Most of us only know the Oak Forest High School of today. That is understandable, to some extent, as even the most veteran teachers started their careers in the 1990s.
In the late 1960s, as the suburbs expanded, and Bremen, Tinley Park, and Hillcrest became more crowded, the district planned to open another school and began construction of OFHS. It then opened in 1971. At the time, OFHS was like any other high school, but for us, looking at it now, it represented a whole different era.
I had a look at the school yearbook archives. Back in the 1970s, while OFHS had a number of sports, it only had about nine clubs. The clubs consisted of Drama, Band, Choir, School Newspaper, Yearbook Committee, Art Club, NHS, Key Club, and Student Council. It was nothing compared to what OFHS now has (something like 46 clubs). Additionally, in the 70s, the school actually used trailers for classrooms for extra space, which is no longer the case. There was also the matter of the mascot. Administration and faculty did not create the mascot; it was actually the students. Students had the opportunity to design the mascot, a Bengal tiger, while the theme colors were black and gold. Those basic concepts have not changed.
Another interesting point involves the dress code in the 70s. Back then, the school banned miniskirts and ripped jeans. For guys, long hair was controversial, though it would elicit shrugs now. With the dress code came discipline. Teachers back then were able to hit students with paddles or with their hands in order to discipline kids that were disruptive. That is something that I’m glad that I’ll never have to feel. Then there were the smoking areas. In the 70s, it was normal for students of legal age to smoke; they had their own smoking areas, but they were only allowed to use them during lunch or free periods. Teachers were able to smoke in their faculty lounges between classes or during breaks. Needless to say, faculty lounges had ashtrays.
What was the fashion like back then? In 2025, most fashion consists of hoodies, jeans, sneakers, aesthetic, athleisure, and preppy clothing. What was the fashion like back in the 1970s? It was a whole different thing. Hallways were filled with people wearing bell-bottoms, fringe jackets, disco-era fashions, and much more.
In our own eyes, today’s OFHS is normal. Then again, the school was normal to those who worked and studied there in the 1970s. Who is to say what the future will bring?
