History of Alameda County, California : including its geology, topography, soil, and productions, Part 104

Author: Munro-Fraser, J. P
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Oakland, Calif. : M.W. Wood
Number of Pages: 1206


USA > California > Alameda County > History of Alameda County, California : including its geology, topography, soil, and productions > Part 104


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August 28, 1881, the school moved to the parlors over the Independent Church, corner of Thirteenth and Jefferson Streets, on account of Camron Hall being turned into an opera garden.


It was thought best, as the Young Men's Christian Association and the school were both undenominational bodies, to unite the two; this change was made Sunday, May 24, 1882, and the school is now a part of the Young Men's Christian Association of Oakland. The resignation of Mr. Pugh, Musical Director, was accepted July 9, 1882. The school owes a great portion of its success to him, as he has spent many days laboring for the "School Gatherings," which brought many a dollar to the school, without a cent in his pocket. Yes, he even often paid out money in the interest of the school.


The school meets at 865 Broadway each Sabbath afternoon, at half past two o'clock. Attendance on the increase. The officers for 1883 are as follows: B. S. Tower, Superintendent; Dr. C. S. Lane, Assistant Superintendent; R. S. Gladding, Secretary; J. C. Estey, Treasurer; Fred. Lane, Librarian; Miss Mamie Tower, Pian- ist; Miss Hattie Carson, Assistant Pianist.


YOUNG MEN'S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION .- The Young Men's Christian Asso- ciation of Oakland was organized July 24, 1879, in the First Presbyterian Church, with A. A. Dewing as President. It soon secured a room located at the corner of Eleventh and Washington Streets, at a cost of ten dollars per month, and held meetings on Tues- day evening and Sunday afternoon, until August 13th, when they were compelled to move to other quarters. A room was secured at Medical College Hall, at a cost of fifteen dollars a month, and was occupied until June 1, 1881, when they moved to a store under the Masonic Temple, at the corner of Twelfth and Washington Streets. They then began to realize their need of a General Secretary, in order that the work might be carried on successfully. Several gentlemen in the East were written to, but none of them consented to come. They then found that if a General Secretary was


735


OAKLAND TOWNSHIP-CITY OF OAKLAND.


secured it must be from their own State. E. S. Fowler, of San Francisco, was accordingly called to fill the position December 20, 1881, and entered upon his duties January 1, 1882.


Prominent business men were interested in the work, and were appointed as mem- bers of the Board of Directors, fourteen in number. They were divided into four committees, as follows: Financial, Library and Rooms, Lecture and Entertainment, and Publication; and proceeded immediately to make arrangements for more commo- dious quarters, as the rooms they were occupying were not large enough to accommo- date those who came.


The upper part of a large building on Broadway, between Seventh and Eighth Streets, in the center of the city, was rented for fifty dollars per month, and fitted up at a cost of about seven hundred dollars, which made it pleasant and attractive. The audience-room will seat comfortably about four hundred people. The reading-room is well supplied with reading-matter, is cheerful and attractive, and adjoins the office, which is also the library, and contains nearly one thousand well-selected books.


The Association is now conducting twelve religious meetings each week, with wonderful success, among which is a noonday meeting that has been the means of doing very much good.


Reading-room .- Rooms open from 8 A. M. to 10 P. M .; Sundays from 9 to 10:30 A. M .; 12:30 to 7:15. Young men are cordially invited to visit the rooms during their leisure hours, day or evening. The General Secretary may be found at the rooms at all hours, willing to give advice and assistance to young men in need of friendly aid.


Parlors Open Day and Evening .- For social intercourse. It offers free to every young man, Reading and conversational rooms, writing material, directory of good boarding-houses, visitation in sickness, aid in obtaining employment, social compan- ionship, course of free lectures. All young men are invited. Strangers are especially welcome. Any young man of good moral character may obtain an annual ticket for two dollars, ladies same price. For membership, or further information, apply to the General Secretary, at the rooms, 865 Broadway.


