History of Sacramento County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, 1923, Part 32

Author: Reed, G. Walter
Publication date: 1923
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1026

USA > California > Sacramento County > History of Sacramento County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, 1923 > Part 32

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1884 - John F. Slater, C. H. Stevens, Mathew C. Cooke, J. L. Chadderdon, Rich- mond Davis, D. Johnson, Elwood Bruner, Frank Avery.

1885-WV. M. Petrie, John F. Slater, A. Conklin, J. L. Chadderdon, Richmond Davis, Frank Avery, C. H. Stevens, E. K. Alsip.

1886-A. Conklin, C. H. Stevens, J. W. Todd, W. M. Petrie, Richmond Davis, O. W. Erlewine, John F. Slater, E. K. Alsip. Stevens resigned and B. F. Howard was elected to fill the vacancy.

1887-A. Conklin, W. M. Petrie, J. W. Todd, Richmond Davis, John F. Slater, A. S. Hopkins, H. C. Chipman and O. W. Erlewine.

1888-Richmond Davis, W. M. Petrie, E. M. Martin, A. Conklin, J. W. Todd, A. S. Hop- kins, H. C. Chipman, John Skelton.

1889-J. W. Todd, A. J. Senatz, E. I. Mar- tin. Joseph Hopley, R. Davis, A. C. Tufts, H. C. Chipman, John Skelton.

1890-H. C. Chipman, W. H. Sherburn, A. C. Tufts, A. J. Senatz, Joseph Hopley, J. N. Payne. O. W. Erlewine, Win J. Davis.

1891-O. W. Erlewine, M. Gardner, W. H. Sherburn, C. M. Harrison, J. N. Payne, R Davis. A. C. Tufts, H. C. Chipman.

1892-A. C. Tufts, W. H. Sherburn, C. M. Harrison, Eugene A. Crouch, H. J. Davis, O. W. Erlewine, H. C. Chipman, M. Gardner.

1893-No election. Same board held office. Sherburn, president.

1894-1895-Win J. Davis. W. H. Sherburn, E. A. Crouch, J. H. Dolan, A. N. Buchanan, T. W. Huntington, D. D. Whitbeck, M. J. Dillman, P. S. Driver.

1896-1897-Win J. Davis, E. A. Crouch, J. I1. Dolan. T. W. Huntington, D. D. Whit- beck, M. J. Dillman, P. S. Driver, W. H. Sher- burn, A. N. Buchanan.

1898-1899-P. S. Driver, W. H. Sherburn, George B. Stack, C. A. Elliott, F. L. Atkin- son, C. C. Perkins, H. K. Johnson, H. S. Ran- son, E. E. Panabaker.

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1900-1901-P. S. Driver, Ed. J. Kay, George B. Stack. J. A. Green. F. L. Atkinson, Herman Mier. H. K. Johnson, H. S. Ranson, E. E. Panabaker.

1902-1903-P. S. Driver. Ed. J. Kay, J. A. Green, Herman Mier, H. S. Ranson, Edward McEwen. W. M. Petrie. Howard K. Johnson. Robert Martyr.

1904-1905 -- Howard K. Johnson, B. M. Hod- son, Daniel Flynn. J. A. Green, W. M. Petrie. John T. Skelton, L. G. Shepard, Robert Mar- tyr. William Lampert.

1906-1907-J. A. Green, B. M. Hodson, Daniel Flynn. W. M. Petrie, William Lam- pert. J. M. Henderson, Jr., John T. Skelton, W. F. Jackson. L. G. Shepard.

1908-1909-\V. J. Taylor, R. L. Wait. D. Flynn. J. A. Green. W. M. Petrie. T. D. Little- field. J. M. Henderson, W. F. Jackson, W. G. McMillin.

1910-1911-J. A. Green, R. L. Wait. J. R. Garlick, W. M. Petrie. T. D. Littlefield, S. A. Smith. W. J. Taylor. Thomas Coulter. W. G. Mc Millin.

