This 82-year-old yearbook was donated to the library to be offered at a Book Sale. What a find!

I have no idea what that blank line is about. I am very curious!

I loved all the clubs: Saber, ROTC Band, The Colors, A thru D Company, Orchestra, H-Y & Tri-Y (?), Glee, Camera, Stamp, Printing, Debate, Drama, Projector, and of course, Chess (pictured above).

The Girls' Sphere included the sports of Swimming, Ice Skating, Tennis, Badminton, and Archery. There was also the Social Service Club, Health Service, and Dance.

And how about the Yell Leaders? "When at the game people question, who leads those yells? Who get the students' spirits up? Who fixes the beautiful rooting sections? Naturally we answer with pride, 'why Bob Jones, our able Yell Leader, and his two assistants, Bill Zlatunich and Frank Cercos'."

With such a unique name, I thought I'd find out what happened to Bill (Blas) Zlatunich (1923-2015). I love that kind of stuff. "Born in San Francisco where he lived his entire life except for being drafted in WW II where he proudly served at home and on the European continent. When Bill returned home, he began an apprenticeship in the graphic arts industry with Walker Engraving Co where he would spend nearly 40 years. He remained a bachelor into his early 30s until he met Loraine, the love of his life. He was a devoted husband and father (and lived a wonderful nine decades, based on what I read)."

The ads in the yearbook gave me cause to do some historical digging. I was drawn to this sweater ad by Gantner. Gantner – Mattern was one of the great swim and sportswear labels to come out of California. The company sprang from the J.J. Pfister Knitting Company, which was started in 1876 in San Francisco. Sometime around the turn of the 20th century, two high-ranking employees, John O. Gantner and Alfred Mattern, started their own company, Gantner-Mattern.

In the 1930s they were the first company to make men’s topless swimsuits, called the Wikie. In 1954 John Gantner, the president of the company, sold the business to shirtmaker C.F. Hathaway. They in turn liquidated the company in 1958 due to a lack of profits. History is found everywhere!

This is the school today. Commerce High is an integral part of the western wall of Van Ness Avenue (at the corner of Fell and Franklin streets) which includes Masonic Hall, Davies Hall, War Memorial Complex, Opera Plaza and the State Building.  Dwindling attendance led to the closing of this architecturally stunning school in 1952. It was used as administrative offices for the school district thereafter. At least it's still standing. What a very cool yearbook. Wow, indeed!