USA > California > San Luis Obispo County > History of San Luis Obispo County, California, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 66
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LEGISLATION FOR SCHOOLS.
In 1853 the Legislature enacted that the school fund should not be used for any other purpose whatever; that religious and sectarian schools should not have a pro rata of the school fund. The County Superintendent was authorized to appoint three school commissioners for each district.
In 1854 the Legislature provided that fifteen per cent. of the poll-tax should be paid into the school fund. An attempt was made to repeal the article prohibiting the granting of money to sectarian schools, but the proposed law did not reach a vote. The Superintendent reported the number of children attending school as having increased from 2,000 in 1853 to 5,751 in 1854, this being the first attempt to get a tabulated statement of school matters.
In 1855 a bill introduced in the Legislature became a law. This provided that no sectarian doctrines should be taught in schools receiving public money; also that no public money should be apportioned to any school not taught by a regularly examined and licensed teacher, and important provisions in the election of County
Superintendents. This statute appeared to be the one required to settle controversy regarding sectarian schools and the division of public money, as the policy has since become fixed as a constitutional provision.
By Act of the Legislature, approved May 3, 1852, provision was made for the sale of these lands at the rate of $2.00 per acre, payable either in coin, State scrip, Controller's warrants upon the General Fund, or bonds of the civil debt of the State. The proceeds of these sales were converted into bonds of the Civil Funded Debt of the State bearing seven per cent. interest per annum.
The Legislature, by Act approved April 23, 1858, pro- vided for the selection of the unsold portion , of the school lands, and reduced the price to $1.25 per acre, payable in cash. When the amount received from sales reaches $10,000, it is invested in State bonds, to be placed as before to the credit of the School Fund. All interest falling due on these bonds is semi-annually placed to the credit of the School Fund.
On January 1, 1858, 237,440 acres of the 500,000 had been sold, yielding $474,880, the annual interest of which, at seven per cent., amounts to $33,241.60. In addition to this source of revenue, it is provided that one-fourth of the money paid into the State Treasury for . poll-taxes shall be placed in the Common School Fund and distributed semi-annually to the various counties in the same manner as interest from school land warrants. Township school lands sixteenth and thirty-sixth sections, estimated at 6,000,000 acres. The Legislature of April 26,1858, fixed $2.00 the price of these, the proceeds to go to the township where located. Besides the revenue derived from' the State, each county was authorized to levy a special tax for the support of public schools not exceeding ten cents on $100.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN SAN LUIS OBISPO.
When California became an American State, San Luis Obispo was almost wholly Spanish, business being trans- acted in that language, court proceedings held in it, and schools so taught. The old missions with their ramifica- tion of buildings and numerous rooms, all deemed a sort of public property, were naturally appropriated for Court House, jail, school, and other public purposes. In 1850, the first school in San Luis Obispo, under the new regime was opened in one of the rooms of the mis- sion building, Don Guillermo Searles being the teacher, and the instruction being given in the Spanish language. Don Guillermo was a native of Chile, his parents being of English birth. He is represented as being a gentle- man of considerable education, and filling his position with satisfaction to the people. The district then com- prised the whole county, and the population was very limited.
Don Miguel Merchant succeeded Searles as teacher. This gentleman was of Irish birth, but came to California from Mexico, and followed his predecessor's example in teaching in Spanish. The system was by rote, the teacher repeating the lessons and the pupils following, repeating after him. He also taught English in the same manner; but this proved so inefficient that little or no
L
PUBLIC SCHOOLS
257
progress was made by the native children in acquiring the new language. The records of the Court of Sessions and the Board of Supervisors show that Miguel Merchant as school teacher occasionally received $100 as salary- probably each month-and beyond that, and the following order by the Board of Supervisors, passed August 22, 1853, there is nothing in the county archives referring to the schools of that period.
Ordered-That the salary paid out of the County Fund to the teacher cease until funds be received; and that each scholar shall pay $5.00 per month for tuition.
