by Samantha White
Northwest Asia Weekly
Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell (right) teases Seattle Public Schools principal Dr. Brent Jones, a Franklin High School graduate.
Garfield High School (GHS) Bulldog pride doesn’t end at graduation — a statement that was evident on Aug. 27, as alumni from past decades filled the school’s Centennial gymnasium.
The event had been in the works for several years as the Seattle School’s actual centennial was in 2020, but due to the pandemic, the celebration was postponed for two years and rescheduled five times from its original June 2020 date.
In the weeks leading up to the event, student and event president Lynn Jaffe, Class of 1958 admitted that while she was excited about the celebration finally taking place, she was also looking forward to August 28, the day after they finished the event. the next day. event.
“As you can imagine, we’re all tired,” she said with a smile.
All-day events include small class gatherings, music performances by current students and alumni, and food trucks — some of which are owned by Garfield alumni, Jaffe said. There was also a formal program with some alumni presentations, with Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell serving as moderator. The second-generation Bulldog graduated from Garfield in 1976—not (contrary to popular belief) 100 years ago, he joked about a sea of purple and white that filled the stands.
“I told them I gave my all,” Harrell said of his response to being asked to be at the event. “That’s how the bulldog rolls.”
Rich Alumni Legacy
From left: Bobbie Stern (Class of 1960), Penny Fukui (Class of 1961) and Frank Fukui (Class of 1960).
Other notable Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) alumni, including Tomio Moriguchi, former CEO and president of Uwa Shimaya, and Joan Shiko, former owner of Bush Gardens in the International District, both from the Class of 1955, were with Haller during their time at Garfield. Er’s parents overlap. Port of Seattle Commissioner Toshiko Grace Hasegawa (Class of 2006) is also a Bulldog.
Non-AAPI GHS alumni include musician Jimi Hendrix and rapper Macklemore—though neither graduated as the Bulldogs (the former dropped out to join the military in 1959, while the latter graduated from Nathan Hale High School in 2001).
One of the school’s most famous alumni is noted music producer Quincy Jones (Class of 1950). Garfield’s Center for the Performing Arts is even named after him. Jones — who knew Harrell’s parents and actually introduced the couple — served as the centennial event’s honorary chairman, though he was 89 and didn’t attend due to the ongoing pandemic. Instead, he pre-recorded a video that was posted on the event’s website.
“There’s nothing Garfield High School graduates can’t do,” Jones says in the video.
“To this day, I am proud to say that I was part of the student body that wandered the halls of Garfield in my youth. I am honored to be part of the rich legacy of Garfield High School alumni.”
Speaking to the next and future generations of Bulldogs, Jones told them to remember that while they are the heart and soul of Garfield, they are also “the seeds from which our world can grow.”
“Remember to always do what you love, love what you do and we’ll always be okay,” he said in the video.
Memories
Members of Garfield High School’s graduating class of 1974 at a table at the event.
In formal classes, alumni share their time at Garfield.
“I have to see the best of everyone,” said Hasegawa, one of the speakers.
After leading the crowd to cheer, the former Garfield cheerleader shared that while she was one of the few Asian students at the time, her time at Garfield taught her to be proud of who she is. She learned how to build together as a community and how people can reach higher levels when they lift each other up. When you walk down the halls of Garfield, you’re in the halls of power, Hasegawa was the first Asian-American woman elected to the Port of Seattle in its more than 100-year history, she said.
The school has also attracted prominent figures outside the student body, including then-senator and current former President Barack Obama, who spoke at Garfield during Hasegawa’s senior year.
As early as 1961, Martin Luther King Jr. also came to Garfield to speak.
“That was one of the highlights of my life,” said Carver Gayton, who graduated in 1956 and returned to Garfield to teach and was present when King gave a speech.
While the speakers shared fond memories of their time at Garfield, Harrell — whose own favorites include Professor Thomas Bailey’s math class, who also discussed other topics such as politics and the Vietnam War — admitted that it was not Everyone has good memories. In response, Harrell said it was their chance to create new memories.
Go beyond stereotypes
Garfield alumni Jerry (’55) and AC Arai (’63) and their granddaughters. (Photo by Assunta Ng)
Located in the heart of downtown Seattle, Garfield’s student body represents all races, backgrounds and walks of life. Harrell noted that the racial makeup of the school appeared to be fairly balanced during his school days—he had friends of all races. This is also reflected in the school’s extracurricular activities as well as in the teaching staff.
“[This] Diversity in a real sense … actually makes it cool,” Harrell said of his experience.
Because of the school’s diverse population, some speakers at the centennial event said it also meant they were not afraid to have conversations about race, inequality and other “difficult” topics.
“We go beyond stereotypes,” said student spokeswoman Lakeelle Bridges (Class of 2023), describing the broad interests of Garfield students.
While the school’s diversity and inclusion is a point of pride, the Bulldogs seem to have some disdain for one segment of the population: the Franklin High School community. This was evident as Harrell kept making fun of Seattle Public Schools principal and Franklin alumnus Dr. Brent Jones (especially since he wasn’t wearing purple), who was also one of the speakers at Saturday’s festivities.
But like the Garfield people, Jones isn’t afraid to talk about difficult topics, sharing his thoughts on bulldogs — from their penchant for self-identifying as bulldogs, to their competitiveness.
“They may not be the best, but they think they are the best,” he told the crowd and laughed.
Despite his ties to Garfield’s rivals, Jones (who actually has several bulldogs in his administration and his family) describes the school as a center of excellence, change and innovation that keeps moving forward.
“If Garfield isn’t the city’s flagship high school, it’s one,” Jones said.
Samantha can reach info@nwasianweekly.com.
