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Overview

Architect John J. Donovan (1876-1949) invited his old boss, Henry Hornbostel (1867-1961) to assist with the design of the Oakland Technical High School. During the 1910s, Hornbostel's New York firm, Palmer, Hornbostel and Jones, became adept at the design of educational buildings, and Donovan brought this expertise to Oakland where he designed over 20 buildings for the local school board and wrote a widely-read book on school planning, called School Architecture: Principles and Practices, (New York: New York, Macmillan Company, 1921). Donovan first came to CA as Palmer, Hornbostel and Jones's representative supervising the construction of the Oakland City Hall, a commission won in a nation-wide competition. He was hired by the City of Oakland in 01/1912, and charged by the city to supervise its extensive school construction plans. Oakland Technical High School, being his first design project in his new job, Donovan may have wanted to tap Hornbostel's expertise to insure that the job was done right.

Alteration

The Oakland Unified School District paid to have the Technical High School seismically upgraded between 1977 and 1983.

PCAD id: 5761