The Clayes’ family three-generational connection to Anaheim High School goes back to 1914 when Joseph A. Clayes began his tenure 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.
Among the student body of about 300 students attending Anaheim in the early 1920s was Clayes’ son, Alfred I. Clayes, a Class of 1922 graduate who became one of Anaheim High’s famous athletes from that era.
Alfred I. Clayes – Class of 1922
Along with his prowess on the football field, Al was captain of the varsity basketball team. He also was a talented actor and starred in the school’s dramatic productions and, for several years in the 1920s, played the lead role in several alumni dramatic productions.
Alfred’s two sons, Joseph A. and Alfred I. Clayes, also graduated from Anaheim in 1950 and 1952, respectively.
Joseph A. Clayes II – Class of 1950
Joseph was co-editor of the school newspaper, treasurer of Lambda Sigma, a science club, and majored in mathematics. He went on to become a member of the very first incoming class of CSU Fullerton in the fall of 1959 and was elected the third student body president of what was then known as Orange County State College.
Alfred I. Clayes Jr. – Class of 1952
Alfred Jr. was a top athlete in the swimming pool and on the football field, playing on the first team led by Anaheim’s legendary coach Clare Van Hoorebeke. He also served on the student council and was a top scholar.
The family’s legacy of excellence at Anaheim High was certainly inspired by 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.
Not only was he a beloved principal, he served 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 lives 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 and, as a tribute to Principal Clayes who served as superintendent of the Anaheim Union High School District from 1934 to 1941, the school named their athletic stadium and playing field after him. Built in November 1927 for $13,000, Clayes Stadium is the oldest existing structure on the Anaheim High campus.
Clayes Stadium
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 class year during secret evening sessions. Being part of the paint crew is a favorite memory of many Anaheim High graduates.
The Clayes family certainly played a prominent part in Anaheim High’s history and added to the school’s famous Spirit, Pride and Tradition, a legacy that continues to inspire today’s students and alumni.
