Goodland High School's current building was constructed in 1937, in the middle of the Great Depression, by the Public Works Administration (PWA), a New Deal project that employed people on public works projects. Joseph W. Radotinsky was architect. Most of the laborers worked for as little as 35 cents an hour. In April 1937, they decided to strike for 10 cents an hour more, to 45 cents. They agreed to wait two weeks before striking in order to give the contractor J.A. Lundgren time to negotiate. Lundgren came back with a five-cent an hour raise, to 40 cents, and the workers agreed. The building's total cost was about $225,000.

 

During Christmas vacation 1937, about a year after the old school had been demolished, the high school teachers moved into their new building. Students entered their new building Jan. 6. School lasted half a day, with the rest reserved for an open house and dedication.

 

The Goodland News-Republic reported January 5, 1938, that the "exterior of the building follows the modern 'streamline' design. The interior is beautifully finished with floors of asphaltic tile and floors finished in glazed tile wainscoting."

 

The building received new windows in the 2012-13 school year. In 2013, local school district USD 352-Goodland's voters passed a bond issue. Part of the bond issue, $8,674,07, will go to remodel GHS.

 

While not as ornate a version of Art Deco as the United Telephone Building or the Sherman County Courthouse, the building has some Art Deco details, especially along the roof line, around the entrance (left), on and in the auditorium (right).

 

 At the time of its construction, GHS was known as Sherman Community High School. The Art Deco font in the sign above the entrance uses a C that looks like the future Pacman. So does the G, to a lesser extent. However, nothing on the sign or elsewhere on the building anticipates the ghosts that Pacman eats.

Goodland Post Office was also a New Deal public works project, funded by the Works Progress Administration.