The student body began publishing the South High Observer, the direct predecessor of the current school paper, The Southerner.

The new structure, still connected to the old one and the manual and training wings, followed the architectural style of its time, with a square look and evenly cut windows, at least one to a room.

The whole, colossal in size and modern to the nth degree, is set in extensive grounds, which may later be used for additional building sites.

We discover a large manual training department where every line of work properly falling under that head is adequately housed and furnished with wonderfully complete equipment.

[citation needed] After World War I, work began on an athletic field across Cedar Avenue from the building.

At the same time, sets of stairs were added leading out to Cedar Avenue to relieve ever-growing congestion at entryways.

The band room was expanded, facilitating its rampant growth and eventually spurring other schools to develop programs of their own.

The athletic field was finished, complete with a concrete fence, comfortable seating, and a large gateway dedicated to South alumni who died in World War I.

Few classes were held in the old section of the school, and when it rained, the roof leaked, sending water streaming down into the hallways.

The proposal that brought the most anguish after it was rejected was the City Council's refusal to close 31st street to accommodate an athletic field.

At the time, the nation was experiencing great turmoil due to the prolonged Vietnam War and the government's coverup of vital information about it.

Structures from this period tend to lack windows, which could be quickly destroyed during violent protest, a common occurrence, making them at best expensive to replace and at worst a public safety hazard.

The building's architect was from Texas, and his concern for energy efficiency over the long winters caused him to eschew extensive use of windows.

When the district decided modular programming was not working, the walls were constructed to return the school to a more traditional setting.

It was at this point that the lack of windows became a problem and the "maze" was necessary in order to meet classroom size and number requirements.

In 2001, the auto shop was turned into a band room to meet that department's ever-growing needs, and the ventilation system was remade to allow for more efficient air conditioning.

In February 1996, as third-floor construction was underway, RSP Architects and Minneapolis Public Schools outlined the South High Master Plan, a vision for further improvements to the campus in ensuing years.

[3] The school has three different Small Learning Communities (SLCs): Liberal Arts, Open (citywide), and All Nations American Indian.

In 2006, the Triple E (Environment, Empowerment, Essentials) program was eliminated, and students belonging to those SLCs were placed into the Open and Liberal Arts communities.

For example, many open program classes allow students to complete projects as best suits their individual interests, whether that be a poster, paper, skit, or diorama.

The school is known for cultural diversity, with students from White, African-American, Asian (particularly Hmong), Horn African (particularly Somali and Oromo), American Indian, and Hispanic communities.

The state of Minnesota, to comply with the federal No Child Left Behind legislation, has given SHS two stars out of five in both reading and mathematics.

This means that South failed to meet federal accountability standards in both categories in the preceding academic year.

[citation needed] The school received nationwide press in 2005 after it introduced online physical education classes.

The program allows students to select a physical activity of their preference and engage in it three times a week to meet the school's P.E.

Many students arrive early or leave late to participate in extracurricular activities, including ethnic student associations, language clubs, competitive academic groups, mock trial, Academic Decathlon, Quiz Bowl, debate, and political groups.

[citation needed] South's girls basketball team rose to prominence in the last several years when Ahmil Jihad assumed the head coach position.

Hill won the state scoring title her sophomore and senior years and led South to a 139–14 record in her five-year career.

Tayler Hill led all scorers, tying the all-time tournament record for most points in a single game with 47.