USA > California > Riverside County > History of San Bernardino and Riverside counties, Volume I > Part 18
USA > California > San Bernardino County > History of San Bernardino and Riverside counties, Volume I > Part 18
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"The Bagdad mine is known as the mine owned by millionaires who knew nothing of mining, who were typical tenderfeet, and who took a 'flyer' in mines for the fun of the thing, playing on 'velvet' and declaring they would not 'go the limit.' The Bagdad mine is also known as the one that was under bond to a Los Angeles promoter, who failed to sell the property at $1,500,000 thinking that a profit of $400,000 was the least he could take, and who at the last stroke of 12 o'clock on the day the bond expired discovered that his principals would not give one second in an extension of his bond. Pending the sale, development was continued, and the camp report goes that a rich discovery prompted the owners to quake in fear, thinking the purchasers would materialize with their coin. With the contract abrogated, all attempts to renew negotia- tions for a sale have been declined, and the Bagdad mine is not on the market."
OTHER DISTRICTS. In the Grapevine district, north of Barstow (for- merly Waterman), which was opened in the '70s, a prospector named Lee, later killed by the Indians, made the first location, a silver mine, in the '70s. Later this mine was relocated by Messrs. Waterman and Porter, and, the property proving a good producer, a ten-stamp mill was erected and a good deal of silver was taken out for a time. A large number of other locations were made in the district, but while prospects were excellent for a flourishing district, the ore petered out, and little work has been done there for some years.
The Vanderbilt district, located forty-five miles from Fenner on the line of the A. & P. Railway, in the eastern part of the county, was for- merly one of the rich silver-bearing regions. Later the miners in this region turned their attention to gold and considerable work was done on the gold-bearing claims, a ten-stamp mill and an air compressing plant being erected in the district.
The Virginia Dale district is located in the southern part of the county and a large number of claims have been located, a stamp mill erected at Dale and much ore taken out. During its earlier year it was greatly hindered by reason of its distance from the railroad, its lack of water and refractory ores.
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One of the largest and richest districts of San Bernardino County, the Oro Grande, lies just across the San Bernardino Range, and within its boundaries has several towns lying on the railroad, among these being Hesperia, Victor and Oro Grande. This region is rich in minerals, including gold, silver and marble, limestones and gem stones. Gold- bearing claims were located in this district in 1880 and the Oro Grande Mill and Mining Company was organized to develop them, putting up a ten-stamp mill. About 1890 the Embody and the Carbonate (silver) mines were located and produced another mining excitement. At Victor, in the later '80s, a stamp mill and smelter were erected at Victor to handle the ore from the various mines. Lime is burned and shipped in large quantities and granite and marble for building purposes are being sent out extensively. Marble of a superior grade was discovered in this dis- trict about 1886. Smelters are established at Victor and Oro Grande and a number of stamp mills are engaged in crushing ore.
CHAPTER XI EDUCATION
There is no single factor that contributes in greater degree to the progress and advancement of a community or a certain section of country than that pertaining to public education. In this direction it may be said that San Bernardino County has been fortunate, for from an early date in its history it has not lacked for good school facilities, and an enlightened understanding has governed and directed its educational affairs.
What is supposed to have been the first attempt at systematized instruction was a tent school conducted at the foot of the Cajon Pass while the newly-arrived Mormons were awaiting action upon the part of their leaders in selecting a site for their new homes. The teacher of this school was Rupert Lee, who later, by reason of refusing to do his share in building the stockade around the Mormon community, earned the unenviable title of "Lazy" Lee. During the old Mormon Fort period another tent school was conducted, this being taught by William Stout. At about the same time Miguel Ochoa gathered a few children together in the little New Mexican settlement of La Placita and instructed them in the Spanish tongue.
On November 17, 1853, there appeared the official record of the school commissioners of San Bernardino County, Theodore Turley, James H. Rollins and David Seeley, and this, the first record on file, was as follows: "Whole number of children between four and eighteen years of age in Districts No. 1 and 2, 263. Number of boys, 142; girls, 121. Amount raised by subscription and paid teachers, $1,438,00. Names of teachers employed: District No. 1, William Stout, eight months, $60.00 per mo .; William N. Cook, grade No. 2, six months, $60.00 per mo .; Q. S. Sparks, three months, $76.00 per mo .; Sarah Pratt, three months, ten days, $50.00 per mo. District No. 2, Ellen S. Pratt, four months, $35.00 per mo .: Lois Pratt, Assistant (Primary grade), one month, $27.50; M. S. Mathews, one month, $27.50.
