Spokane Retrospective: High School Overcrowding Concerns and the 1926 Case of the Joyriding Aviator

Historical records from Spokane reveal a 1926 North Central High School overcrowding crisis and the court appearance of a joyriding pilot with broken ankles.

By: AXL Media

Published: Feb 27, 2026, 9:50 AM EST

Source: Information for this report was sourced from historical archives of The Spokesman-Review.

The Infrastructure Crisis at North Central High School

On February 27, 1926, the North Side Commercial Club of Spokane formally addressed the school board regarding the deteriorating conditions at North Central High School. The business group presented a report detailing a severe overcrowding crisis, noting that the facility was struggling to accommodate a student population that far exceeded its intended capacity. According to the historical record, the club argued that the lack of space was not only a logistical hurdle but a direct threat to the quality of education and the safety of the students. The group urged the city to prioritize the construction of additional wings or a new facility to alleviate the pressure on the existing infrastructure.

The overcrowding at North Central was a symptom of Spokane's rapid growth during the early 20th century. As the city expanded as a regional hub for mining, timber, and agriculture, the local school system struggled to keep pace with the influx of families. The North Side Commercial Club’s intervention highlighted the role of local business interests in advocating for public infrastructure. Their report served as a catalyst for a broader community conversation about the future of Spokane’s educational facilities, eventually leading to the long term expansions that would define the school’s footprint in the decades to follow.

The Case of the Joyriding Aviator with Broken Ankles

In a separate and more sensational event from the same day in 1926, a young man named Orville B. Hunt appeared in Spokane court to face charges of grand larceny. Hunt’s case was unique because he arrived at the hearing on crutches, both of his ankles broken and encased in plaster casts. The injuries were the result of a daring and ultimately disastrous attempt to steal an airplane from Felts Field for a joyride. Hunt had successfully taken off in the aircraft but crashed shortly thereafter, resulting in the injuries that made his courtroom entrance a spectacle for the local press.

The judge presiding over the case expressed a mixture of sternness and bewilderment at the nature of the crime. Aviation was still in its relative infancy in 1926, and the theft of an airplane was an exceedingly rare offense compared to the more common automobile thefts of the era. Hunt’s defense attempted to frame the incident as a youthful indiscretion fueled...