Stated Meetings .- Daily, 12:00 to 12:45, Noonday Prayer-meeting; Sunday, 10 A. M., City Prison Service; Sunday, 2 P. M., County Jail Service; Sunday, 2:30 P. M., Mission Sunday-school; Sunday, 4:30 P. M., Gospel Meeting for all; Sunday, 5:30 P. M., Young Men's Meeting; Monday, monthly meeting of the Association-second Monday each month; Tuesday, 7:30 P. M., Young People's Meeting; Friday, 7:30 P. M., Song Services, Concert, Lectures, etc .; Saturday, 7:45 P. M., Young Men's Meeting; Sunday, 4:30 P. M., Odd Fellow's Hall, East Oakland, Branch Gospel Meeting; Boys' Meeting, 13th of each month.


The Association publishes a monthly journal by the name of The Bulletin, circu- lating two thousand copies.


Educational classes are held during the winter months; also, a course of medical talks, given by prominent physicians. Altogether, the association is in a most pros- perous condition, and is looking forward to a great harvest for the Master during the coming months.


Officers for 1383 .- President, J. M. Buffington; First Vice-President, David E.


736


HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.


Collins; Second Vice-President, C. W. Dearborn; General Secretary, E. S. Fowler; Clerk, C. E. Cornell; Treasurer, Dr. J. Fearn; Auditor, A. J. Ralston; Directors, Geo. T. Hawley, A. J. Ralston, J. L. de Fremery, C. W. Kinsey, R. W. Snow, C. S. Lane, R. Whitmon, Chas. H. Fish, David McClure, Jr., J. M. Buffington, David E. Collins, Geo. H. Collins, C. W. Armes, D. H. Potter, J. L. Lyon, J. G. Hoyt, E. W. Playter, W. H. Rouse, Dr. J. Fearn, C. W. Dearborn, C. F. Baker, G. T. Walker, J. C. Adriance, C. A. Bailey, H. Garthwaite, Dr. J. S. Adams, Wm. Verbeck, W. F. Curtis.


Committees of the Board .- Finance Committee-Geo. H. Collins, Geo. T. Hawley, C. W. Kinsey, A. J. Ralston, J. L. de Fremery, D. H. Potter, E. W. Playter, Dr. J. S. Adams, Chas. H. Fish; Library and Room Committee-C. W. Dearborn, G. T. Walker, J. C. Adriance, H. Garthwaite, W. F. Curtis, C. S. Lane; Lecture and Entertainment Committee-C. W. Armes, David E. Collins, Dr. J. Fearn, Wm. Verbeck, C. F. Baker; Publication Committee-C. A. Bailey, R. W. Snow, R. Whitmon, J. G. Hoyt, J. L. Lyon, W. H. Rouse.


Committees of the Association .- Devotional Committee-D. E. Collins, C. A. Bailey, C. E. Cornell, Myron T. Holcomb, Chas. F. Baker; Reception Committee-G. H. Merrill, A. A. Dennison, Robert Swartwout, Cary Howard, G. W. Lane; Member- ship Committee-J. C. Adriance, J. C. Hill, Wm. Verbeck, W. F. Lange, R. Black- wood; Visitation of Sick Committee-Geo. W. Waggoner, W. S. Dryden, L. Caldwell, N. R. Turner, J. W. Welch; Employment Committee-D. H. Porter, J. R. Sumner, W. W. S. Merriam.


Past Presidents .- A. A. Dewing, 1879; F. S. Page, 1879-80; S. I. Merrill, 1880-81; Dr. C. S. Lane, 1881-82.


SCHOOLS .- The College School, College of California, and University of Califor- nia are mentioned in connection with each other, because the College of California grew from the College School, and the State University* is the full development of the College of California. Each institution marks an era in the progress of the cause of education in the county.


