the old school building images are actually poundcake hill. that's the tounge of bunker hill that juts west from court street. when they moved the school up on top of fort hill for the new courthouse, poundcake hill got graded, which resulted in the steep incline where they built court flight.
an 1880 image looking west from spring street temple block towards the high school building on poundcake hill
Source: USC Digital Archive
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...CHS-10235?v=hr
1881 image looking south on broadway from temple. note the gradual slope on the right where court flight will one day be built.
Source: USC Digital Archive
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets.../CHS-7045?v=hr
compare the slope of court flight in this photo.......it's become a cliff! you can see the wall for the stairs leading down from hill street in both photos for a nice comparison
1888 moving day for the school, (note trolley running underneath
Source: USC Digital Archive
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets.../CHS-7116?v=hr
graded west elevation of poundcake hill for courthouse
Source: USC Digital Archive
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...T-BUI-751?v=hr
there was still a bit of a grade on the east side of poundcake hill, but nothing like when the school was there
Source: USC Digital Archive
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...CHS-41446?v=hr
notice how steep court flight was due to the grading of west side of poundcake hill for the courthouse
Source: USC Digital Archive
http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/assets...CHS-31279?v=hr