W-L Archives

Yearbook, Literary Magazine, Newspaper Archive

The school’s first yearbook, The Virginian, and the subsequent Blue and Gray yearbooks through 2013 can be viewed and downloaded for free on the Internet Archive. Penman, W-L’s literary magazine, can also be viewed and downloaded; it has only been archived through 1973. In the future, as funding permits, the more recent Penmans, Blue and Grays, and the Crossed Sabres newspaper will be added to this digital archive; it is a joint project of the school and the Washington-Lee High School Alumni Association, and funded through alumni donations. (Yearbooks, Crossed Sabres, and Penmans are stored in the Alumni Archives at W-L. The W-L library has its own set of yearbooks. The Virginia Room at the Arlington Central Library has an incomplete set of yearbooks.)

Link to the Yearbook and Literary Magazine Digital Archive:

archive.org/details/washingtonleehighschool  *sort by “date archived” to view the yearbooks and literary magazines in descending order by year, i.e. most recent to oldest.

OR, through the W-L HS Alumni Association website, the yearbooks and Penmans are organized by year for easy browsing:

www.wlhsalumni.org/wordpress/digital-resources/

Blue and Gray yearbooks on the Internet Archive

*The Alumni Archives are managed by the Washington-Lee Alumni Association and stored at the school. For donations of memorabilia contact the W-L AA at www.wlhsalumni.org/wordpress/info/contact-us/

Other Publications

Washington-Lee High School Accomplished Alumni and Faculty is a printed database of “accomplished” alumni maintained by the Washington-Lee High School Alumni Association. It is updated regularly. A printed copy is located in the Alumni Archives at W-L.

The W-L library has about ten copies of History of W-L, 1924-1939.

Copies of the Washington-Lee 75th Anniversary souvenir booklet are at the Virginia Room, Arlington Central Library, and in the Alumni Archives.

The Virginia Room also has back issues of the Washington-Lee High School Education Foundation Bulletin which is mailed to all alumni annually. They can be viewed online as well: wlhsfoundation.org/bulletin/

One copy of Washington-Lee High School Cook Book 1927 is in the Alumni Archives.

Copies of the Generals’ Aide student handbook (various years) and old student directories are in the Alumni Archives.

Washington-Lee HS Cook Book

Washington-Lee student handbook

Plaques, Memorials, and Murals (Work In Progress)

W-L’s John F. Kennedy Mural by Jon Friedman, W-L ’65

Arlington War Memorial Stadium opened in September 1957 and was dedicated shortly afterwards. The plaque was placed in 1959.

The Washington-Lee PWA plaque (outside the current library) was rescued by Social Studies teacher Tim Wyatt during the 1976 demolition of the original school.

[WWII Memorial plaque with list of names]

At the close of WWII, the student council of ’44-’45 presented a plaque to W-L that lists the names of those students who died in the service of their country.

[Memorial bench by softball field]

Washington-Lee High School Athletic Hall of Fame

https://www.wlhsalumni.org/wordpress/other-stuff/w-l-athletic-hall-of-fame/

75th Anniversary Oral History

Former students, faculty, and admin were interviewed during the anniversary celebration in 2000. The tapes are stored in the alumni archives.

Old Floor Plans

W-L floor plan showing the 1924 building with the 1932, 1941, 1952, and 1964 additions (Alumni Archives).