By 1935, the attendance in Rockford's single high school grew too large. The board of education decided it would be best to establish two new high schools on the East and West sides of the Rock River. In 1938, the school board approved $3 million in funding to build two new high schools to replace Rockford High School, with 45% of the budget funded by Works Progress Administration. Rockford High School was renamed as Central High School and the two new schools were opened as East High School and West High School. Rockford West, located on North Rockton Avenue on the Northwest side of the city, remained open for 48 years as a high school, it now serves as West Middle School. Rockford East, located on Charles Street, is still a functioning high school and maintains the traditions of Rockford High School.
High school athletics
The East boys golf team dominated the IHSA in the 1940s and 1950s by winning 6 of 13 championships in the 41-42, 42-42, 43-44, 44-45, 46-47 and finally 56-57 while finishing either second or third in four of the remaining seven seasons during that time-frame. East has won three additional championships, two in football, coming in 1974 and again in 1985, and one in girls bowling in 1997. East has come close in other sports by finishing second in boys basketball during the 1947-48 season as well as boys swimming and diving in the 1950-51 season along with debate that same year as well as during the 1954-55 year. Finally, the most recent "runner-up" finish came in the 1995-96 season as the girls bowling team brought home the second place finish. Individually, the school has won an additional thirty-three state championships in bowling, swimming & diving, golf, tennis and track and field.
Facilities
Built in 1939 as part of the Works Progress Administration project which also resulted in the construction of West, the basic design of both buildings was by Willis Hubbard, the exterior facade, however, was designed by Jesse Barloga in the Art Modeme style. West exterior façade, on the other hand, was designed by Gilbert Johnson. East was also considered an excellent example of Art Modeme architecture, and a focal point from the community from its beginning. In fall 1969 a football stadium was built and opened next to Guilford High School. The stadium was named for Dr. John Swanson who was Guilford’s first principal when the school opened in 1962. A 1945 graduate of East, he worked as counselor and assistant principal at East from 1956 to 1961 then served as Guilford’s principal from 1961 to 1969. He went on to become an assistant superintendent of the Highland Park/Deerfield District from 1969 to 1974, then superintendent of Oak Park and River Forest School District from 1974 to 1987. After a year in the Philippines, Swanson returned to Rockford for the 1989-1990 school year to serve as interim superintendent. When Swanson Stadium opened in 1969, it was also the home to Jefferson High School’s football team, which is why Jefferson students were also able to vote for who the stadium would be named after. The J-Hawks moved a couple years later to share what is now Wyeth Stadium with Auburn High School, named for John W. Wyeth. Auburn's first principal. Rock Valley College also used Swanson Stadium as its home field for a short time prior to dropping their football program.
Information
nickname, "Rabs", was based on the school colors; red and black, West inherited those same colors, but changed the mascot to "Warriors". Rockford East also uses red and black for their school colors and continues to use "Rabs" as the team nickname; however, based on their location, an E was added making their mascot the "E-Rabs", which stands for East-Red And Blacks.
