Trivia Question:  What year was the first all night prom held? Answer:  In 1952, hosted by the Class of 1953 who were then juniors.  The big night began with a banquet and formal dance at the American Legion.  This was followed by a show at the Columbia Theater.  A square dance was held at the Elks Lodge and then breakfast was served at the Moose Lodge.  Various organizations in Columbia City worked together to make the reception a success.

In 1957 construction began on a new high school to be called Columbia City Joint High School. The name change recognized annexation of six township schools. Three building sites were considered and the present one chosen because of its nearness to the population. In 1958 classes moved into a beautiful new school with a capacity of 900 students. It cost $3 million to build.  The football field was first used in 1961 and the baseball field dedicated in the spring of 1964.

View from behind the new school:

Trivia Question:  What was the largest graduating class?  The smallest?  Answer & more history