Jazz great Zoot Sims--name and address of high school? Years attended?

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Request for Question Clarification by googlenut-ga on 05 Dec 2002 21:01 PST

Hello monreale-ga,

I have determined that Zoot Sims was born in Inglewood, California and
apparently dropped out of high school before graduation.  I haven't
been able to determine the name of the high school and what years he
attended (assuming he did attend high school for some time).

I have sent an e-mail to the Inglewood Chamber of Commerce requesting
any information that they might have.

I'll let you know if I hear anything.

Googlenut

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Clarification of Question by monreale-ga on 06 Dec 2002 11:34 PST

Googlenut:

You're on the right track. Good luck!

monreale

monreale - 

Adding some to Googlenut's note, Zoot Sims was born in Inglewood - but
grew up in Hawthorne.  He lasted but a single year in high school,
then went on the road. btw, his given name is John Haley Sims.

There are a number of high schools in Hawthorne - Hawthorne,
Leuzinger, Lawndale and Lloyd.

://www.google.com/search?sa=X&oi=fwp&pb=f&q=%22high+school%22+hawthorne+california

Must be one of those...

Hope that helps.
ragingacademic
thanks,
ragingacademic

Thank you ragingacademic-ga for the information about Hawthorne.

I contacted the Hawthorne High School Alumni Association and received
the following response:

"In researching his age, I see he would've been born in about 1926.
Hawthorne High opened its doors in 1951, so that one's out, but
Hawthorne's
first high school (actually in Lawndale, CA) was Adolph Leuzinger High
School which opened in 1932. I see he was playing in the Benny Goodman
band
in 1943 at the age of 17, so that most probably would've been his grad
year.
Leuzinger High
4118 Rosecrans Bl
Lawndale, CA
(310) 263-2200"

I'll see if I can get some information from Leuzinger.

I still have not heard anything from the Inglewood Chamber of
Commerce.

Googlenut

monreale,

I contacted the Leuzinger Alumni association.  Here's the response I
got:

"I searched the data base and only came up with one Sims,  Ray Sims
from
the year of 1941.

Our data base is not a complete listing of all Leuzinger Alumni so it
is
still possible that John Sims may have graduated from Leuzinger."

However, since he likely did not graduate at all, I guess they
probably wouldn't have him listed anyway.

Hopefully another researcher can come up with something.

Good luck.
Googlenut