The school was founded in 1889 as the
Santa Paula Academy, a private school run by the Congregational Church Association. Between 1889 and 1891, the school expanded to become Santa Paula's first school offering education beyond elementary grades. The cornerstone was laid on April 24, 1889. The Santa Paula Academy was built with money contributed by Wallace L. Hardison, C.H. McKevett, J.M. Sharp, and N.W. Blanchard. Curriculum for the school included the Latin language, Greek and Roman history, medieval and modern history, English, algebra, trigonometry, chemistry, and physics. In 1891, the California state legislature provided for incorporation of
union high school districts. The city of Santa Paula agreed with the Congregational Church Association to convert Santa Paula Academy to a public school and renamed it
Santa Paula High School. Santa Paula High School expanded rapidly throughout the early 20th century. In 1905, the land between 6th and 7th streets was bought, but later exchanged for the ground between 5th and 6th streets in 1909. That year, there were only 100 students enrolled at Santa Paula High School. In 1912, the school purchased the land where the gymnasium now stands. Enrollment had increased to 125 students, and there were six faculty members. In 1914, a three-story concrete school was built with a concrete shop in the rear for vocational training. Every classroom now had electric clocks. The original frame building was moved to Briggs School, an elementary school just outside the city of Santa Paula. In 1924, a new study hall unit was added to the east side of the building, parallel to the auditorium unit in the center of campus. The school's football field, which opened in 1925, was dedicated by alumni of the football team as Jones Field in 1929. Also in 1929, the library was established in the study hall. By this time, the student body numbered about 250 and the faculty 20. In 1938, construction for the new campus plant began and was completed in the spring of 1939 with Spanish-style architecture. The following year, most of the current school buildings were built for $329,000 under President Franklin D. Roosevelt's
New Deal. In 1995, SPHS began an $8 million, five-year expansion project. Added to the campus were a new band room, cafeteria, student store, and a three-story building for 15 classrooms. == Activities ==