AHSAA Announces First Endowed Scholarship

Gania (Demaree) Trotter, an Anaheim Union High School Class of 1944 graduate, along with other alumni, has established an endowed scholarship through the AHS Alumni Association to honor her father, Dr. Paul H. Demaree, who served as a AUHS teacher and administrator from 1925 through 1958.

The income from the endowment will provide annual scholarships for Anaheim High graduates to further their educations and advancement to professional careers. All alumni are invited to contribute to this fund as a centerpiece of continuing care for their alma mater. Many former AUHS students may personally remember Dr. Demaree or may have parents who were students during his years at AUHS.

Demaree’s tenure at Anaheim High started when he joined the AUHS staff as a teacher of social studies and to coach football and baseball. In 1926, Demaree’s “B” team had the best record of all the AUHS teams. Upon the death of Joseph A. Clayes, who served as principal for nearly 22 years from 1919 to 1941, the School Board rehired Demaree, who had left Anaheim for three years to serve as principal of Capistrano High School.

At the first assembly of the 1941 school year, Demaree reminded the student body that “principal” ended in “pal,” a word he hoped would describe his relationship with the students. Not only was he a friend and father figure to Anaheim pupils and teachers, four of his students were his own children, including daughters Kathleen (’38), Gania (’44), Ruth (’45) and and son Dan (’50).

It was most definitely a family affair for Demaree and his wife, Mary, who often entertained students and teachers at their home and, for many years, prepared and served a turkey dinner to the faculty and staff as a prelude to the school holiday break.

He was also a beloved figure in the community and gave leadership to the Rotary Club, his church and the YMCA. Mr. and Mrs. Demaree worked each summer at the YMCA’s Camp Osceola in the San Bernardino Mountains, where they would cook elaborate meals for camp’s teenage occupants. Memorable to many from that era were the hot caramel yeast rolls the Demarees baked each morning for the hungry campers.

An active board member of the local YMCA, he also found time to be counselor for the Blue and Gold Hi-Y Club of more than 100 members. Six of them jointly shared valedictorian honors at graduation in 1950.

Demaree also organized a Toastmaster’s program to encourage public speaking skills in the community. He is credited with being one of the original founders of Toastmasters International. He also founded a Junior Toastmasters program at the high school.

The start of World War II dramatically changed the atmosphere of AUHS when 50 students of Japanese descent were forced to relocate with their families to concentration camps. Demaree was vocal in speaking out against the discrimination towards Japanese-Americans, a very courageous position to take considering the war fervor at the time. Demaree kept in touch with many Japanese-American students who were interred during the war and encouraged them to continue their studies.

Life at the high school was further affected as students left for jobs in the defense industry and to serve in the military. Demaree asked all his students to carry identification cards in case of bombings. On the first day of school in 1942, Principal Demaree called the student body together with all of them being sworn in the Victory Corps. Students participated in scrap metal drives and held contests to sell the most war bonds and stamps. All teachers were required to take a 10-week course in first aid.

When a manpower shortage affected the 1943 harvest, Demaree responded to pleas for student volunteers from local farmers by declaring half day schedules (called the Victory Schedule)  from the beginning of school in September through mid-October.

The popular Nutrition Period of today originated in 1943, when Demaree introduced a 10-minute “relaxation period” because too many students were coming to school without eating until noon. He felt their health and learning efficiency were impaired.

The war in Europe was over just as the Class of 1945 was getting ready to graduate. The Japanese surrendered in August, leaving a sense of freedom in the United States that had not been felt for years. Demaree held the first assembly on Sept. 24 at which he introduced the new student body president who read the list of AUHS students who had died in the war.

The next 10 years saw the City of Anaheim evolve from a sleepy farm community to a post-war boom town. Change was inevitable for the school as well. For the first time since the District’s establishment, Anaheim High’s principal vacated his post to become the full-time superintendent. Demaree and his staff kept up a frantic pace of buying land and building schools to keep ahead of the educational needs of the children moving into Anaheim. The District asked Anaheim residents to approve a bond measure for $6 million to help accomplish this monumental task.

Demaree retired in 1958 when the building program was in full swing. Yet even after retirement, Demaree continued to be involved in the dedication of new schools in the AUHSD. Throughout his time as Anaheim’s principal and the District superintendent, Demaree provided steady leadership and support to the students and teachers, continually espousing the “one family” concept for the faculties of schools as new ones opened.

Demaree left behind a legacy as one of Anaheim High’s most beloved principals, serving during a time of amazing transformation of the school system and its students. He will continue to serve as a benefactor to the students of Anaheim High School through the newly established “Dr. Paul Demaree Endowed Scholarship.”

To donate to this fund, which will be managed by the Scholarship Committee of the AHSAA, a non-profit 501(c) 3 corporation, please send a donation to the AHSAA, P.O. Box 389, Anaheim, CA, 92815, with the notation that the donation is to be placed in the Paul H. Demaree Endowment fund. Questions may be address to anaheimalumni@yahoo.com. For more information on the AHSAA, visit www.anaheimcolonists.com.