Mr. D. F. Newsom has the honor of being the organ- izer of the schools of San Luis Obispo upon the basis from which they have progressed to the present. This gentleman came to the county in 1853, and was soon thereafter appointed County Clerk, and by general con- sent took the office or the duties of Superintendent of Pub- lic Schools. Having intelligence and energy, he proceeded to reform the school system, and afterwards became the teacher as well as filled his official positions. By law. the Assessor was ex officio Superintendent of Common Schools, but little or no attention was paid to it. Mr. Parker succeeded Mr. Merchant as teacher. From the system of teaching in Spanish, and simply repeating the les- sons, he required the pupil to translate from one tongue to the other, and by thus drilling them considerable progress was made. In 1854, Mr. Newsom was the teacher, giv- ing his instruction in English, and requiring all to trans- late the lessons into both Spanish and English. At that time there were only forty children in the county able to speak English. In 1853 there were but fifty-three schools and fifty-six teachers in the State.
SCHOOLS FROM 1850 to 1860.
The progress of the schools was slow during the first decade, and it was not until 1861 that two school districts existed in the county. In that year San Simeon 'School District was formed. In that region a small area of Gov- ernment land was found along Santa Rosa Creek, and several American families settled there. The district, in- cluding the town of San Luis Obispo, was designated Mission District No. 1, and the other San Simeon Dis- trict No. 2. The dividing lines might be anywhere, but the two districts comprised the whole county. The total number of children of school age was 735, and 230 un- der that age; or a total in the county under 18 years of 965. Of these 62 attended the Mission District School, and 13 attended the San Simeon School in i861. Mr. E. A. Clark was teacher of the first, and Miss S. M. Clark of the latter, the monthly salary being $75.00 for Mr. Clark, while Miss Clark received but $30.00 per month.
TABULATED HISTORY OF THE SCHOOLS.
Unfortunately for consecutive detail no records are obtainable of the early history of the schools. We have the records of 1861 and 1863, when another lapse oc- curs until 1866, from which date they are quite complete. The following tables show in a succinct and concise form the history of the schools of this county, for and from the years mentioned.
1863.
1861.
San Simeon No. 2.
Mission No. I -
San Simeon No. 2.
Mission No. I .
NAME OF DISTRICTS.
II7 235
93
261
Boys.
128
252
II4
267
Girls.
245
487
207
528
Total.
18 years of age.
between 4 and
No. of children
119 23 15
156 37 21
8
122 62 2512
No. children attending schools.
Average No. in daily attendance.
79
66
John Bains.
Miss S. M. Clark.
E. A. Clark.
Names of teachers employed
during the year.
80
00
145
80
Total No. days school was maintained.
33 $650
30 $150
Value of school houses, furniture, etc.
285.12
$700.90
224.53
Amount of School Funds received from State.
45.28
$90.07 $790.97 $375
140.72 365.25
Total receipts for school pur- poses.
245 $500
190
Amount paid for teachers' sal- aries.
Amount expended for sites, build- ings, furniture, etc.
-
-
$76.10 $451.10 $387.09
[97.50 167.75
$143.25 $368.25 $162.42
Amount expended for rent and fixtures.
-
7.50
Total expenditures.
R. B. Olmsted.
Cal. Mathers.
Franklin Riley.
Peter Williams.
W. R. Jolly.
George Stone.
Names of Trustees.
REPORT FOR THE YEARS ENDING OCTOBER 31, 1861, AND OCTOBER 31, 1863.
No. attending private schools, 20.
$75
$75
Monthly salary of teacher.
.-
$217. 16 $313.51 $531.67 $225
Amount of funds received from County Taxes.
330.40
254.43
328.20
Balance on hand.
Per cent. of attendance.
E. A. Clark.
108 13
No. of children under 4 years.
33
258
HISTORY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
SCHOOL CENSUS, 1882.
The number of census children in the county, in June, 1882, was as follows :---
Apportionment of State School Funds, made February 28, 1883 :-
DISTRICTS.
STATE FUND. LIBRARY FUND.