The superintendents since 1880 have been : Dr. J. R. Lane, January. 1882, to January, 1886; M. R. Beard, 1886 to 1890; Albert Hart. 1890 to 1894: O. W. Erlewine, elected under the new charter, February 3. 1894, was subse- quently reelected and served continuously as superintendent under the commission until he resigned, being succeeded by C. C. Hughes, who still holds that position.

Under the new charter adopted in 1911. changing the government of the city to the commission form, the commissioners consti- tuted the city board of education, Mrs. Luella B. Johnston being the commissioner of educa- tion for the ensuing year, and being succeeded by E. J. Carragher.

The new city board of education, appointed under the 1921 council, consists of the follow- ing members: James Giffen, chairman : Wil- liam A. Meyer, new buildings : J. E. Lynn and Mrs. George B. Lorenz, finance, and Miss Edith White, supplies and equipment.

The High School

The embryo of the high school was created May 22. 1855, when it was proposed by Dr. F. W. Hatch that Willson's History, astron- omy, bookkeeping. Latin. French and Spanish be added to the course of study. An order to add these studies to the course was adopted at that time, but was not put in force till the following year, when the classes in these studies were taught in the schoolhouse on M Street, between Eighth and Ninth, by J. M. Howe. Eighteen girls and twenty-one boys were enrolled the first year and the remark- ably high average attendance of 36.8 out of 39 was attained to May 8, 1857. Howe declined

to be examined in Greek and was succeeded by C. A. Hill. Hill resigned in August follow- ing and was succeeded by A. R. Jackson, and early in 1858 the school was removed to Fifth and K Streets, and J. P. Carleton was elected to teach French and Spanish.

May 20. 1858, Charles A. Swift was elected principal, with a salary of $200 a month, and Professor Lefebre was chosen to teach French and Spanish in place of Carleton. As soon as the Franklin Grammar School was completed. the high school was removed to it. In June. 1859. Professor Lefebre left the state and was succeeded by Professor Jofre. In November. 1859, the natural sciences were added to the course by the board, and A. R. Jackson was elected to teach them. The next October Swift showed evidences of insanity and a vacancy in the principalship was declared and Jackson was appointed to the position, but refused the following April to serve longer as principal. declaring the salary insufficient, and J. W. Anderson was appointed in his place. Ander- son was succeeded September 18, 1862. by R. K. Marriner and the latter resigned March 27. 1865, and was succeeded by J. L. Fogg. who served till April 29 following and was succeeded by Milo L. Templeton as principal.

The school was removed to Seventh and G Streets July 25. 1865, and in November Alex- ander Goddard was elected teacher of French and in April. 1871, Jourdon W. Roper was ap- pointed principal. He resigned in April. 1872. and was succeeded by H. H. Howe, and early in the year Edward P. Howe was appointed to take his brother's place. He was followed by Oliver M. Adams, who resigned in June. 1884. W. W. Anderson was principal from that date until the close of the school year in June. 1888, when James H. Pond was elected principal. Pond resigned in 1901 to take the principalship in the Oakland High School and was succeeded by Frank Tade, who continued as principal until the close of the school year in June. 1910. when he resigned to take the principalship of the night high school and was succeeded by H. O. Williams. H. O. Williams was granted one year's leave of ab- sence to engage in war work. Vice-Principal E. F. Berringer acting as principal: and on September 2. 1920, John F. Dale was ap- pointed principal, which position he still holds.

