 Increases in enrollment throughout the 1910s led the school board to request funds to build a new high school building along with additions to other district buildings to ease overcrowding and prepare for expected growth in enrollment . A bond issue for the various construction projects was approved by voters June 24 , 1919 . Initially , the school board had planned to build the school on property along South Water Street adjacent to downtown , but decided against this citing the need for a larger lot and building to accommodate expected growth . Eventually , a 10 @-@ acre ( 4 @.@ 0 ha ) site at the intersection of Park Avenue and North Prospect Street was purchased and construction began May 31 , 1921 . It was completed less than a year later , on May 22 , 1922 , and hosted commencement exercises for the graduating class in June . 
