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1930-1936
The Engle Era
Dr. John F. Engle became principal of Placer High School in 1906 and began a long and illustrious 30-year career in which the school expanded from five teachers in one rickety wooden building to an 800-student faculty boasting five buildings and the creation of a junior college. At the same time the high school developed a reputation throughout the state as one of the finest secondary institutions of the Placer High School District which extended from Loomis to Lake Tahoe.
Several landmark buildings were added during Engle’s stay as principal. During the 1906-07 school years the original Sierra College wooden building was torn down and replaced
1906 Upper Campus Building
by a $40,000 building. The new building was a substantial brick structure consisting of 22 rooms on four levels, including a basement, and a large tin dome. Heating was by an automatic system which regulated both temperature and ventilation in every room. Within a few years statuary, pictures, and potted plants were added to beatify the interior of the school. The library was considered one of the finest in Northern California and the collection of American history in the History department was the best in Northern California.
In 1909 shower baths and lockers for the Athletes were installed downstairs in the new building. In the next few years tennis courts were finished on the site of the old wooden building and a football field and track were installed. By 1918 the school showcased a large wooden gymnasium with sideline seating and a stage. The year 1926, however marked the beginning of a new era for Placer when the music/auditorium and science wings were added and the brick building was plastered over to match the architectural style of the two new wings. The auto shop and bus shed building along Agard Street were also constructed at this time. Ten years later, building began on Placer Junior College buildings, gym and athletic field during the final year of Engle’s administration, 1936.
Athletics began to have an impact on the school during Engle’s tenure as well. In addition of a young coach from the University of California, Earl Crabbe, enabled the girls’ and boys’ basketball teams to create a dynasties of legendary significance. Between 1916 and 1920 his girls’ basketball team went 41-1 winning 37 games in succession at one point, compiling four straight undefeated seasons. Beginning in 1923 his boys’ basket ball teams won 16 out of 17 league championships, including 12 in a row. Crabbe also coached his men to eight Central California titles in 13 appearances.
Engle was at the helm as a student endured the tragedy of World War I when a junior Red Cross Club was organized on campus with girls learning to make surgical dressings and the entire school donating over $500 to a war drive. The Engle years also saw the formation of the first high school cadet corps in the State of California under the direction of Captain Fred S. Roumage, a National Guard officer and later captain in France in World War I.
The year 1914 marked the birth of the Placer High School district, thus again changing the names of the school to Placer High School. That same year college level classes were revived after having disappeared several years earlier. However, due to the enrollment drain caused by World War I, the junior college was abandoned by 1920.
Certain ceremonies were now becoming traditional such as the Freshman Reception, the Christmas Jinx, the Junior Prom, the Senior Ball, Senior Picnic, and the Graduation and Alumni Dance. Participation in clubs and organization also grew, beginning with the Agricultural Science Organization which became the Future Farmers of America, the oldest club in existence. During the period of time the Placer Band came into prominence under the guidance of Otto Fox, entertaining the school and the community at various concerts and public performances.
Academics also took on prominence during the Engle principalship. A four year curriculum became the norm with students tracked into Classical, Scientific, or Commercial fields of study. All paths were stiffly challenging with semester finals a dreaded period of time for the students. Miscreant students were dealt with severely and Detention became an unwelcome punishment. Still, Engle and his vice-Principal E.F. Waldo were highly respected by the students and could be seen attending various cultural, social and Athletic events at the school.
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How our Kendall Became One of the Oldest Basketball Tournaments... Anywhere
Some say it’s the oldest high school basketball tournament in Northern California. Some say the entire state. Some even say west of the Mississippi. No one knows for sure. But what is certain is that Placer High will again host the 83rd Kendall Arnett Tournament December 29-31 this year, continuing a legacy began generations ago.
The tourney has a storied history and has always been held in the school’s iconic Earl Crabbe Gym. It began as a one-day basketball tournament in January 1943 as part of the Victory program instituted at the school during World War II. The event matched eight invited teams in ten games that ran from 9 am to 9 pm.
