Salinas High School
726 South Main Street

Salinas High School continued to educate authors, poets and artists after moving to its location on Main Street. Budd J. Peaslee, who graduated in 1922, wrote Heritage of Valor: The Eighth Air Force in World War II; Michael Murphy, who graduated in 1948, wrote Golf in the Kingdom as well as several other books; his brother Dennis Murphy, who graduated in 1950, wrote The Sergeant; artist Andy Z. Zermeno, who graduated in 1954, drew political cartoons for El Malcriado and collaborated with the writer Luis Valdez to create the comic strip “La Dolce Vita” for Cesar Chavez; Everett Alvarez, a war hero who graduated in 1955, wrote Chained Eagle and Code of Conduct; former student Garfield Joseph George wrote A Surprise for Cashimere and Cashimere Learns to Skate; Giovanni "Van" Partible, who graduated in 1989, created the cartoon character Johnny Bravo. Poet and Steinbeck authority Lee Richard Hayman taught at the school for many years, as does Derrel Whitemyer, author of Borderland Biker: In Memory Of Indian Larry And Doo Wop Music, and Further Adventures of the Borderland Biker.

For the earlier Salinas High School, see the listing of the Brickpile on Alisal Street.

Site of the "Brickpile," LITERARY MARKER!
West Alisal and Lincoln Streets (across from the Post Office)

African-American Leonard Cooper, who graduated from Salinas High School in 1917, was a talented musician, artist, composer, and playwright. Among his writings were Moon In Araby, a musical comedy; The Ragged Prince, an operetta, and Who's Crazy?, a one-act comedy. Nobel prize-winning author John Steinbeck also graduated from the high school that once stood here. He was the associate editor of the yearbook, The El Gabilan, and wrote "The How, Where and When of the High School." He is said to have written for the school paper, The Flashlight. The high school is mentioned in East of Eden, Sweet Thursday, "The Time the Wolves Ate the Vice-Principal," and Working Days: Journal of The Grapes of Wrath. Steinbeck also paid tribute to Miss Hawkins, a high school science and math teacher, in the very evocative "...Like Captured Fireflies." The Cooper family is mentioned in Travels with Charley. See the listing for Salinas High School on Main Street for later students.

Present-Day Roosevelt School, once the Location of West End School
120 Capitol Street

The World War I monument in front of Roosevelt School (built in 1924) includes the name of Martin Hopps, the Salinas resident whose death so upset Olive Steinbeck in East of Eden. This was also the site of the West End School, where Olive Hamilton attended the first Salinas High School classes, held on the second floor of the building. Later Steinbeck attended grades three through eight here. Steinbeck describes the school in Chapter 36 of East of Eden. Initially Cal and Aron, who begin the seventh grade here, are "stunned by the size and grandeur of the West End after their background in a one-room county school."

For a recorded history by Destination Salinas, call: 831-401-9587 # 51

Everett Alvarez High School
1900  Independence Boulevard

The school was named for Salinas-born war hero and author Everett Alvarez, who wrote Chained Eagle and Code of Conduct. Award-winning playwright Michael Roddy taught here and his acclaimed student theater group performed his original works.

North Salinas High School
55 Kip Drive

Dustin Lance Black, Oscar winning screenwriter of Milk, graduated from North Salinas High School and worked for The Western Stage. Kelly Parra, a 1995 graduate of the school, wrote Graffiti Girl that has a setting reminiscent of Salinas. Other books by Kelly Parra include Invisible Touch and Criminal Instinct.

El Gabilan School
1256 Linwood Drive

Children's author and illustrator Bowen Lyam Lee taught at El Gabilan Elementary School. Her book, Story of Kiko, relates a true happening in her classroom. She has also written Shining Light in My Cat's Eye.

Fremont School
1255 East Market Street

Teacher Henry Eisemann, a Salinas resident, wrote Su-Su, the Fremont School Panda, a book dedicated to the Chinese Community of the Salinas Valley. Eisemann also wrote the picture books about Hump-Free.

Alisal High School
777 Williams Road

Authors from Alisal High School include: Junis Raymond Childers, teller of Alisal tales; Laura Cristina Fajardo, journalist; Sara Andrea Fajardo, a journalist and author of Ina Peruvian City; Dr. Daniel Fajardo, who contributes to medical journals; Juan R. Fajardo, who contributes to journals; poet and journalist Marc Cabrera; playwright Luis “xago” Juarez, author of “reAlisal: Your Neighbor’s Story” and a founding member of the theater groups Baktun 12 and Headrush.

Clay Street Park, Once the Site of the Washington School, or "The Baby School"
Capitol and Clay Streets

Completed in 1900, "The Baby School" is mentioned in East of Eden and "The Summer Before." John Steinbeck completed first and second grades here. Today it is the Clay Street Park.

Hartnell College
411 Central Avenue

Hartnell College's Western Stage theatre season includes new works of literature, community outreach, and programs for youth. New works have included local author Michael Roddy's Looking for Words; as well as his adaptation of Victor Villaseñor's Rain of Gold; and Alan Cook's adaptation of East of Eden.

On August 2, 1970, over 3,000 farmworkers gathered on the campus football field to support Cesar Chavez and their right to choose a union. According to Susan Ferriss and Ricardo Sandoval in The Fight in the Fields: Cesar Chavez and the Farmworkers Movement, Chicano students at Hartnell showed their support by hosting the rally.

For a recorded history by Destination Salinas, call: 831-401-9587 # 36