A correspondence was commenced among some of those who subsequently became trustees, on the possibility of founding a college in California, as early as the year 1849. Plans were laid at that time, but there was very little progress until the Spring of 1853. At that time the Rev. Henry Durant arrived, and a plan for open- ing a College School was matured at a meeting of the Presbytery of San Fran- cisco and Congregational Association of California. A building which stood on the northeast corner of Broadway and Fifth Streets was rented, and school was opened by Mr. Durant. At first the school was exceedingly small, and for several years its growth was slow. Funds were raised by subscription, and the four squares now occu- pied by the College and College School were purchased. At this early day, the services rendered by the Rev. S. B. Bell, the Pastor of the Presbyterian Church, were of incalculable importance, and but for him Mr. Durant would have been unable to have continued in the enterprise upon which he had embarked.


The College of California was incorporated in April, 1855. The trustees entered upon their work with much energy, and frequently gave from their private funds for


* The history of the State University will be found elsewhere.


737


OAKLAND TOWNSHIP-CITY OF OAKLAND.


the support of the institution. In 1856 the Rev. Horace Bushnell was elected Presi- dent. While having the matter under consideration, he gave a large portion of his time to a careful examination of the country around the bay of San Francisco, and the site finally chosen was in accordance with his preference. It may, therefore, be stated that the site for the University building, at Berkeley, is the best that can be found anywhere in close proximity to San Francisco, for the opinion of such a man as Doctor Bushnell, proved to be of more value than that of any number of commissioners acting under the authority of a legislature, and exposed to the number- less improper influences which would beset them.


The first Freshman Class was admitted in the summer of 1860. A small college building was erected, and a college faculty chosen. To meet the increased expenses renewed exertions were made and sufficient funds were obtained. In March, 1862, Rev. S. H. Willey was elected Vice-President of the College. A larger building was erected, and a fund was raised for the endowment of the Presidency. Efforts were made to secure the services of some suitable person from the East, to act as Presi- dent, but without success, therefore Mr. Willey was continued as Vice-President to administer the affairs of the institution. The first class admitted graduated in June, 1864.


As stated above, Rev. Henry Durant was Principal of the College School from 1853 to 1860. He was succeeded by Rev. I. H. Brayton, who, for eight years, enjoyed the assistance of F. M. Campbell, A. M., lately the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, and Rev. E. G. Beckwith. In 1865 the Trustees of the College ceased to retain proprietary control of the College School, though continuing to exercise supervisory oversight, and stipulating that the original purposes in its establishment should be adhered to. In its day it was acknowledged to be the largest institution of its class upon the Pacific Coast. Its property was estimated at one hundred thou- sand dollars.


Public Schools .- The "Athens of the Pacific" has just cause to feel pride in her institutions of learning, for nowhere in the world has better provision for the education of the young been made. The information which we are about to place before the reader has been gathered from the Report of the Superintendent of Public Schools to the Board of Education of the city of Oakland for the school year ending June 30, 1881, an elaborate document containing a vast amount of interesting infor- mation, but which we have not the space to reproduce in its entirety.


The total population of the city according to the census of 1880, was thirty-four thousand four hundred and fifty-six. A comparison with the census of 1870, when the population was stated at ten thousand five hundred, shows the city to have more than tripled itself in the last ten years. On June 30, 1881, we find, from the School Census Marshal's report, there were twelve thousand one hundred and eighty-five chil- dren under the age of seventeen years, of whom there were eight thousand two hundred and forty-two in the seven wards of the city between the ages of five and seventeen years. Of these five thousand nine hundred and sixteen attended the public schools, seven hundred and eighty-one private schools, and one thousand five hundred and forty-five attended no school at all. This last item, however, is misleading, from the


738


HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.


fact that the census enumeration includes all children between the ages of five and seventeen, while pupils are not admitted to the city schools until six years of age.


Many parents do not send their children to school until seven, eight, and nine years of age; and numerous boys who have completed the whole, or a greater portion of the course of study prescribed for the Primary and Grammar Schools are put to work at from thirteen to sixteen years, so that fifteen hundred and forty-five does not represent the number who have never attended school, but those who, from whatever cause, have not attended school during the year. The unusually large number of excellent private schools in the city affords increased facilities for educational pur- poses, and the number of children whose names do not appear upon the rolls of some one of the schools is exceedingly small.