"Number of pupils taught in first and second districts, 206; daily average attendance, 160; amount expended for school library and appar- atus, $300; amount expended for renting or building and furnishing school house, $291.50. Total amount of all expenditures on account of schools, $2,029.50. The whole of the above was raised by subscription. The above commissioners excuse themselves by saying that the county superintendent of common schools for Los Angeles County was a defaulter, therefore their report did not reach headquarters last year. etc. V. J. Herring, County Superintendent of Schools."
After the tenthouse school went out of existence, two adobe rooms served as school houses in the town of San Bernardino until the erection of the brick school on Fourth Street, between C and D streets, in 1872. In 1855 the commissioners reported as follows: "Oct. 1st, Received school report of Francis Clark, teacher in District No. 1, 27 pupils. school from June 18th to Sept. 8th. The same school commissioners as in 1853. Nov. 1st, 1855: Went with the board of trustees of the City District No. 1, as a committee chosen by the City Council, to select for the use of the city as school lots; selected as follows: Lot 2, block 5; lot 8, block 7; lot 6, block 28: lot 2, block 8; lot 7, block 19; lot 4, block 64. Reported the same Nov. 3rd, 1855." In 1856 San Bernardino
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paid the sum of $600 for the lots noted above, and on page 19, of the first book of records of the county superintendent of schools appeared the following: "Received the report of the county clerk for the amount of taxable property in this county for the year 1855, $312,778.19. C. A. Skinner, County Superintendent."
A meeting of the school trustees was called by the board of super- visors October 1, 1857, for the purpose of electing a county superin- tendent and fixing the boundaries of school districts. These latter, from 1 to 6 inclusive, were duly agreed upon, but at the present time are so indefinite, owing to changes, that they cannot be followed accurately. However, they probably were Mount Vernon, City, Mill, Mission, Warm Spring and Jurupa or San Salvador. The county superintendent chosen was R. B. Pierce. About 1853 or 1854 an adobe schoolhouse was built near the little church of Agua Mansa, elsewhere mentioned, and this was replaced in 1864 by a frame building located on two acres of land donated by W. A. Conn in the southwest corner of San Bernardino Rancho. The teacher in both of these early institutions of learning was W. R. Wozencraft. About 1855 there began to be used for a school in the Mill district a log room, the walls of which were chinked with mud and the building being surrounded by a live willow hedge. This structure was succeeded in 1872 by a neat frame schoolhouse, and onc of its first teachers was Ellison Robbins. This early educator and his wife, who after his death became Mrs. E. P. R. Crafts, came to San Bernardino in January, 1858, and took charge of the school, Mr. Rob- bins teaching one room and his wife the other. These were known as the Washington and Jefferson rooms.
At the time of the issuance of the report of 1863 there were 1,072 children given in the census. Four years later there were twelve school districts in the county and a total of 1,330 census children, while the value of school property in the City district was given as $2,000. Of the twelve schoolhouses in the county, five were of adobe.
Like in all new communities the early schoolhouses were primitive in character, design and appurtenances, while many of the early teachers had little more than the rudiments of an education themselves, and were chosen as often for their availability and willingness as for any quali- fications they might have possessed for their positions. And this in spite of the fact that the State had provided generously for its public schools, having made an appropriation for each school district in addition to the school fund raised by the county. Under the law of 1860, which revised the school law, provision was made for a library fund of $50 for each district, state examination of instructors was made a require- ment, and some attempt at uniformity of methods and text books was made.
One of the earlier teachers to whom much credit is due was Ellison Robbins. As has been shown, he came to this locality in January, 1858. Later, when elected county superintendent of schools, he made every effort to elevate the standard of teachers and the efficiency of the schools, and in 1862 called the first educational convention ever held in the county, which lasted for several days and was successful in many of its aims. Mr. Ellison's untimely death, in the spring of 1864, was a distinct loss to the county educational system. While it has been said that educational matters at this time were crude, it must be taken into consideration that . in many of the districts at the time the majority of the pupils were Mexican and only the Spanish language was used among the people ; that in other districts the territories covered leagues of land and the children were scattered, with a necessarily small and irregular attendance.
