1957: Yumans Approve YUHS Bond Issue, 1839 to 125

Editor's Note: This bond issue, passed in 1957, created Yuma's second high school, Kofa High.

Yuma property owners streamed to the polls yesterday to erase any doubt as to whether they favor construction of a second Yuma Union High School plant.

In what is believed to be a record turnout, they voted 1839 to 125 in favor of the proposed $1,785,000 school bond issue.

Election observers said this is the first time in their memories that 1964 people have cast ballots in such an election.

The 93 percent approval overwhelmed what bond issue supporters feared had developed into an organized opposition movement.

Here are the results by polling places:

High School - 1253 Yes, 83 No
Crane - 354 Yes, 22 No
Somerton - 191 Yes, 11 No
Gadsden - 41 Yes, 9 No

Sale of the bonds will finance construction of a second high school plant on an 80-acre site south of County 11th Street. The construction and location were both recommended by the Stanford Research Institute in its economic and business study of the greater Yuma area.

When final election results were known last night, Warren Sirrine, Yuma Union High School superintendent, said: "Yumans have accepted the great responsibility to provide Yuma youngsters facilities for first-class education, and in the face of many obstacles. This is the number one recommendation of the Stanford Research Unit. I believe this is significant in signalling the beginning of a real progressive movement in Yuma to carry out the other recommendations, some of which are equally important."

Steve Blake, president of the YUHS District board of education, had this to say: "I am greatly pleased with the outcome of the affairs of the community as evidenced by the large turnout of voters. This interest on the part of well-informed citizens is the kind of spirit that can meet both the problems and the opportunities that lie ahead of our growing area."

This story originally appeared Jan. 20, 1957, in The Yuma Daily Sun.