FIRST DAY OF CLASSES WAS OCT 2, 1925. You can still see the original name carved in stone above the main entrance of the school, located on almost 11 acres in the heart of downtown Ocala. Population in Ocala grew to 6,500 that year. When it came time to plan the centennial celebration, school officials chose the evening of Oct. 2, 2025, 100 years to the day it first opened.    

FIRST HIGH SCHOOL BAND IN FLORIDA. The Ocala High School band was founded in 1922 by Mrs. Browne Greaton Cole. It has the distinction of being the oldest high school band in the state. The band competed in the first state band competition in 1928. The Osceola Middle School Band is still making great music in this historic building, having recently earned three Superior ratings in the Music Performance Assessments.   

GO WILDCATS, GO! Ocala High School’s Football team was still wearing leather helmets on the field when they posed for this team picture outside the school in 1926. Today, Osceola students compete in flag football, basketball, cross country and track for boys and girls, and volleyball for girls.

PIGS IN BLANKETS ARE SO 1920S! So are meatballs and pimento cheese sandwiches with the crusts cut off, and little pinwheel sandwiches. For the celebration, Culinary Instructor Kim Frye and students in her culinary classes prepared and served these trendy 1920s appetizers.

JUST KEEP GROWING: The North and South Wings of the current building were completed in 1951, adding more classroom space to the school to accommodate more students and meet the needs of a growing community.

OCALA HIGH HAS LEFT THE BUILDING: Ocala High’s Class of 1956 was the last high school class to graduate from this building. Ocala High moved to what is now Marion Technical Institute on Fort King Street and would eventually become Forest High School. This building became Ocala Junior High and was renamed as Osceola Junior High in 1963 and is now known as Osceola Middle School.

END OF SEGREGATION: After the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Osceola Junior High opened its doors to four African American students in 1965, changing history and ending segregation at the school.

A CAFETERIA OF THEIR OWN: For many years, Osceola Middle School shared a cafeteria with nearby Eighth Street Elementary, which meant a close coordination of school day schedules. Lunch at 10:30 a.m., anyone?  In 2021, the construction of a new cafeteria was completed, offering students not only a new modern space for breakfast and lunch, but also for the middle school dances, like the popular Fall Ball!

WHAT’S OLD IS NEW AGAIN. The school’s original red brick gymnasium was built in 1937 and after more than 85 years of service – including many school and local pickup basketball games – it was deemed structurally unstable and demolished in December 2023. Construction of the new gym began in June 2024, with approximately 80 percent of the materials from the old building being recycled for the new gym, preserving its legacy to this school and community. The new gym is expected to open in December. And yes, to all former Osceola students asking, this new gym does have AC!

GOVERNORS, FAMOUS SPORTSWRITERS, SWIMMERS AND MORE. Famous alumni of Ocala High, Ocala Junior High and Osceola Middle school include former Florida Governor and Lt. Gov. Buddy MacKay,  New York Times Best-Selling Author and Emmy Award Winner Buddy Martin, Ocala City Councilman Jay Musleh and Fred Gaskin, a current safety for the University of South Florida Bulls and former quarterback for the Vanguard High Knights. And don’t forget Newt Perry, former swimmer and swim coach for Ocala High, who opened Weeki Watchee, brought Hollywood to Ocala to film movies like “Tarzan” underwater at Silver Springs Attraction, and later opened Perry Swim School.