Vol. 1-8
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Another of the early teachers who accomplished much for the good of the county in an educational way was Henry C. Brooke, who began teaching in 1867 at Rincon, then one of the largest and most important districts in San Bernardino County. He had commenced teaching in the state in 1857, was a member of the first teachers' board of examina- tion, which met under the revision of the school law in 1860, and after aiding in the establishment of the school law of the State continued to carry on his work as an educator until 1870, when he was made county superintendent of schools. For two years thereafter he also acted as principal of the San Bernardino city schools, a position to which he had been elected in 1869. After his termi as county super- intendent expired he served as substitute for almost two years, and in 1883 was again elected and held office until 1891, thus acting as county superintendent for more than ten years and as principal of the city schools for several years. He likewise served on the county board continuously from the time of its organization, in 1880, under the new constitution, until 1893, and was frequently a member of the board of examination under the old State board prior to 1880. Mr. Brooke's long connection with the schools of the county gave him an intimate knowledge of their needs and conditions and this proved to be of great value to him in the duties of the county superintendency. He was the prime mover in the erection of the schoolhouse at San Ber- nardino in 1872, and it was largely through his efforts that in 1883 there was built the Central schoolhouse, an action at that time consid- ered somewhat remarkable. His was the mind that perfected a practical plan for the issuance of bonds by the school districts, and a large major- ity of the better school structures of the country were built as a direct result of his efforts and personal influence. As an example, in the year 1887 the sum of $110,846.25 was expended for the following buildings, all well planned and a credit to the county, and all built or in course of construction that year: Ontario, Etiwanda, Agua Mansa, Chino, Riverside, Lytle, Redlands, Prospect, Jurupa, Crafton and Fairvew dis- tricts. Mr. Brooke was a constant and disinterested worker in behalf of the county's school system and his ambitions were largely realized. Of him a local contemporary1 says: "He was an educator of practical good sense, rather than of theory, and the county of San Bernardino owes a debt of gratitude to him for many years of painstaking work that is only increased by the sad ending of his career."
The State textbook law, under which the State prints its own text- books, the object being to do away with the evil effects of the various school book lobbies and to assure the children of uniform books at a minimum cost, went into effect in 1885. Since that time the State has provided an appropriation for each district, in addition to the county funds, textbooks are provided for those who need them, and school sup- plies of all kinds are provided abundantly. Many of the older districts, by reason of the $50 annual fund given them for many years for the purchase of books and library apparatus, are supplied with large and often well-selected libraries, while the districts that have come into being in later years have not neglected this important feature, and the county's school districts throughout may now be said to have excellent library facilities.
In fact, in every direction, the school system of the county had advanced and progressed and at the present time compares favorably with those of any other like territory. The country schools are carefully graded
1 Ingersoll.
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and their graduates are accredited to the higher schools of learning, and the requirements for all teachers have been steadily elevated. An impor- tant enactment was that of the high school law, which went into effect in 1891. The City, or Union High School, is the medium through which the pupil of the rural district schools can advance to a collegiate course. Prior to 1890 two city high schools, those of Riverside and San Ber- nardino, existed in the county, and in 1891 these were augmented by the Union High School of Redlands, Lugonia and Crafton. The Colton High School was established in 1895, a beautiful and costly building being erected, and in 1897 the Richard Gird High School of Chino and the Ontario High School were organized. The Needles High School came into existence in 1902.
The following table of reports will give some interesting figures :
1871
1881
1891
1903
1920
Census children
1633
2,376
7,191
8,313
Average daily attendance.
756
1,023
3,673
6,990
Number school districts ..
19
36
71
52
80
Number schoolhouses
19
42
124
86
118
Number teachers
19
42
132
165
521
Value school property .... $11,404 $44,085 $510,695 $419,116 $3,742,228
The drop in the figures between the reports of 1891 and 1903 are explained by the fact that in 1893 Riverside County took from San Ber- nardino County more than 3,000 census children and $200,000 worth of school property.
The San Bernardino County superintendents of schools since 1853 have been as follows :
1853-54
V. J. Herring
1855-56
C. A. Skinner
1857
R. B. Pierce
1858
J. A. Freeman
1859
Ellison Robbins
1860-61
A. F. Mckinney
1862
Ellison Robbins
1863
A. F. Mckinney
1864-65
Ellison Robbins
1866-67
W. L. Ragsdale
1868-69
W. J. Clark
1870-71
H. C. Brooke
1872-73
. John Brown, Jr.