The high school building at the corner of Ninth and M Streets was completed Septem- ber 2. 1876, at a cost of $10,687, and the school was opened in it January 1. 1877. An addition was made to it in 1904, nearly doubling its size, and in 1909 it was burned. In 1907-1908 a new high-school building was erected on the block between K and L. Eighteenth and Nineteenth Streets, which had been purchased for the purpose by the board of education from

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the directors of the Protestant Orphan Asy- lum. The building is a fine one, the lower story being of cement, and the remainder of brick. It is four stories in height, with thirty- five class rooms, and cost in round numbers a little over $254,500. It is strictly up-to-date, has ample apparatus for the scientific classes, and a gymnasium for the boys in the lower story. It was calculated to furnish accommo- dations for about eight hundred pupils, and was intended to be ample for all the needs of the school for ten years, but the growth of the city was so rapid that it was soon over- crowded. The bond issue of $800,000 for the schools, sanctioned by the people in 1911. pro- vided for many additions to the high-school facilities.

An elegant new high school is at present being constructed in the center of a thirty- five-acre tract on Thirty-fourth Street, U and W. which will cost approximately $700,000 furnished. The work was started in July, and when finished it will be one of the most mod- ern and up-to-date educational buildings of the class in the country. Not only will the regular high-school courses be taught, but also various branches of agriculture, voca- tional training, domestic science and other studies and educational activities will be in- cluded in its curriculum. When the new high school is ready for the opening, it is the plan to use the present high-school building at Eighteenth and K Streets for a Junior College.

Under the recent $3,064,000 bond issue, an extensive school-building program is at pres- ent under way: Three of the schools were ready for use when the fall term opened in 1921, and others have since been completed.

Colored Pupils

In 1873 a colored pupil applied for admis- sion to the night school and two colored girls applied for admission to the grammar school. The question arose as to whether under the statute prohibiting the attendance of colored children at the white schools they could be admitted without endangering the receipt of the state and county moneys for the support of the schools. The board granted the re- quests, pending the decision of the supreme court on the constitutionality of the law.

January 7, 1874, Superintendent Hinkson served on Principal McDonald of the grammar school the following notice :

"You are hereby instructed to admit no children of African descent or Indian children into your school, and if any make application for admission, direct them to the superintend- ent, who will issue permits for their admis- sion into the schools provided for them by law."

The admission of colored children to white schools had been made an issue in the elec- tion of December. 1873, and Hinkson had been elected superintendent, with W. F. Knox and George S. Wait, Democrats. J. F. Dre- man, Republican, had previously voted against admitting colored children.

The notice called attention to the statute on the subject. The principal refused to obey the order and was suspended by the superin- tendent, and a special meeting was called, the principal stating that the orders of the super- intendent were in conflict with the resolution adopted by the board, and asked which he should obey.

Director Welty offered the following resolu- tion: "That the teachers are instructed that the paramount source of power rests with the board, in reference to the subject-matter em- braced in the communication from the prin- cipal of the grammar school." The resolution was adopted by a vote of five to three, and the principal was reinstated. Director Dre- man offered a resolution as follows, which was lost by a vote of three to five:

"That it is the duty of Superintendent Hink- son to redeem his pledge to the people of Sac- ramento City by using all legal means to pre- vent the admission of colored children into the white schools."

Director Knox offered the following reso- lution :

"That the resolution of December 29, 1873, by the board of education, admitting certain colored children into the white grammar school, is a palpable violation of the statute of the state."

Director Welty offered this in addition :

"But is in strict harmony with the consti- tution and laws of the United States."

The resolution as amended was adopted. The supreme court soon after declared the statute constitutional and a plan was discussed for establishing separate schools, but was deemed impracticable and colored pupils were admitted to the grammar and high schools.

Other Matters

In 1882 a resolution was adopted by the board that thereafter, when high school exer- cises were held, a premium of $20 would be offered to the young lady pupil who would attend in the least expensive and most appro- priate dress. It seems, therefore, that the evil of expensive dressing on such occasions was even then prevalent.

In 1881 the Fremont Primary School at Twenty-fourth and N Streets was erected.

In 1882 a two-room frame building, the Marshall Primary, was erected at Twenty- seventh and J Streets and afterwards enlarged. It stood on one of the city blocks reserved

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for plazas by General Sutter; and when the city resolved to make a park there, the school was removed and a new one erected on G Street.

