Marshall was built to accommodate 2,400 students, although only 1300 enrolled in its first year. It cost $4,731,506 to build, and included 42 classrooms. It had a library, which projects from a corner of the building into the courtyard, had 7000 books in its first year, and a cafeteria which seated 800 students. Students were drawn from areas previously served by Franklin and Madison High Schools. Marshall was designed by the firm Stanton, Boles, Maguire, and Church, which also designed the campus of Lewis and Clark College. Marshall had several innovative design features. It was designed to have conference rooms connected to classrooms, with windows between them, to allow teachers to either meet with individual students while keeping an eye on the class as a whole or let students study in the conference room while teaching a class in the main classroom. It put lockers in all teachers classrooms, for storing personal belongings. Despite these design features, it is not eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, since, unlike Jackson Middle School and Wilson High School, it does not demonstrate as high a level of innovation in its design. In the mid 1960s, Marshall experimented with an innovative program, developed by a team of professors at the StanfordSchool of Education, which gave students the opportunity to complete homework during an extended school day. This program structured the school more like a college, to better prepare students for college. Students spent just two thirds of their day in class, leaving the other third open for studying, researching, or sitting in on other classes. Classes also varied in length, resulting in a complicated schedule based upon 20-minute modules, which was created by an IBM 7090. While the reaction was generally positive, there were some problems with the experiment. Not all teachers adjusted well to the student-discussion focused classes, and some students goofed off instead of studying during the free third of their school day. The school encouraged collaboration between teachers, which many saw as positive.
Student profile
In its last year of operation, the student population was 45% white, 23% Latino, 16% Asian/Pacific Islander, and 10% African American. The Marshall boundaries contained more potential students than any other in the Portland area, though the Marshall enrollment was only 751 students. In 2009, 9% of the students transferred into the school.
BizTech High School of Business and Technology In 2008, 42% of the school's seniors received their high school diploma. Of 62 students, 26 graduated, 23 dropped out, 4 received a modified diploma, and 9 were still in high school. In 2009–2010, the school had 288 students.
Pauling Academy of Integrated Sciences In 2008, 58% of the school's seniors received their high school diploma. Of 71 students, 41 graduated, 20 dropped out, 5 received a modified diploma, and 5 were still in high school. In 2009–2010, the school had 175 students.
Renaissance Arts Academy In 2008, 44% of the school's seniors received their high school diploma. Of 61 students, 27 graduated, 22 dropped out, 7 received a modified diploma, and 5 were still in high school. In 2009–2010, the school had 288 students.
Athletics
Among Marshall's most successful sports teams were the boys basketball teams also the 1995-96 basketball team almost reach the post season they were one game shy of making the post season. And the cheerleading squad. The girls basketball team won two consecutive state championships in 1981 and 1982. Coached by Ken Trapp and John Hughes, the 1981 championship team was the first in Oregon history to finish undefeated at 26-0. Coached by Rod Jones, the girls volleyball team won the state championship in 1978 and finished second in 1982, 1985 and in 1987 second under coach John Hughes. In 1980 the girls soccer team reached the quarter finals. In 1981 the softball team finished 3rd in the state. Marshall football reached the state quarterfinals in 1973, and last reached the playoffs since 2003, but hadn't won a playoff football game since 1990. The school recorded the first winless season in the school's 50-year history during the 2007-2008 season after falling in the last game of the season to also winless Roosevelt High School 25-22 in a match-up of two teams that have struggled for the better part of the decade. JMHS hired a new football coach on June 23, 2010.
Notable alumni
Nick Jones - basketball player
Jeff Nehler - Softball - Senior Softball Player
GARY CATER -- Baseball,Basketball.
Franklin, Grant, Madison, and Benson remodel
The Marshall Campus housed the students of Franklin High school from the fall of 2015 until the end of the school year in 2017 while Franklin High School was renovated and earthquake-proofed. In fall 2017, the students of Grant High School relocated to the Marshall Campus while similar renovation is done on the Grant building. Students are expected to return to the building in fall 2019. After Grant High School completed, Madison High School was transferred to be at Marshall campus for 2 years so they have a fully renovated building just like Grant and Franklin High Schools. After the Madison completion, Benson Polytechnic High School students will be the next to use the Marshall campus, as their school undergoes major renovations from 2021-2024.