The following comparative table of school statistics, shows the condition of the schools and the growth of the department from the organization of the first class in July, 1853, to the year 1881. Some of the records containing the early statistics of the schools have been destroyed, so that no complete report can be obtained, but the table is sufficiently clear to show the rapid growth of the city and School Department, and the provision that has been made for the education of the children :-


TABLE SHOWING GROWTH OF THE DEPARTMENT.


Fiscal Year Ending


Total No. of Census


Private School only


No. of Children who


duplicate Enrollment


Total No. Enrolled,


Average Number


Attendance.


Average Daily


Teachers.


Belonging.


per Teacher, based


Average No. Pupils


1854.


16


I


1855.


155


144


59


2


1856.


I36


91


54


2


1857.


189


No


54


· No


35.5


I


1858.


Record.


84


Record.


45.7


I


1860.


391


1861.


416


I42


57


I


1862.


481


193


1 30


85


75


2


42.5


1865.


771


288


333


159


140


3


53.


1866.


701


218


332


209


189


5


41.8


1867


925


313


687


355


31I


6


59.16


1868.


1038


319


749


530


471


IO


53


1869.


1328


357


IO57


674


613


15


44.93


1870.


1617


417


1410


790


735


19


41.58


1871.


1792


336


1872.


2417


271


1580


1419


1327


33


43


1873


3006


343


2118


1789


1692


51


35.08


1874.


3953


400


2679


2234


2118


54


41.37


1875.


4749


407


2985


2679


2503


62


43.06


1876.


5742


469


3732


3212


3120


64


50.18


1877.


6592


642


4066


3630


3477


78


46.54


1878.


6670


668


5080


4240


4119


95


44.63


1879.


7950


733


5952


4836


4599


II2


43.21


1880.


8108


795


6125


5281


4983


I27


41.58


1881.


8242


781


7262


5461.56


5237.80


I33


41.06


1863.


475


1864.


626


276


217


93


85


2


46.5


90


27


I


1859.


130


58


2


175


62


2


on Average No.


June 30th.


Children. *


during the Year.


have Attended


excluding


Belonging.


Number of Regular


28


From the organization of the first public school in this city in July, 1853, to July, 1865, the census enumeration included children between the ages of four and eighteen. From July, 1865, to July, 1873, from five to fifteen, and from that date to the present, from five to seventeen.


739


OAKLAND TOWNSHIP-CITY OF OAKLAND.


The following table exhibits the names of school buildings, their location and capacity, the size of school lots and estimated value of school property :-


TABLE


SHOWING NAME, LOCATION, AND CAPACITY OF BUILDINGS, AND ESTIMATED VALUE OF SCHOOL PROPERTY.


NAME OF SCHOOL.


LOCATION.


Sizeof Lot


Number of Rooms


No. of Sittings.


Value of Value of Lot.


Building


Libraries.


Valueof Furniture,


Total Value.


High


Prescott.


Corner 12th and Market Streets. . Campbell Street, bet. Seward and Taylor ...


270x140


19


927


7,600


23,500


4,500


35,600


Cole .. .


Ioth St., bet. Union and Poplar. .


230x193.9


14


S22


8,925


32,500


4,000


45,425


Tompkins.


5th St., bet. Chestnut and Linden


250x120


12


589


4,800


20,000


3,000


27,800


Lincoln


Alice Street, bet. Ioth and IIth ..


200X175


15


729


16,000


26,000


4,000


46,000


Durant


28th St., bet. Grove and West ...


250x280


15


690


5,000


29,500


3,700


38, 200


Franklin


Ioth Ave., bet. East 15th and East 16th Sts.


300x300


12


623


12,000


23,000


3,000


38,000


Lafayette.


Jefferson St., bet. IIth and 12th ..