In 1884 it was proposed to purchase the Perry Seminary building for a high school and $9,000 was offered for it, but Mrs. Perry asked $10,000. It was finally purchased for $9,620 and used for years for the night school, but was afterwards converted into a manual training school. In February, 1890, the board of trustees asked that the Perry Seminary property be deeded to the city, but the board of education declined, saying it had no power to cede it. In 1891 a similar request was made and again denied.

In 1885 the Harkness Grammar School at Tenth and P Streets was erected at a cost of $14,992, and the building at Tenth and L Streets, erected in 1879, named the Capital Grammar School and at first used as a gram- mar school, was named the Capital Primary School. In 1889 the Sutter Grammar School at Twenty-first and L Streets was erected, at a cost of $15,444. In that year, also, the busi- ness men of the city presented twelve Ameri- can flags to the board of education, with the request that they be displayed on all legal holidays, on the first day of each term and on other occasions, as the board might deem proper. Today Old Glory floats over every schoolhouse in the city and county while the schools are in session.

In this connection it may be stated that the first flag over a schoolhouse in the county outside of the city was raised in the Capital school district, on the old schoolhouse that stood on the upper Stockton road at Swiss Station, a short distance south of the county hospital, W. L. Willis being the teacher, and the school children and trustees contributing money for the flag and flagstaff. On the same day, but several hours later, a flag was raised on the American River district schoolhouse, Miss Agnes Burns, teacher. Neither district knew that the other contemplated such action, and the raising of the first two flags in the county was a remarkable coincidence. Both schoolhouses have since been demolished, and more commodious ones built on other sites to accommodate the growing needs of the districts.

In 1904 the first Chinese school was opened in the Perry Seminary building.

In the spring of 1911 the Capital Primary School, on L Street, between Ninth and Tenth, was burned, the work, it is generally believed, of an incendiary. The Lincoln Primary School, at Fourth and Q Streets, has been twice burned within the past twenty years, both fires being supposedly incendiary.

School Districts

There now are seventy-nine school districts in Sacramento County, several having been re- cently consolidated. They are: Alabama, Alder Creek, American Basin, Arcade, Arden, Arno, Bates Union (combining Courtland, Onisbo, Grand Island, Vorden and Richland). Beaver Union (combining Walker and Good Hope), Brighton, Brown, Buckeye, Carmich- ael, Carroll, Carson Creek Joint, Center Joint, Colony, Courtland Union High, Davis, Del Paso Heights, Dillard, Dry Creek Joint, Elder Creek, Elk Grove Union (combining Jackson and Victory), Elk Grove Union High, Enter- prise, Excelsior, Fair Oaks, Florin, Franklin Union (combining Goethe and Prairie), Free- port, Fremont, Fruit Ridge, Galt, Galt Joint Union High, Granite, Howard, Hutson Joint, Isleton Union (combining Andrus Island, Brannan and Georgiana), Jefferson, Junction, Kinney, Laguna, Lee, Lincoln, Lisbon, Mich- igan Bar, Mokelumne, Natoma Joint, Ney, North Sacramento, Orangevale, Oulton, Pa- cific, Pleasant Grove, Point Pleasant, Reese, Rhoads, Rio Linda (combining with Fruit- vale), Rio Vista Joint, Rio Vista Joint Union (combining with Solano County), Riverside, Roberts. Robla, San Juan Union High, San Joaquin, Sherman Island, Sierra, Stonehouse, Sutter, Sylvan, Twin Cities, Union, Walnut Grove, Wilson, Washington, and in Sacra- mento: East Sacramento, Goldberg, Highland Park, and Sacramento City.

