North America/United States of America/Illinois/Des Plaines/Maine West High School/
Maine West High School
- Location & Contact Information
- Address, Directions, & Map:
- 1755 South Wolf Road, Des Plaines, Illinois, United States of America
- Telephone Numbers: 847-827-6176
- Official Website: [2]
- Address, Directions, & Map:
- History & Memorable Moments
Built in 1959, in part due to the United States's increasing emphasis on the education of hard sciences to compete against the Soviet Union during the Cold War, Maine West holds many Cold War-era characteristics. The basement level of the school, currently a fitness center (affectionately called "The Pit" by students), was designed to be used as a fallout shelter capable of protecting 1,000 people in the event of a nuclear incident. It is claimed by the Maine West Alumni Association website that the school was designed to host over 4,500 students. The "pit" was not the only fall out shelter in the building. Under each of the gyms, except Spec (which wasn't built until later), there are crawlspaces that stretch for about the whole length of the floor. These were filled with boxes of crackers, boxes of lemon drops, and also bottles of water that was meant to hold the students if a nuclear strike were to happen. Now, these spaces have been cleared out and have been used for storage. [1]
- Overview, Photographs, & Video Links
Prospective Students
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New & Current Students
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Alumni
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- Teachers (Where are they now?)
- Kissamis, Kel (August 1974 - June 1978)
- Orozco, Nathalia (April 1984 - Present)
- Alumni Directory
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