300x200


12


634


28,000


I2,000


3,000


43,000


Grove Street


Grove Street, between 4th and 5th


4


201


6,500


3,000


1,000


10, 500


Harrison Street.


Corner Harrison and 6th Streets. . On Plaza


3


I45


9,000


2,000


600


11,600


Swett


E. 20th St., bet. 12th & 13th Aves.


300x300


200


5,000


5,000


800


10,800


Court House.


Cor. E. 14th St. and 20th Ave ...


Į


45 Rented.


Rented.


100


100


+Lynn ..


Lynn . .


I


25


64


66


80


So


Plymouth Avenne. .


Cor. Elm St. and Plymouth Aves.


I


48


66


150


150


Watts' Tract.


Corner Magnolia and 32d Streets. 400x133.3


I


40


2,400


70


2,470


# Evening .


9th St., bet. Washington and Clay


2


60 Rented.


66


Corner 17th and West Streets . .. 90x155.72


3,200 Unimp'd


3,200


Carpenter Shop


. . E. 14th St., bet. 10th & 11th Aves.


50x140


1,100


1,100


Totals


133 6547 $120,225 $209, 500,835, 100 $364, 825


NOTE .- When erected : High, 1870; Prescott, 1869; Cole, 1877; Tompkins, 1877; Lincoln, 1872; Durant, 1874; Franklin, 1875; Lafayette, 1862; Grove Street, 1869; Harrison Street, 1865.


# Removed to High School Building, May 1, 1881. + Discontinued, April 30, 1881.


The High School, which is the head of the Public School Department of this city, has long been the pride of the citizens of Oakland. Its rank among the foremost educational institutions on this coast, entitles it to the high esteem of the public, and the liberal support it has always received. It needs no praise from us, but is able to stand upon its own merits and sustain the enviable reputation it has achieved.


The Oakland High School was organized July 12, 1869, with twenty-nine pupils. The curriculum adopted provided a liberal course in natural science, mathematics, literature, and language, requiring three years for its completion. For the first two years the classes were accommodated in connection with a grammar school, but at the commencement of the third year they were moved to the commodious building situated at the corner of Central Avenue and Market Street. At first but one teacher was employed; now there are nine.


The following table shows the total number in attendance, the number graduating, and the number entering college for each year, from the organization of the school. As the examinations for admission in 1881 are not concluded at the writing of this report, it is impossible to give the number entering college that year :-


271X150


16


709


$10,700


$33,000


$7,000 $ 50,700


100


100


Broadway & 25th St. Corner Broadway and 25th Streets


I


60


200X100


4


Apparatus and


740


HISTORY OF ALAMEDA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA.


STATISTICAL TABLE.


YEARS.


NUMBER ATTENDING.


NUMBER GRADUATING.


NUMBER ENTERING COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY.


Boys.


Girls.


Totals.


Boys.


Girls.


Totals.


Boys.


Girls.


Totals.


1869-70.


18


22


40


1870-71 ..


14


21


35


1871-72.


28


47


75


5



15


4


3


7


1872-73.


40


59


99


I


5


6


2


2


1873-74. . ..


39


73


II2


3


12


17


4


3


7


1875-76.


67


79


146


7


18


25


3


2


5


1876-77.


66


II7


183


3


IO


13


2


2


1877-78. ..


SI


167


248


6


14


20


3


2


5


1878-79


III


177


288


IO


20


30


5


5


IO


1879-So ..


I26


202


328


13


33


46


3


2


5


1880-81.


139


213


352


20


35


55


3


5


1874-75 ..


56


80


1.36


5


14


2


In addition to those entering the University after graduation, as stated in the above table, quite a number have entered each year from the lower classes. This was possible a few years ago, when the requirements for admission were less stringent than they are at the present time.