1874-75
H. Goodcell, Jr.
1876-77
.C. R. Paine
1878-81
J. A. Rosseau
1881-82
D. B. Sturges
1883-91
H. C. Brooke
1891-95
G. W. Beattie
1895-99
Margaret M. Mogeau
1899-1901
. Lulu Claire Bahr
1901-15
A. S. McPherron
1915-21
Mrs. Grace E. Stanley
PARENT-TEACHERS' ASSOCIATION. The San Bernardino County Parent-Teachers Association was organized, and federated with the national organization on March 12, 1915, at Ontario, Mrs. C. C. Noble, cf Los Angeles, organizer, presiding. There were seven associations rep- resented, Chino, Cucamonga, Ontario, Del Rosa, Bloomington, San Ber-
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nardino and South Euclid Center, representing 107 members. Officers elected at that meeting were: President, Mrs. L. A. Mertz of Ontario ; Mrs. S. V. Stewart, Del Rosa, secretary.
In 1915 Mrs. S. U. Stewart became president, and served until the district was formed, in December, 1915, with twelve associations. The district organization meeting was held in the Technical Building, San Bernardino, with Mrs. Hurbert N. Rowell of Berkeley, the state presi- dent, organizer, and Mrs. C. C. Noble, Los Angeles, assisting, and Mrs. Stewart was ushered into the new district as its head, with due ceremony and much enthusiasm. Mrs. Stewart served six years and six months ; first as county secretary, county president and four years as district presi- dent.
Each year it grew, and soon became a power, taking in such subjects as : Education, Child Labor, Legislation, Good Roads, Patriotism, Juvenile Court, Probation, Country Life, Americanization, Scholarship, Philanthropy and Recreation.
Under the auspices of Country Life Department, with Mrs. Gertrude Spier Rader, chairman, assisted by Mrs. Stewart, intensive work was done through the 800 members gained by 1916, and the Farm School of River- side was formed, a big asset for that city, also of Southern California. Much work was done towards getting a Detention Home for San Ber- nardino.
During Mrs. Stewart's presidency, in 1916, Redlands' City Federa- tion was organized, the first city federation of the Fifth District Federa- tion, and through its efforts wonderful results piled up, in lines of much needed help: Philanthropy, care of under-nourished children, school attendance officer, and a women representative on the school board. in the person of Mrs. N. F. Lewis, and in securing the service of a school nurse, Miss Mary L. Saunders, also work among the Mexican children. The present head officer is Mrs. C. J. Boone-with an association mem- bership of 180.
Through the active interest of the late Prof. R. B. Stover, Mrs. Stewart was enabled to organize a San Bernardino city federation in June, 1916, with 12 associations and 275 members, increased during the year by four more associations, making a membership of 500. This number has now (1921) increased to 1.121 members, out of the district membership of 1.511.
The first president of the federation was Mrs. E. E. Clark, principal of Fifth Street School. and secretary, Mrs. George T. Brooks, treasurer, Mrs. S. H. Hoskyns. In 1916 the City Federation by an entertainment assisted with playground equipment and helped the school board and Woman's Club in securing a school visiting nurse.
In 1917 Mrs. George F. Tilton resigned as president of the City Fed- cration. and Mrs. F. Hoskyns was elected to fill the place. In Mav. 1918, Mrs. L. N. Taylor was elected president, Mrs. H. M. Cook, secretary, and Mrs. S. H. Franklin, treasurer. During this year equipment for a dental clinic at the cost of $200 was put in, and a vigorous campaign for new school buildings made.
May, 1919, Mrs. C. Fulton Jones was elected president. This year attention was given to scholarships. In 1920 Mrs. Charles Erttal was elected president, Mrs. S. S. Turvey, secretary. Mrs. George A. White. treasurer. Attention was given to playground equipment and school nurse.
In 1919, on account of press of other duties. Mrs. Stewart resigned as president of the district, and Mrs. S. H. Franklin, of San Bernardino, was elected, but because of failing health, resigned and was succeeded
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by Mrs. S. S. Turvey, in 1920. During this year the Fifth District was enlarged to include Riverside, and associations were organized in Beau- mont, Big Bear, Highland, Upland and Bloomington. The district sec- retary is Mrs. A. J. Wheeler of Bloomington ; financial secretary, Mrs. Theodore Boaz of Redlands.
Object of the Parent-Teacher Association is to raise the standards of home life, to teach young people how to care for children, so as to assume the duties of parenthood, to develop the physical, mental and spiritual nature of the child; to bring into closer relationship the home and the school ; to develop good citizens.
