Burlingame High School

Story

Burlingame High School is a public high school in Burlingame, California, United States. It is part of the San Mateo Union High School District (SMUHSD).HistoryIn order to meet the growing student population, the school was opened in December 1923 under the name "San Mateo High School, Burlingame Branch." Designed by architect W. H. Weeks, the school took in students from Burlingame, Hillsborough, Millbrae, and San Bruno. Initial enrollment consisted of 350 students and 30 teachers. As a branch of San Mateo High School, extracurricular organizations were shared between the schools. There was a single band, football team, and other athletic teams with student members from both schools. Within 10 years the enrollment of the school increased to 494 boys and 474 girls, totalling 968 pupils, a figure close to the school's original design capacity. In 1927 the school name was officially changed to Burlingame High School.In the summer of 1980, the SMUHSD board decided it must close one of the district's seven schools, due to declining enrollment. Following public hearings, the board narrowed the choice to either Crestmoor High School or Burlingame High School. After study and discussion, the board decided to close Crestmoor in the fall of 1980 and keep Burlingame open.San Mateo and Burlingame have been rivals since the division of the Burlingame branch, and the rivalry culminates annually in a football matchup dubbed "The Little Big Game" and patterned after the Big Game. As of 2016, Burlingame leads the series record 54–32, with four ties. Burlingame currently holds "The Paw" as part of a seven-game win streak in the rivalry.