In 1889, the year that Washington became a state, public high school education was begun in Walla Walla.  Twelve students met before school, at noon, and after school at the Baker school building, to study three subjects. 

The next year, a high school was established in two rooms of the old Paine school building.    Eventually, the high school occupied the whole third floor.

Wa-Hi About 1907

The student body had grown from  12 to two-hundred-sixty and the first real high school building was erected in 1904 and 1905.  The following year, a gymnasium was built which also included the military department, a rifle range, and a shop.

Within ten years, the school had become so overcrowded that shacks, in which church pews were used, had to be built to serve as classrooms.  After a campaign by students, a bond issue was floated in 1917 and an addition was completed.  In 1936, a new gym was built.  The old gym building was remade into what is now the industrial  arts building, housing military, art, music and shop departments.  The vocational building was completed in 1948.  An addition to the vocational building, to house the automotive mechanics shop, was completed in 1952.

Pioneer Junior High School was put into operation in 1950.

The team name of "Blue Devils" has an interesting origin.  The Wa-Hi annual of 1923-24 shows that the second team in basketball was known as thee "Blue Devils" which  appeared on their uniforms.  The varsity team had "WW" on their jerseys.  The following year, the varsity team was known as the "Blue Devils".  The basketball team went to the national tournament that year.  The following year the team adopted "Blue Devils" for the varsity team.

The student body was first organized during the school year of 1904-05.  The school colors were also changed during that year from purple and gold to Yale blue.