Sacramento Business College

When Agesilaus, King of Sparta, gave utter- ance to the precept, "Teach your boys that which they will practice when they become men," he sounded the keynote of practical education and stamped the pattern for the commercial training of the present generation. This terse and epigrammatic injunction is the motto of one of the oldest and most firmly established educational institutions on the Pacific Coast. Founded February 28, 1873, by Edmund Clement Atkinson, one of the pioneer business educators of the state, it has for near- ly fifty years inculcated sound business princi- ples in the minds of the young men and young women of California, and maintained first rank among the institutions of learning of the com- munity.

For the first twenty years of its existence, the college occupied the upper floor of the old city library building on I Street, between Seventh and Eighth, and afterwards the third floor of the Hale block at Ninth and K Streets. where it was for sixteen years one of the prominent features of the city's life. In 1909 it was moved to a commodious and well- lighted building at the northeast corner of Thirteenth and J Streets, where it continued

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HISTORY OF SACRAMENTO COUNTY

to expound the sound principles of business, impressing them upon the receptive minds of its students along the strongly characteristic lines laid down by its eminent founder. It is the policy of the college on completion of the course of instruction, to install its graduates in responsible positions in the commercial world. In fidelity to its announcements, it "puts thousands into business."

The college celebrated its twenty-fifth anni-

versary in 1898 by incorporating under the laws of California. Since the death of its founder, and for a short time previous thereto, it had been under the direct control of its president and manager, William E. Cogswell, for eighteen years connected with the institu- tion in various capacities. Its present location is at 1121 Ninth Street. Since 1914 it has been consolidated with Heald's Business College, under which name it is now conducted.

CHAPTER XXVI

PRESS OF THE COUNTY

O NE OF the earliest accompaniments of civilization is the newspaper. The savage communicates with his fellows by breaking twigs on the trail or by smoke and other signals in the hills and on the plains. Civilized man uses more universal and wide- spread devices for disseminating the news. In the days of '49 the people were no less eager to hear the news than are we of the present day. who must devour the news from the daily paper while we eat our breakfast. News from the mines was no less eagerly sought by the dweller in the city than was the news from the city and the East by the miner at his claim. It was a foregone conclusion, therefore, that as soon as society was organized, the journal- ist should open his office and begin to supply the demand.

The "Monterey Californian" was the first newspaper issued in California and was pub- lished and edited by Rev. Walter Colton, a chaplain in the United States navy, and Dr. Robert Semple. The type was principally long primer, an old Spanish font, badly worn and battered. As there is no "w" in the Spanish language, two "v's" were substituted in words containing "w." The press was an old Ramage, which had been used by the Mexican authori- ties for printing their edicts and other papers. The first issue of the "Californian" was printed on an inferior quality of paper used for tobac- co wrappers, and was issued in the summer of 1846. John R. Gould, of Baltimore, after- wards secretary of the Maryland Association of Veterans of the Mexican War, assisted by a boy, set the type, worked off the paper and kept the books of the office. B. P. Kooser, a corporal in the United States army, was com- positor and pressman on the "Californian" in 1847, and subsequently published the "Santa

Cruz Sentinel" and was a commissioner from the state at the Centennial Exposition.

The second paper published in this state was the "California Star," the first number being issued in San Francisco January 9, 1847. It was a weekly a little larger than the "Cali- fornian" and was published by Sam Brannan and edited by E. P. Jones. The press was a tolerably good one and the "Sonora Herald" afterwards used it. On the 17th of April, 1848, Mr. Jones resigned and E. C. Kemble suc- ceeded him as editor. The last number of the first volume was issued January 1, 1848. The first number of the second volume ap- peared January 8, 1848, in enlarged form and its publication was continued regularly till May 26, when the printers went to the mines and its publication was discontinued. The "Californian" having been discontinued for the same reason, California was without a news- paper from the last of May till the latter part of June, 1848.

