Before East Leyden High School was built in Franklin Park, students in  surrounding areas, such as River Grove, Schiller Park and other local towns, had to attend nearby high schools like Proviso if they wanted to pursue their education.

According to the 1942 yearbook, “Leyden was one of the first ‘Community’ high schools in Illinois.

But then, in 1913, the community began a two year high school on the grounds of Hester Grade School in Franklin Park. At first, students used to go to school in portables, which are temporary classrooms, that were installed on the grounds of the Hester to provide additional classroom space.

Just a few years later, Leyden had grown to the point that an expansion was necessary to accommodate the growing student population. So “in the early year of 1924 the era of expansion started. No longer were those two portables behind the grammar school adequate.

“The Board, active to their responsibilities, aroused public sentiment in favor of a real high school building and, after overcoming many difficulties” such as three elections before the vote for an area high school was approved, they finally succeeded and Leyden was first officially organized as Cook County District 212 in April of 1924.

The main branch’s construction began with the first cornerstone of the building being laid in 1926, but the building was not “occupied until February 1927” with the first class consisting of 75 students and only 4 teachers.

The original building consisted of 16 rooms, and the building was completed at a cost of $125,000.

East Leyden alum Mary SanFilippo attended her freshman, sophomore, and senior year and graduated in 1942.

By SanFilippo’s senior year, East Leyden had expanded once again to include an entirely new wing which included “a modern cafeteria, equipment for wood shop and metal shop, and drawing.”

They also had expanded the after school activities to include “clubs of dramatics, cooking for boys, shop for girls, jitterbug dancing, radio, and even chess.”

SanFilippo described her senior year as: “Wonderful, so much fun…everyone knew everyone.”

She was on the Queen’s court for homecoming and had a graduating class of 114.

SanFilippo explains the type of clothes worn back in the early 40’s: “Girls only wore skirts. Slacks came in junior or senior year, [but] they are not like jeans.”

Otherwise, girls “wore a typical dress, skirts and sweaters.”

She also remarked on how she wore “saddle shoes that were white and brown” and made of leather. In movies from the time, the saddle shoes depicted are often all white with a strip of black.

She explains that her favorite thing about high school was, “all the friendships..[I] loved the orchestra.”

Despite attending high school during war time, WWII, she described it as “an easier time, no fights, no violence. Safe wherever you went.”

Leyden has continued to undergo expansions and changes as the student population increases and shifts, yet it’s important to remember our past as we look towards Leyden’s future.