If you have ever driven down Fremont Ave past West Broadway, you may have noticed a football field; you may even know that it is North High School’s athletic field. What you may not know is that its actual name is Hobbs Field — or why it was named that.
The field is named for former North High Principal, Waldo Warren Hobbs. Hobbs wasn’t just any principal, he was the principal at North for 42 years!
Waldo Hobbs was born July 10, 1860 and graduated from high school in Hancoye Falls, New York in 1876. He went to Genesco Normal School, and from there he had positions in Ohio and New York. In 1885 he became the superintendent of schools in Farmington, Minnesota and from 1887-1889 the superintendent in Worthington, Minnesota. Although he was offered positions as superintendent in both Spring Valley and Worthington, he declined those offers to become the principal at Northside High School in 1892. He remained the principal there until he retired June 22, 1934. For all the years he was the principal there, he lived within walking distance of the school and for the majority of those years he lived just a few blocks up Fremont Ave from the school.
Waldo Hobbs was the second principal of the first North Side High School on 18th and Emerson, which was the first high school built outside of downtown. He started there in September 1892. When the student body became too big for that building, a new one was built on Fremont and the first building became Logan Elementary School. In 1896 Hobbs, the faculty and students moved into that second building. Unfortunately, it was rather short lived and a fire destroyed it on June 18, 1913. That building was torn down and a new building (the third one) was built on the same sight and everyone was moved to the recently vacated old Central High School building downtown until the new North High School opened.
These are the words of Waldo Hobbs from the 1914 Polaris yearbook on looking to the opening of the new building:
“There are two events to which I look forward to each year with pleasant anticipation. I refer to the appearance of the Polaris and the Annual Alumni Reception which occurs the evening following the June Commencement.
The memories of this year and class should long remain in the minds of all the loyal members of Walla Kazoo. It is our hope and expectation to occupy the North High again before the close of the present year and certainly by September. The class of 1914, therefore, will be noted as having been the first to graduate from this beautiful and modern building. It is probably that few realize what good things are in store for the North High School students in the future.
June 18, 1913 was a very sorrowful day for North High students, faculty, alumni and friends, but with such a loyal and energetic constituency we could only expect a happy development and prospect; and now after months of inconvenience we are to go forward under ideal conditions and with enthusiasm that means the greatest success for the future. With this fine equipment and opportunity for work comes increased responsibility on the part of those given these privileges. I, therefore, appeal to all alumni, friends and patrons to promote that spirit which means unselfish and faithful effort. With this opportunity for higher ideals and efforts will also be given reasonable chances for sociable entertainment. Our new auditorium, gymnasiums, library, and lunch service will certainly be adequate for many occasions of enjoyment and profit.
Now is the time for the loyal alumni of North High School to rally to the support of all the best interests of the school. Be proud of your school as you have a right to be, and the school will be proud of her graduates, and so working with a common purpose we cannot fail to make a name for North High worthy of the highest commendation.”
After Waldo Hobbs retired in 1934, and the athletic field was named in his honor. Students dedicated the 1935 Polaris yearbook to him with these words. “In tribute to his forty-two years of devotion and unsparing service as principal of North High school, we the January and June graduating classes of 1935 dedicate this annual to Waldo W. Hobbs. May this token of our respect and appreciation of his fine qualities and exceptional ability prove our sincere gratitude to him.”