About July 1, 1848, a few printers returned disgusted from the mines and commenced the publication of the third volume of the "Cali- fornian," and published it irregularly until August, when it recommenced its regular weekly issues under the editorial management of H. I. Sheldon. In September Mr. Kemble, who had returned from the mines, purchased the "Californian," as well as the interests of his partners in the "Star," and united the two under the title of the "Star and Californian" and recommenced where the Star had left off- Volume 111, No. 24. It was the only paper then published in California and was issued weekly till the last of December, 1848, when it was discontinued. January 1, 1849, Mr. Kemble took into partnership Messrs. Gilbert and Hubbard, and began publishing the "Alta

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California." They published it weekly until November 10, 1849, when it was issued tri- weekly, and after January 23, 1850, it was pub- lished daily, simultaneously with the "Journal of Commerce." published by W. Bartlett. March 4, 1849, the "Pacific News" also ap- peared daily. The fourth paper started in Cali- fornia and the second published in 1849 was the "Placer Times," at New Helvetia, Sutter's Fort, April 28. 1849, published by E. Gilbert & Company, in Sacramento, and edited by Jesse Giles. It was a weekly sheet and a small one. It was printed on sheets of foolscap size. Printing paper was very scarce in California, but the market was overstocked with unruled foolscap, which was made a substitute. The "Pacific News" was the third newspaper pub- lished in the state, at this time, and was the first tri-weekly. It was published in San Fran- cisco on foolscap paper, the lack of size being compensated for by supplementary sheets.

During the winter of 1849-1850, George Kenyon Fitch came by the Isthmus route, bringing with him a hand and a card press, ink, type and about thirty reams of printing paper. He proposed to five attaches of the "Pacific News"- F. C. Ewer, H. S. Warren, J. M. Julian, Theodore Russell and S. C. Upham-the formation of a company to pub- lish a newspaper at Sacramento, and the prop- osition was accepted. They rented the second floor of a frame building on Second Street, between J and K Streets, and April 1, 1850. the initial number of the tri-weekly paper was issued, which was christened the "Sacramento Transcript." It was published on a folio sheet, in brevier and nonpareil type. A steamer edi- tion, for circulation in the Atlantic States, was printed once a month, selling at fifty cents a copy, while the tri-weekly sold at twelve and one-half cents and advertisements were in- serted for $4 a square, each insertion. The six copartners accepted positions on the papers as follows: G. K. Fitch, heavy and fighting editor : F. C. Ewer, literary editor: H. S. Warren, foreman; J. M. Julian, compositor ; Theodore Russell, pressman; and S. C. Upham, local reporter, business manager, printer's devil, "dead head," etc.

In its salutatory the "Transcript" uttered a sentiment that it would be well for the papers of the present day to adopt. It said in part : "The opening of a new paper is like the planting of a tree. Its shade should be free to all. It should reach forth its branches to shield the innocent from the pelting storm, and, conscious of its fearless might, men should come to it for protection. and find refreshment in its shade. It should be nurtured by no unhealthy influences; it should be propped up by no interested mo- 12

tives : its growth should be free and unre- strained. Perchance it may wither in its youth, and no longer be the home of healthy influ- ences. Perhaps it may be stricken in its man- hood by the storms of adversity. Perchance it may flourish through the years and grow green ; but of all dangers that assail it from without, the insidious influence of those who may cluster round it for their own private ends is the most withering and the most to be feared. A newspaper should never be 'used.' It is too tremendous a lever to be brought to bear for any purpose, save for the good of the public."

The day of publication of its first number was, besides being "All Fools' Day." the first election day under the new charter. There were three tickets in the field-the Democratic, the ranchers' and the citizens' ticket. The total number of votes cast was 2,943, and Har- din Biglow, the people's candidate, received a majority of 323 over all the others. The "Transcript" was the fifth newspaper pub- lished on the Pacific Coast and the first daily outside of San Francisco published in Cali- fornia. Ten days later the "Placer Times" came out daily.

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History of Sacramento County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, 1923, Part 32

Author: Reed, G. Walter Publication date: 1923 Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co. Number of Pages: 1026

Author: Reed, G. Walter
Publication date: 1923
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1026