DON McDERMOTT / PVT The original Pahrump Valley High School cost $1.2 million to construct, after it was designed by architects Ted Seldon and Maurice Nespar of Reno. The school was supposed to be completed by August 1973, but labor problems and the inability of companies to deliver steel supplies on time delayed the opening until the 1974-1975 school year. The first event was held in the still incomplete building was the graduation of the Pahrump Valley High School Class of 1974. Advertisement

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Elementary student population in the Pahrump Valley was 65 in the 1966-67 school year. Five years later, it was 246, with more than 100 traveling by bus to attend classes at Death Valley High School. In June 1972, Nye County assessor Leo Funk predicted that the building of a new high school in the Pahrump Valley would "prompt a population jump to 10,000 people within a few years."

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The target date for the opening of the new $1.2 million Pahrump Valley High School -- a 30,000-square foot structure being designed by architects Ted Seldon and Maurice Nespar of Reno -- was August 1973.

It didn't happen. Labor strikes and delays in delivery of steel stopped construction several times; the project began in February 1973, but was not completed until spring 1974.

The Pahrump Valley High School, circa 1973, is now the Ninth Grade Academy and is located at the intersection of Mt. Charleston Drive and Calvada Boulevard In 1973, those 45 acres -- once one of the best alfalfa fields in Nevada -- were in the center of the historic Pahrump Ranch.

Also considered as a location for the high school were:

* on the 20 acres where Manse Elementary school is located;

* a site on Charleston Park Road;

* 40 acres at Blagg and Wilson roads, and

* privately-owned property between Highway 16 (now 160) and Blagg Road.

Preferred Equities owned those 45 acres and offered the land to the Nye County School District at no cost. The NCSD accepted the offer because of its central location, its acreage and Calvada's own non-commercial zoning.

Preferred Equities also offered to provide site improvements, including water, sewers and drainage. That offer, according to published reports, saved the county another $140,000.

Pahrump Ranch history dated back 100 years; with its springs, trees and farm soil, it had served as both a farm and way station for travelers, prospectors and Spanish Trail riders, according to Western Nevada Pahrump Valley Times reports.

Preferred Equities purchased 10,500 acres of the Pahrump Ranch from Walt Williams in November 1970 for an estimated $3.5 million. In 1958, Williams had bought 12,000 acres from C. B. Bickey -- for $400,000. In 1968, Williams' cotton enterprise produced 2,200 bales, according to the Times.

Nye County School Superintendent Joaquin G. Johnson said tentative PVHS plans called for the construction of five classrooms, as well as rooms for science, business and home economics. There would also be a shop for automotive and other vocational training and a resources center or library.

A multi-purpose gym, with seating for up to 400 people on one site, would be included, along with a portable stage.

Among the dignitaries at the groundbreaking Feb. 1, 1973 were town board members Ed Clark, Joe LaComb and Jim Hazel; Nye County Sheriff Don Tomany; school superintendent Johnson and Bob Ruud, a county commissioner.

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While the high school was being constructed, on-site development was ongoing. Several miles of new roads were under construction, including the extension of Calvada Boulevard, as well as Mt. Charleston and Los Coyotes. A sewage facility with a capacity of 10,000 gallons was being built 1,000 feet east of the school site. The sewage plant was to be capable of servicing the school plus 50 residential homes.

Those projects preceded the actual construction of the school. Said Jack Soules, Preferred executive: " We are going ahead with our part of the plan now, in order to insure that the school does not experience unnecessary delays."

Unfortunately, the best-laid plans often are overturned by circumstances beyond anyone's control.

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There were labor disputes and the inability of companies to deliver steel supplies as promised. Classes -- conducted in temporary facilities -- did begin on time, thanks to the efforts of newly-hired principal Don Worden and the teaching staff. But the building was not dedicated until March 16, 1974. More than 100 students, including 16 seniors, finally had their new home. Worden was a graduate of Arizona State University, he had been the principal at Wilcox High School in Arizona.

Soule said the construction of the new high school would "serve as the single greatest factor in forcing bankers to offer reasonable interest rates for permanent housing construction in the valley." Soule's words would prove prophetic.

As the construction project continued, students were invited to help choose the PVHS colors, emblem and mascot. It was also decided that a football field would not be in the first-year plans, but groups were preparing for the development of a playing field, with a site adjoining the high school already selected and engineering plans being prepared.

Incidentally, while the contest to name a mascot was still going on, school officials ran into a difficult problem.

When the urgency to order football uniforms required a choice of colors, a mascot was also chosen in spring 1973. Three names were listed: Rattlesnakes, Mustangs and Trojans; the last prevailed. Among other names nominated: Chiefs, Cowboys, Cougars, Patriots, Pintos, Palominos, Colts, Coyotes, Jackrabbits and Tarantulas (Gabbs' present nickname).

When the 1973-1974 school year began, there were 365 students in the Pahrump Valley system: 12 in kindergarten, 150 in grades 1-6, 73 in grades 7-8, and 102 in high school, including 16 seniors. The high school teachers included Hank Wohle, who would be the Trojans' first football coach.

Also on the PVHS staff were Ralph Lundgren, a UNLV grad, English; Neil Peddicord, Nevada, vocational agriculture; Mike Schoenfeld, Nevada, science; Vicki Turner, Nevada, business and journalism; David Asmus, Nevada, English and German; Cynthia Yeager, girls physical education and health, and Peggy Bernd, Nevada, math.

Pat Inch was to be the boys physical education teacher and coach in basketball and track.

Even before the new high school was open for conducting the business of education, the extracurricular world was already revolving.