During the summer of 1900 and while Miss Lula Claire Bahr was city superintendent of schools, a representative of the newly organized Parent- Teachers' Association in Los Angeles called upon Mrs. R. V. Hadden, who took the lady to the office of Miss Bahr. A few teachers were invited to the conference and the matter of launching an association in San Bernardino was thoroughly gone over, but finally it was decided that the time was not yet ripe for its organization here. It was first organized in Washington, D. C., in February, 1897, and in Los Angeles, May, 1900.
COUNTY LIBRARY. The San Bernardino County Free Library was established July 14, 1913, and work started February 1, 1914. Its pur- pose is to provide the rural communities, no matter how isolated they may be, with library service. Its slogan is, equal, complete and economical library service to everyone in the county, thus equalizing educational opportunity.
The County Library started with a loan from the State Library of 1,000 books from its old traveling library circulation. On July 1, 1914, twenty branches had been established.
There are now-December 1, 1921-126 branches in the county, about equally divided between the desert and the valley. The service extends as far as Needles on the east, north as far as Trona on Searles Lake, and to Chino, the southernmost point. Branches are maintained in the moun- tains during the summer, and are kept open in the winter on a smaller scale.
At present there is no community in the county that is not receiving library service. Of the 126 branches, 64 are elementary school districts and three are high schools. Some of these school branches serve the community as well. Branches are located wherever a central place for the purpose can be found-in a telephone exchange, store, box-car, drug store or schoolhouse, etc.
The headquarters of the library are maintained in the Court House in San Bernardino. The library staff at present consists of seven mem- bers: The county librarian ; assistant librarian, who is head of the ref- erence and shipment department ; a cataloguer ; school assistant; statistics clerk, stenographer and bookkeeper ; charging clerk and desk attendant; and general assistant in catalogue department.
The County Library consists of 57,000 volumes, about 6,800 pamphlets, 5,846 items including maps, globes, pictures, sterographs, and music records. It has proved of inestimable benefit to the people of the rural districts, and is a big factor in making the rural life of the county more attractive.
Miss Caroline S. Waters has been head of the County Library since its start, and is a thorough master of its requirements, having served as city librarian for a number of years before taking up the county work.
CHAPTER XII
COURTS AND LAWYERS
"The Law-Her seat is the bosom of God; her voice the harmony of the world; all things on earth and in heaven unite to do her homage- the weak as feeling her protecting care and the strong as not exempt from her power." Less poetical but more practical is Blackstone's defi- nition of municipal law: "A rule of civil conduct prescribed by the Supreme power in a state, commanding what is right and prohibiting what is wrong.'
The leaders in this important force in the conduct of human affairs are those who occupy judicial positions and those who make up the army of legal practitioners. It is to the courts and the lawyers, who are sworn officers of the courts in which they practice, that all must look for the final and righteous settlement of the just and impartial disposition of all charges made against individuals involving life and liberty, and disputed matters between members of a community regarding their property rights. Possessed of such important responsibilities, it is of the greatest importance that bench and bar be composed of learned, clean, courageous, conscientious, broad and liberal-minded members. San Ber- nardino County can be pardoned for congratulating itself in this respect, for its bench has been occupied by clean and able men, almost without exception, and its practitioners at the bar have, in the main, been men of integrity, ability and probity.
During the period of Mexican occupation of San Bernardino County, the lawyer found little to occupy his time and talents. While disputes were frequent on the ranchos among the vaqueros, mayor-domos and Indian servants, these were invariably referred for settlement to "el patrone," the "ranchero" who owned the property and who exercised almost absolute control over his various retainers. Along the Santa Ana River, in the villages of Agua Mansa and Trujillos, there lived several hundred New Mexican settlers, about the only residents of the county aside from those living on the great stock ranches, and these New Mexi- cans had their "alcaldes," whose function it was to settle such disputes of a civil nature as could not be disposed of by the parish priest, and to decree punishment, in a summary way, for all minor offenses. When civil disputes arose, says a local writer,1 the parties came before the officer, who first collected "dos reales"? which was supposed to pay for the expense of stationery, and, when necessary, for the "escribano."3 The alcalde would then listen attentively to the statements and proof, and if necessary would make an inspection of the premises or boundary lines, or of an animal on a question of its identity. It is probable that in some cases he exercised his power beyond the limits in cases which did not strictly belong to the jurisdiction of the inferior courts, but his decisions were final and were always accepted by the people as such, for they were ignorant of any process of appeal to a higher tribunal, even if any such existed. When the Mormons came to San Bernardino County, they, likewise, had little resort to the courts, for their differences were gen- erally settled in the local church council.
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