H.B. Anderson

History of the H.B. Anderson School

            Harry Blaine (H.B.) Anderson, born in 1878, was among Westminster’s earliest and most notable residents. His father, John Y. Anderson, bought the first acreage of land in Westminster from   L. P. Webber. Throughout his lifetime, H.B Anderson lived his life a farmer and served as the treasurer for the Presbyterian church. Anderson was in his eighties when he would receive a letter from Superintendent John Land informing him that the new Westminster school was to be named in his honor.

H.B. Anderson school was constructed alongside Warner Middle School in 1961; however, the latter was not completed on time. As Anderson was ready, for a short time it was used temporarily as a middle school until both sites were officially opened on January 2, 1962. The H.B. Anderson school was officially dedicated in a ceremony held next month by the principal Eldon Meyer and Superintendent Land, with a portrait being presented to H.B. Anderson during the ceremony. Also in attendance were the school board members, Orange County Supervisor Willis Warner, and graduates from the original Westminster School, Mabel McCoy and William Birch.

The similarity between Anderson and Sequoia Elementary School is no coincidence. Sequoia was supposed to be constructed first, however, due to issues with the water and gas lines, the design would be used for Anderson instead. Curtis Bluemke, Assistant Superintendent of Business, said that they would have to start construction right away.

The school, designed by the Morgan-Adams firm, opened with 20 classrooms, a multipurpose room, office, and cafeteria. Two of these classrooms were dedicated to Special Education classes, one of the first in the district to do so. Special Education has consistently remained at Anderson, with a new class added in 1991 to support students with medical needs.

In April 1975, following the fall of Saigon, a significant number of Vietnamese refugees settled around what would become known as Little Saigon. Many of these pupils would be enrolled in Westminster Schools near the emergent cultural center, with Anderson and Willmore. By the mid-1980s, the District had hired Vietnamese bilingual aides and two Vietnamese teachers, with one, Mr. Xuan Nguyen, at Anderson. With Willmore’s temporary closure in 1985, Vietnamese students were distributed across the District, with many continuing their education at Anderson and Webber.  

The school’s recent history reflects its past. In 2013, for example, Anderson Special Education teachers initiated a district-wide Olympics for children with special needs, affirming Anderson’s long-standing dedication to inclusive education.