. In 1953 he became Eisenhower’s Vice President. Nixon lost the 1960 Presidential election to John F. Kennedy, and he lost the California Governor’s election in 1962. But in 1968 he was elected as President of the United States.
Monrovia High School, May 2026. Photo taken by Oliver Beckwith, Monrovia Historical Museum board member. There are many more events witnessed by Monrovia High School students and their teachers over the following years. Some examples are racial tensions, the Civil Rights Movement, Cold War events like the Korean and Vietnam Wars, the Space Race, the Kennedy Assassination, Beatniks, Hippies, more earthquakes, fires, Space Shuttle disasters, the end of the Cold War, Gulf Wars, street fairs, 9-11, and Covid.
Then there was that day, July 22, 1996, when President Bill Clinton arrived at the football field by helicopter and made a speech in the auditorium about the virtues of Monrovia, the All America City. A video of this momentous visit is available to view at the Museum.
All these things and more have been experienced by Monrovia High School Students and these memories are a part of who they are.
Sources and Additional Reading with more fascinating vintage photos:
Then there was that day, July 22, 1996, when President Bill Clinton arrived at the football field by helicopter and made a speech in the auditorium about the virtues of Monrovia, the All America City. A video of this momentous visit is available to view at the Museum.
All these things and more have been experienced by Monrovia High School Students and these memories are a part of who they are.
Sources and Additional Reading with more fascinating vintage photos:
- Monrovia High School:1893 - 1976; Monrovia High’s development up to 1976, compiled by Thelma M.J. Thompson, May 1976
- A History of Monrovia High School From 1893 to 2021, by Steve Baker for Monrovia Now, January 2021
- Reflection on Monrovia Schools' Early Years, Monrovia Weekly, October 2019 issue, written by Steve Baker.
- Monrovia's Heritage, Monrovia Historical Society, 1982, written by T.M. Hotchkiss
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