It included a Placer College game and a Victory Ball following the tournament. Preliminary rounds featured games of five minute quarters, while the championship game had eight minute quarters. Folsom won the first championship with a thrilling 23–22 win over Christian Brothers to receive a $25 war bond. Placer won the consolation berth over Oroville 42-28.
Conceived by Placer coach Kendall Arnett shortly after he arrived at Placer in February of 1942, the affair was initially called the Block P Patriotic Basketball Tournament. Little did the coach know that the event would become one of the most prestigious basketball tournaments in the state.
The event continued to be an annual happening with Placer reaching the finals in 1944 and 1947, but failing to claim the crown. It wasn’t until 1948 when legendary coach Ralph LeFebvre’s squad beat San Juan 27-20 for the host team’s first title.
The tournament included several awards: Most Valuable Player, All-tournament players, top scorer, top rebounder, team spirit award, outstanding rooting section, and best cheerleaders, selected by a panel of local judges who attended all games. Originally, there was even a queen selected from Placer who reigned over the post-tournament dance.
In 1954, Arnett, founder of the tournament, which was now 12 years old, passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. The Block P Club honored its beloved advisor by changing the name of the 1955 tournament to the Kendall Arnett Tournament, which has remained to this day.
That year, faced with hosting the first tournament in honor of Arnett, Placer faced a daunting challenge and didn’t seem to have a chance. The team was young but filled with raw talent. They had finished the regular season with a mediocre 8-12 record.
Playing before a raucous home audience, the Hillmen fought their way into the championship game against San Juan. With two minutes to play, the Hillmen trailed by six points when Coach Ralph LeFebvre called a time out for his exhausted cagers.
When play resumed, Ola Lee Murchison cleared a rebound and put in a layup to narrow the Spartans’lead. Incredibly, Dave Virgil connected on a 30-foot desperation shot to tie the game in the final seconds. In overtime, Murchison stole the ball and put in the clinching layup to secure an emotional 47-43 victory to honor Arnett.
Eventually the tournament expanded to play regulation quarters and expanded to three days, resulting in another legendary final game. In 1970, Placer barely made their way into the finals with two shabby performances, only to face the high-scoring Jefferson of Daly City, the defending tournament champions.
The talented Bay Area squad had won their previous two tourney games by scoring 96 and 95 points. Their star Pinky Smith was averaging 28 points a game and burly Earl Wilson controlled the boards for them.
But in the final, the Hillmen, coached by Tom Barry, shut down the Jefferson offense and controlled the boards to score an 80-65 upset in one of the most dramatic games in tournament history. Placer’s Gary Just scored 23 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. Gary Hodgkin and Greg Hashhagen each 14 points to help claim the title.
In 1971 the tournament was moved from January to December, resulting in two such tournaments that year. But regardless of the year, the venerable Earl Crabbe Gym becomes a hot, sweaty venue, decorated with brightly colored banners, fans standing shoulder to shoulder along the sidelines, the pep band rocking away, and the old wooden bleachers shaking with cheering fans.
Today, the spirit of the Kendall Arnett Tournament remains as vibrant as ever. The iconic Earl Crabbe Gym continues to come alive each December with the echoes of dribbling basketballs, roaring fans, and the proud traditions of Placer High School. As players battle it out on the court and spectators pack the stands, the tournament serves as a living tribute to its founder, Kendall Arnett, and the generations of athletes, coaches, and fans who have made it a hallmark of high school basketball excellence.
Pictured Top: Originally known as the Block P Patriotic Basketball Tournament, the hoops contest was founded in 1943 by Placer High Coach Kendall Arnett (right) during WWII.
Pictured Middle: Placer players celebrate an emotional 1955 championship victory the year the tournament was renamed to honor Coach Kendall Arnett who passed away the previous year.
$825,375
TOTAL IMPACT TO DATE, INCLUDING...
$594,650
GRANTS PROGRAMS, INCLUJDING...
$160,469
ACADEMICS
$70,105
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$34,531
ACTIVITES
$24,736
ALUMNI
$304,809
SPECIAL PROJECTS & INITIATIVES
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM*
$230,725
TOTAL AWARDED
17
CURRENT SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
$29,750