HHS students walk around our school every single day. We know a lot about what’s happening right now. But what we don’t know, is how it all started. How did Hawthorne High School, become the school that we know today?

Students, teachers, and staff were officially welcomed to Hawthorne High School in 1933. Many students moved from Paterson schools and raved about the brand new one they were now attending. The school was successful and had both clubs and sports.

A family used to own and live on the property the school is built on now. They were the De Grays who lived there for many years before the land was bought. Construction on Hawthorne High School began in 1910.

The Hawthorne baseball team had just come together in 1935. They had won almost every game with a record of 8-1. There were also so many clubs at HHS back then that we no longer have today. As an example, in the 1920s and 1930s, there was a group of teen boys who called themselves the De Molay. They focused on being good citizens, leaders, and men who represented Hawthorne.

There was also an athletics club. At first, it only consisted of baseball and softball players. By the 1950s, basketball and soccer was included too. Soon enough, the athletics club became the Hawthorne Little League for the high schoolers.

Many years later, Kim Spaccarotella, who created and produced a video called “The History of Hawthorne Schools” in 1999, explained what she believes makes a school successful. She said, “I think it is the students and teachers. They are the soul and heartbeat of a school; they define and develop the school’s character; and as they overcome the obstacles that arise, the school grows stronger.”