An evening school was opened in a rented building on Ninth Street, between Washington and Clay Streets, on November 8, 1880, with a class of twenty. It increased in numbers during the winter until the average number belonging reached sixty-five, when another class was formed. The attendance in the Spring fell off, and the two classes were consolidated. During the school year ending June, 1880, the total num- ber enrolled was one hundred and fifty-four; of these one hundred and forty-five were males and nine females. Their average age was about eighteen, ranging from twelve up to middle age.


The subjects taught are arithmetic, spelling, writing, reading, book-keeping and grammar. All study spelling; nearly all arithmetic; many writing and book-keeping; some reading, and a few grammar. The progress made by those who have attended regularly for some length of time has been very satisfactory. The Evening School pupils, as a class, are a hard-working, well-behaved set of boys. They are not as regular in attendance as pupils of the day schools, and for several reasons. Many of them are employed in San Francisco, and often do not get through with their work in time to get to the school. They are sometimes too tired to go the distance required, as by far the largest part of those attending live at the extreme limits of the city. Some of them are kept at work so late in the evening that for weeks at a time they cannot attend at all. A very few will absent themselves for slight reasons, and in the case of such boys, it would be well if their parents were to visit the school sometimes. But, as a whole, I think the boys of the Evening School, both in their conduct and their desire to learn, are worthy of much praise. They appreciate the opportunity afforded them, and are grateful for every assistance; and it is with pleas- ure that we testify to their general good behavior. There should be no necessity of advocating the importance of an evening school for those who have no opportunity to attend the day schools. A most valuable education may be obtained through and by its means.


741


OAKLAND TOWNSHIP-CITY OF OAKLAND.


The school was removed to the High School building May 1, 1881. This change of position saved to the department the cost of renting the building on Ninth Street, and furnished, in many respects, better accommodations. The building is not con- veniently, though centrally, located. It is in a neighborhood that does not furnish many pupils for the Evening School. Nearly all of those who attend come from great distances. The residences of Oakland are scattered over a great extent of territory, and no place can probably be found that would prove more convenient for more than one locality. It will probably not be long before separate classes might be sustained in West Oakland, East Oakland, and North Oakland.


Vocal music is taught in all the Public Schools of Oakland, from the lowest to the highest grade, not introduced merely for the purpose of affording an agreeable exercise by means of which the tedium of the regular school work may be relieved, or that an accomplishment may be added to the acquirements of the pupils who study it, but on account of the place the study holds in the economy of a public school educa- tion.


In concluding the report of the City Superintendent, from which our remarks have been gathered, that official says :-


" The progress and efficiency of our schools ought not to be measured merely by the changes that have from time to time been introduced, but by observing the rela- tions that exist between the actual condition of our schools and the educational wants of the city which they are designed to supply ..


" During the year just ended, only such changes have been introduced as were felt to be actual wants, and necessary to the welfare of the schools. The revision of the course of study was a necessity on account of the adoption of new text-books, which in themselves, have in some instances, suggested new methods for the presentation of the subjects. I am of the opinion that the discontinuance of the study of Descriptive and Political Geography at the end of the Third Grade Course, and of the intro- duction of Physical Geography in the Second Grade were mistakes which the experience of a few years will demonstrate. The introduction of the study of book-keeping, and business forms, was made necessary by the amend- ment to the School Law, which requires book-keeping to be taught in all gram- mar schools. This study will doubtless prove beneficial to our schools, if the attempt is not made to carry the study too far. The success of our schools, however, has not depended so much upon a perfect course of study as upon an efficient corps of prin- cipals and teachers. A good course of study, well-selected text-books, and com- petent supervision are valuable aids, and necessary to entire success in any school department, but without good teachers all other agencies will fail to produce efficient schools. In asserting that the personnel of the teaching force of the Oakland public school department is second to that of no other city, we are sure that the facts will warrant the statement.


The favorable location of our city, and the advantages it offers of climate, society, means of improvement, and a measurable adequate compensation for service rendered, have not failed to attract to our city teachers of the highest culture, large experience, and unquestionable merit. The Board has wisely profited by these advantages, and has by judicious selections, gathered into its department a corps of teachers of which any city might justly feel proud.




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