Lamar High School when it opened in the fall of 1937

Lamar High School was established by HISD in 1936. The building was designed by John Staub and several other architects in the Art Deco style. It was built in 1936-1937 as a WPA project. It was located in an “outlying area” of Houston at the intersection of Westheimer Road and River Oaks Blvd. It opened with almost 1000 students - many of whom were transferred from San Jacinto High School and the remainder who came from the surrounding area and the far west reaches of Houston (the future area of the Galleria!). The students chose the Redskins as their mascot, the Lancer as the name of the school paper, and the Orenda (The Great Spirit) as the name of the yearbook.

William J. Moyes was the first principal and remained the principal until 1953. The 50 teachers taught algebra, art, biology, chemistry, civics, commercial woodworking, English, French, geometry, German, history, home economics, journalism, Latin, mechanical drawing, music, physical education, physics, public speaking, Spanish, and trigonometry. There were 20 clubs, JROTC, band, orchestra, and basketball, football, track, and tennis. Lamar’s first graduating class in May of 1938 consisted of 240 students.