With Brown's Point off in the distance across stunning Commencement Bay, the North End neighborhood off to the left, and the Hilltop neighborhood off to the right, adjacent to the bustling Port of Tacoma, with its turrets and towers and soaring spires and all its magnificent quirks and crannies, with its chateau-style architecture inspired by the French Renaissance it sits, in all its Roman bricked, Hogwarts-esque glory.
The economic depression known as the Panic of 1893 ruined the railroad company and halted construction. And kids like Shawn McDougal, too, who is closer to being a senior citizen than a senior in high school. And if you need proof that the history of Stadium High School is a palpable thing, that the ghosts of precious, unspent youth roam freely there, the principal takes us on a journey.
"It's a transportation back in time," Chris, the tour guide, said. "Not just the signatures from over a hundred years, but it's the way it smells and sounds. It's like walking into a room that hasn't been touched."Lynn Posner from the class of 1964.The oldest name, written in flourishing, impossible to read cursive, was written in 1906.
Up in the fifth floor attic space, space has been created for the more recent classes. There are thousands of names there.On we go. Shannon says, "This is floor six.""One of my first jobs was to bring the ghosthunters through," Shannon said."Did they find any ghosts?" I asked.Ah, yes, the ghosts. Senior Mya Phillips is all too aware.Myra grins. "We have ghosts here. They're still here.""For sure there's ghosts all around," Miles said.