Munster High School Yearbooks 1966-2015

Munster public schools have come a long way since the days of the three-room brick school built on the northeast corner of Calumet and Ridge in 1875. Enrollments were small, as little formal education was needed for many professions. According to records, fifty students or fewer were in attendance during any year before 1920. But even then, administrators of the Munster school recognized the value of music and art in the curriculum. These subjects were offered in addition to reading, writing, arithmetic, and a course titled Physical Culture. As few people needed an education beyond eighth grade, Munster school’s curriculum ended there also. Students who continued their studies usually did so at Hammond High.

In the early 1960s, the town seriously began to consider building a high school, as there were still no facilities for students beyond grade 10. By 1963, approximately 500 Munster students were attending Hammond High or Tech while others commuted to Griffith.

Facilities for 1200 students and an athletic complex with pool were planned, but the high cost (more than 6.2 million dollars) met with considerable opposition from the public. Designs were pared down and construction began on acreage on Columbia Avenue in June, 1965. The doors opened to students in September 1966 and by early 1967, the auditorium, swimming pool, music facilities, and administrative offices were in use. Senator Birch Bayh spoke to the 187 seniors at Munster High School’s first commencement.

The high school was remodeled in 1973/1974, and again in 1979. Improvements included more classrooms, administrative offices, physical education, science lab, business education, and industrial arts. The fieldhouse was remodeled, as was the pool area. Art and music facilities were expanded and improved. Unfortunately, a fire in 1980 destroyed a portion of the north building. Renovations to repair damage included a resource center, speech and debate area, lecture halls, and office space.

The Lake County Public Library has digitized all the yearbooks of Munster High School from it’s inception up until 2015. These yearbook images they have placed online for everyone at Internet Archive. To facilitate your access we have provided links to the individual yearbooks below, by year published, oldest to newest. All 50 of these yearbooks, can be read, and/or downloaded from the following links for free!

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