Joseph Clayes – Anaheim’s Longest Serving Principal

Principal Clayes began his long tenure at Anaheim High in 1914 as a teacher of art and commerce. He became Anaheim High’s principal in the fall of 1919 and remained in that position for 22 years until his death on July 1, 1941, becoming the school’s longest serving principal.

Principal Clayes who was truly a father-figure to all. Tributes to him in the school yearbooks attest to how much he was admired by students and faculty: “Mr. J.A. Clayes has been principal of Anaheim Union High school for eleven years. During that time his achievements have been notable and the hundreds of graduates who have gone out regard him with affection and respect. The present class will remember him as an able administrator, a sincere friend, and a man of great attainments of culture and character.” – 1930 Blue & Gold.

His well-deserved reputation undoubtedly came from his “one family” philosophy, a concept that built close ties between the administration, faculty and students. Clayes and his wife Alma, who was a member of the Douglas Fairbanks family, often entertained faculty and students in their home. One school newspaper article reported that the couple cooked and served a dinner to the cast of the senior play.

His love of Anaheim’s children was further displayed when he helped established the City of Anaheim Parks and Recreation Department, an agency that still serves Anaheim youth.

Clayes served as principal during a time when Anaheim High was in its formative years. His tenure included such life-changing events as World War I, the stock market crash of 1929, the 1933 Long Beach earthquake that did irreparable damage to Anaheim High, and the 1938 flood that devastated the City of Anaheim.

When construction began on a new main building and auditorium, he was overseeing 879 students for the 34th session of the high school and continued to help shape the school and its pupils with a steady hand, leading thousands of students to live as productive citizens.

Principal Clayes’ legacy lives on at Anaheim High in the form of the school logo he designed. The copyrighted logo appeared for the first time in the 1928 yearbook and was officially adopted as the Colonist symbol.

A bronze plaque of his image has a place of honor in the school foyer as a tribute to Principal Clayes who served as superintendent of the Anaheim Union High School District from 1934 to 1941.

As a tribute to Principal Clayes, the school named their athletic stadium and playing field after him. Built in November 1927 for $13,000, Clayes Stadium was the oldest existing structure on the Anaheim High campus until it was demolished to make way for a new athletic field. Clayes Stadium served as more than just a place to sit and watch athletic competitions. It became an iconic structure that stood as a source of expressing school pride. For years, Colonist classes painted the stadium with their classmates during secret evening sessions. While the students probably didn’t know about the stadium’s link to Principal Clayes, being part of the paint crew is a favorite memory of many Anaheim High graduates.