On You Toros, On You Toros
Fight for Black and Red
Never Give Up, Keep Your Chin Up
You'll Win If You Try (rah, rah, rah)

Let Our Purpose Be To Conquer
Motto "Do Or Die"
In Honor Of The School We Love,
Our Dear Sevilla High!

(Our Thanks to Janis Walker '67 for Remembering The Words!)

Sevilla High School Entonces.......Sevilla Dependent School boasted one registered student who had to attend a Spanish School until the founding of the American School in 1955. The 7th thru 12th grades were moved from the El Cano Building to a converted olive warehouse in Exportadora which was named Washington Irving High School in honor of the man who spent much of his life in Spain. In 1958 the name of the school was changed to Sevilla High School. Mike Rovena was first to graduate from SHS, the only Senior in the Class of 1958. The School at Exportadora consisted of 18 students, 3 classrooms, an office for the principal, and a recreational area (two basketball goals) which was a fenced-in converted parking lot. Since the walls of the classrooms did not reach the ceiling, lessons of adjacent classrooms could be shared! Students survived oil stove eruptions, the roof caving in, the cold (even in sunny Spain) rain dripping in pots from the holes in the roofs, noises from the trucks and men at work, and orange crates for chairs! "Uncomfortable as these experiences may have been at the time, all of us will have sad hearts when the day of...hasta la vista arrives. Exportadora Warehouse, ex-Sevilla High School, will live in the hearts of all her alumni, now and for years to come." On January 7, 1959, Sevilla High School student bid "adios" to the unforgettable "Bastile" in Exportadora and moved to a converted barracks building in San Pablo. We exchanged the old warehouse for a school with conveniences; windows, water fountains, and radiators. We had no cafeteria, but the Seniors enjoyed their very own lounge. Classmates could shed boots and overcoats at the door, no more need to huddle in winterwear to keep warm. We were just beginning to really enjoy our unique transporation to school (a cattle car with benches bolted to each side where we sat precariously for the 20 mile trek from Santa Clara Housing) before the "Big Blues" arrived to transport us to school in a more conventional style. The school built in Santa Clara Housing was intended for elementary classes. Even before the building was finished it became apparent that classroom space would not accomodate the unexpected growth in numbers of the younger set. Therefore, the 9th through 12th grades, totaling a little over 100 students, were once again moved to a new building for classes beginning September of 1960. For the first time SHS published the school newspaper, the Toro Tribune, every two weeks and the school supported a Library Club, a Chorus, an Orchestra, a Pep Club and Cheerleaders, Varsity Football, Basketball and Baseball, Girl's Tennis, Softball and Basketball, Future Homemakers of America, Drama Club, Student Council as well as the Taurus Staff.

Sevilla High School at San Pablo.

"We received word the base was closing and the class of 69 was the last class to graduate from SHS. We all started scattering to every corner of the globe. Many families transferred back to the states, others transferred to other parts of Europe. A large number of us were transferred to a new (formerly Canadian) base that was opening in Zweibrucken, Germany. Having so many of our friends and classmates transfer with us made the transition much easier. We were one of the last few families to leave the area. The housing area was like a ghost town, with most of the houses on every street empty." Bobbie McAfee '71 "There was a graduating class of 1970. I know because I was one of those final year graduates. My father, like most, was transferred out in December of 1969 (to Torrejon). However, my mother rented an apartment downtown so that I could stay and graduate with my class. The base had to keep the school open because of the contract they had to provide school for the dormies. So, a lucky few of us (about 28 in all) got to finish out the year together. Graduation was in the base chapel--we walked down to aisle to Blowing In The Wind." Paula Mont '70 "SHS' last graduating class at San Pablo was in 1970, the school was not moved to Zaragoza until the 1970-71 school year. As I remember, SHS was originally scheduled to close at the end of the 1968-69 school year, but they moved the dormitory down from Madrid, providing enough students to keep it open that final year. There were 46 of us in that final graduating class of 1970, many (most?) dormies... BTW, that final SHS graduating class had the highest GPA of any school in USDESEA. (With NO help from me, I'm sorry to say.)" John Greenley '70 "The high school was moved to Zaragoza by the time my family arrived in Sevilla in 1970. I attended a British school downtown in 1971 before going to school at Zaragoza in 1972. Since my father was retired air force and a civil servant at the time, we had the best of both worlds in Sevilla. We lived in the Hotel Florida until our household goods arrived, when we moved to a new house next to bario Santa Clara. My sister and brother attended elementary school down the street. I'll pass along this address so they can see the photo. I've walked through bario Santa Clara every day on my way to and from school and had many Spanish, Canadian, English and American friends who lived there. Thanks Amy for sending me this URL. Hola to those of you I know from ZHS." Barb Robinson, '73