In 1953, a 42-acre tract of land adjacent to Fassnight Park was purchased for $86,000.  Parkview High School was officially named by the Board of Education July 15, 1954 and construction contracts totaling 1.6 million dollars were awarded for work to begin the following March.  Architect Richard Stahl was chosen for the project and went on to win national recognition for his modern design of the first high school added to the expanding Springfield system.  The new building featured 47 classrooms and other special facilities, but enrollment was so high the first year 17 additional classrooms were added a year later.  Parkview also featured the first driver training simulator in the city and was one of 12 in the country at the time.

 

On September 2, 1956 Parkview was dedicated and opened the doors to the citizens of Springfield.  Homer Kesterson was principal, Bob Duncan was Student Body President

Kathy Stump was crowed first Homecoming Queen, Donnie Smith and Hannah Mack were voted yearbook royalty at the Christmas formal.  The Parkview football team finished 7-1-1 in their first season.  Dorothy Rathbone wrote the school song and Mary Kay Burns was captain of the Lassie Drum & Bugle Corps.

 

The 1960s brought about social change with anti-war demonstrations and the hippie movement.  President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963 and the innocence of America changed forever.  With over 2,000 students and class sizes of 48 before Glendale opened, the Vikings were being noticed and setting records.  A state basketball championship with the “Jolly Green Giants” in 1965 put Parkview as the city’s first champions; Papa Viking and boys’ wrestling were introduced in 1967 and Student Council brought us Hall of Fame in 1968. 

 

The 1970s brought Parkview into the Disco craze and more important changes for the Vikings.  Plans for a new library classroom were drawn up in 1970; small crowds in ‘73 didn’t stop Parkview’s newest sport, swimming, from taking off; the passage of Title 9 brought interscholastic girls sports including basketball, volleyball and the birth of the Vikettes; but who could forget cable TV coming to Springfield and the infamous blizzard of ’79.

 

The 1980s were full of big hair, big make-up and MTV!  Parkview’s green and gold turned silver in 1981 as the Vikings celebrated 25 great years!  Boys and Girls Deans became Assistant Principals in ‘83 and PHS welcomed Dee Brooks as the first woman high school principal in the city as personal computers, microwave ovens and VCRs became common.  The 80s brought National Honor Society, soccer and new records for the track team.  Girls’ Tennis players were state champs in 1980.  Girls’ golf and volleyball played in state quarter finals in ‘81 while football made the same appearance in 1984.  Student’s Against Drunk Driving was organized in 1985 and Viking Fest replaced Gaa-Paa night in 1989.

 

The 1990s marked the start of middle schools in Springfield, the birth of the Internet and the cell phone era.  While Site Team was formed and the school song was retuned, a weight room and new auditorium were dedicated by the Class of ’92.  Block scheduling replaced the six-period day in ‘95 and Parkview turned 40 in 1996 bringing back the first Homecoming Queen Kath y Stumph-Osborn.  Who could forget the fire that destroyed portions of the south wing and the new elevator installed in ‘97?  And while the Lassies were disbanded girls softball, Parkview’s newest sport, got its first hit in 1999.  The Big Reunion marked the end of the decade when Parkview hosted the event to relive the “Jolly Green Giant” era and play one last game on the old gym floor.

 

Fears of Y2K marked the arrival of the new millennium that is still defining Parkview.  The year 2000 marked the beginning of students IDs and a brand new John F. Kennedy stadium was dedicated.  September 11, 2001 changed our world forever as did passage of a major bond issue, which would be first steps in permanently changing The Greenhouse.  Construction on Parkview’s new building began September 13, 2004.  On August 25, 2005, Vikings returned to the biggest newsmaker of them all:  air-conditioning!  While students enjoyed Winter Break staff moved into the new building in January 2006.  The 1956 cornerstone was revealed at the Celebration Assembly in March of that year and Parkview matriarch Trish Chrisman started her 50th school year in August 2006 serving as administrative secretary. 

Just a couple of years after Parkview experienced a renaissance with the completion of the first phase of construction, voters generously approved the 2006 bond issue.  Construction was completed just before school started in August 2008.  Additional classrooms, a new cafeteria/kitchen, a new library media, and additional renovations to the existing 1956 building were completed.  After 55 years working at Parkview, longtime secretary, Trish Chrisman, retired in May 2012.  The Lassie's made their debut once again at the Memories Assembly that year after a 15 year absence.

 

As Parkview celebrates its 60th Anniversary, students are active in the new Leadership School program and gearing up for one-to-one computing as each student at Parkview will have access to a laptop computer.