while thousands of schools were constructed in the same era with little more than local notice the opening of the present-day columbia high school warranted articles in the architect architecture architectural record american school and university the brick builder pencil points and the american school board journal rendered in the collegiate gothic style by james o betelle of the newark new jersey architectural firm of guilbert  betelle the school served as a standard in design as evidenced by the inclusion of a floor plan in a  encyclopædia britannica article and later design homages such as john marshall high school los angeles california collegiate gothic or academic gothic construction was prevalent among schools and colleges in the s and was betelles preferred building style for both its scholastically historic roots and practical considerations the  main building still garners recognition including recognition by architectural digest on its  list of the "most beautiful public high school in every state in america"