APRIL 21, 1970: Public schools make their move

On this day in 1970, Hawaii’s public schools made a plan to even the playing field with their public school counterparts.

The Interscholastic Conference of Hawaii was proposed for 1971, bringing all of the islands together under one umbrella. The plan included private schools providing they follow the rules of the organization, namely on recruiting and eligibility. The idea was the private schools would jump in and form what is now known as the Open Division.

The proposal, dubbed ‘The Master Plan,’ also called for classification into three groups by school size, something that didn’t come into reality until years later. The idea fizzled out in 1973 when HHSAA boss Tom Kiyosaki said his organization would handle it and established a postseason football game between the ILH and OIA champions.