The wiring was ancient, turning the old school and its antediluvian timbers into a virtual powder keg. The ceiling of the auditorium showed cracks, dangerous not only because of the possibility of a plaster rain, but also because of the potential asbestos hazard it could expose. In the event of an emergency, the structure did not possess sufficient exiting routes. In short, the building wasn't close to meeting modern safety codes. But the school district also recognized the implications of closing this downtown school.
Research shows that older neighborhood schools often serve as community anchors.
The closing of such schools can have a detrimental impact on a community, alienating local students who must then be bused to faraway suburban schools, making nearby residential neighborhoods less desirable to families, and lowering property values. Closing Boise High could have released a blight upon its vital urban community. Recognizing the threat, residents of the historic North End neighborhood adjacent to the school led the charge to save this integral piece of the community's social fabric. Improving Boise High's chances for survival was the fact that the district had the foresight, as early as the 1950s, to purchase land surrounding the school as it became available. This enabled the school to add a football field in earlier years and to provide small spaces for parking as the times changed and more students had access to cars.