In 1967, confronted with overcrowding at Douglas Junior High and then burgeoning neighborhoods on Douglas' east side, the Douglas school board began discussing the construction of another junior high school.

Plans showed five buildings. One held 10 classrooms, another had eight classrooms and a library. Included were a gymnasium, a cafeteria, and an office building with two classrooms.

Initially, for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders, the school was called 15th Street Junior High. it opened Sept. 17, 1969, on 11 acres of the northwest corner of 15th Street and Washington Ave.

In 1978, a fire damaged some classrooms at what was called Apache Junior High. Temporary schoolrooms were used until repairs were completed in 1979.

In 1981, another name change took place. The school was named Paul H. Huber Junior High School to honor a 56-year Douglas Unified School District employee.

Huber was born in 1903 in Wisconsin, educated and married there. In 1924, he arrived in Douglas to teach drafting and printing at Douglas High School.

He served as a faculty advisor for the school newspaper, the Border Bulldog, and the school yearbook, the Copper Kettle. Both were printed in the student-operated DHS print shop, as were almost all district forms, envelopes, stationary, and other printed paper items.

Also on Huber's resume were: DHS student council advisor, football game announcer, clock operator at basketball games, Copper Pick trophy designer, and inaugurator of coronation ball.

In 1956, he became Douglas High School principal and held the position until 1969. he was assistant school superintendent from 1967-69. In that capacity, he developed audio-visual policies that eventually led to the installation of satellite televisions and computer systems in district offices and classrooms beginning during the 1970s.

Even so, the printer's ink continued to flow through his veins. In a 1969 interview, Huber said his favorite recreation activity was to listen to the letters thinking out of a linotype machine as he set type in his son's print shop, The Sun Press. "I can go down there, sit at a linotype, and soon forget everything else," he said. "When I have troubles, I go down there and forget them."

The son, Paul Huber Jr., became involved in local politics, served as a city councilman, and was elected in 1968 to the first of three terms as Douglas Mayor.

Mr. Huber substitute taught until 1980. Paul Huber Sr. died in 1992 in Tucson. The school named for him received updates and expansions in 1982 and 1995.

-Ms. Cindy Hayostek, District Historical Researcher

Sources:

"School Board Resumes Study...", Douglas Dispatch, (Dec. 16, 1967).

"New Junior High School...", Dispatch (Aug. 27, 1968).

"Era at DHS Ends...", Dispatch (May 10, 1969).

"School buys computer", Dispatch, (April 24, 1973).

"Apache Building Not Quite Finished", Dispatch, (Aug. 15, 1979).

"All local school bond issues pass", Dispatch, (Nov. 4, 1981).

"New Name For Apache", Dispatch, (Feb. 13, 1981).

"Huber to have a new shop, classroom", Dispatch, (June 11, 1982)

"School bond approval...", Dispatch, (March 17, 1995)