The ‘60s saw an early Redwood, a school soon to become known for its rigorous academics and athletics.

In the early ‘60s, Redwood’s current structure was still being built, and students were left wondering if Redwood would ever be finished. Originally, the main building was just an “L” shape. Today’s square shape came from adding the two hallways, now home to the English and Foreign Languages.

By popular demand, Redwood offered Home Economics as an elective throughout the ‘60s.Nightlife and entertainment in the early ‘60s were often based in parent-run school dances and dinners, Marin’s three bowling alleys, which included the current Country Club Bowl, and movie theaters, according to Sue Chelini, a long time teacher and administrator.

Chelini said that life was less complicated in the ‘60s, leading to a simpler nightlife.

Also on Saturday nights, the Larkspur volunteer fire department held The Rose Bowl Dance, a fundraiser that allowed participants to dance under swinging lights. Larkspur saw its last Rose Bowl in 1963.

Redwood’s basketball teams were broken up into three levels throughout the mid ‘60s: As, Bs, and Cs. Regardless of classification, all players wore ridiculously short athletic shorts. The A team was the varsity equivalent and the B team was for those who didn’t make the A team but still wanted to play competitively. The Cs were historically the worst group of players who did not make the cut for the A or B teams but still wanted to play basketball. This was also done in track and in some ways resembles the varsity, junior varsity and freshman levels of the current system today.

In addition to the building, the entertainment, and the sports, Redwood wouldn’t have been complete without a few pranks.

In 1968, Carl B. Johnson and friends decided to run an imaginary student in the student council election because they noticed that most people didn’t know the candidates. They decided to test this theory.

He and his friends, including fellow senior Peter Birdsall, got all the signatures required for their fake student to run. They put up signs advertising the student, and even dodged the fact that each candidate was expected to give a speech at lunch — a student from drama explained the candidate was absent, and gave a speech in his place.

However at the last minute the Dean of Boys pulled their fake student from the ballot.