Arroyo Grande
91
73
164
Ascension
9
II 20
Avenal
9
9
18
Branch
288 51
32 05
Branch
35
33
68
Canyon
268 II
29 79
Central
281 09
31 23
Central
15
16
2I
Cienega
53
15 39
Corral de Piedra
30
25
55
Cuesta
269 97
29 99
Cuesta
IO
I3
23
East Santa Fé
308 90
34 32
East Santa Fé
36
44
80
El Dorado
268 II
29 79
El Dorado
20
I2
32
Estero
282 95
. 31 43
Estero
I7
14
31
Excelsior
275 53
30 61
Estrella
41
31
72
Fair View
275 53
30 61
Excelsior
14
II
25
Franklin.
292 22
32 46
Franklin
26
I9
45
Harmony
277 38
30 82
Fair View
I2
I3
25
Hesperian
634 38
50 00
Harmony
IO
I3
23
Hope
279 26
31 00
Hesperian
46
50
96
Huasna
260 70
28 96
Home
93
Huer-Huero
178 II
19 79
Норе-
34
3I
65
Josephine.
266 26
29 58
Huasna
24
I4
38
Laguna
286 65
31 85
Huer-Hnero
9
6
15
Lincoln
271 82
30 20
Laguna
25
22
47
Los Osos
178 II
19 79
Las Tablas
IO
I6
26
Mammoth Rock
268 II
29 79
Lincoln
23
25
48
Mission
Mountain View
277 38
30 82
Los Osos
9
8
I7
Oak Flat
271 82
30 20
Mammoth Rock
15
18
33
Oak Grove
273 60
30 48
Mission
333
323
656
Olmstead
275 53
30 61
Mountain View
37
2I
58
Oso Flaco
297 78
33 08
Oak Dale
I2
7
19
Paso Robles
281 09
31 23
Oak Flat
15
IO
25
Rinconada
268 II
29 79
Oak Grove
13
20
33
Salinas
275 53
30 61
Olmstead
15
8
23
Sand Hill
271 82
30 20
Oso Flaco
20
28
48
San Miguel
179 97
19 99
Paso Robles
I 7
II
28
Santa Fé
537 56
50 00
Rinconada
32
28
60
Santa Manuela
269 96
30 00
Salinas
25
15
40
307 05
34 II
Sand Hill
IO
9
19
Spring
262 55
29 17
San Miguel.
7
6
I3
San Simeon
33
23
56
Santa Fé
57
33
90
Santa Manuela
I3
I3
26
Santa Rosa
26
I8
44
Someo
14
I3
27
Spring.
IO
12
22
Stowe
.
I
I
IC
14
24
Summit
I7
7
24
Sunderland
I7
12
29
Washington
.
.
1
53
44
97
Stowe
I
1
1
1
1
Summit
279 26
31 00
Sunderland
269 96
30 00
Washington
262 55
29 17
J
1
I
1
.
1
4
1
1
1
I
I
1
I
281 09
31 23
Josephine
8
I2
20
Los Berros
288 5I
32 05
Los Berros
37
31
68
Oak Dale
183 68
20 40
Pacific
275 53
30 61
Pacific.
I5
8
23
San Simeon
292 22
32 46
I
1
1
1
1
1
1
I
I
1
1
1
I
I
J
1
1
Total
$18,379 18
$1,665 96
I
.
I
I
I
I
J
1
I
1
Total No. of Children in County,
2795
Arroyo Grande
$ 766 00
$ 50 00
Ascension
268 II
29 79
Avenal
178 II
19 79
I
I
1
1
I
I
I
I
:
1
1
I
I
1
22
2I
43
Corral de Piedra
288 51
32 05
1
1
1
1
I
I
1
1
1
I
1
1
I
1
1
1
1
I
1
.
1
1
1
I
1
.
1
1
1
I
1
1
4
.
1
4
1
I
1
I
1
I
L
I
1
1
1
4
I
I
1
1
1
1
I
1
1
1
1
I
I
4
1
1
I
1
I
1
Cash balance on hand at close of school year: 1866 $972.65; 1867, $1,693.62; 1868, - -; 1869; ----; 1870, $2,457.79; 1871, $5,174.00; 1872, $4,778.78; 1873, $4,087.11; 1874, $4,005.26; 1875, $9,061.04; 1876, $9,459.24; 1877, $5,949.27; 1878, $4,675.72; 1879, $4,398.40; 1880, $5,986.64; 1881, $3,765.70; 1882 .---.
299 63
33 29
4
1
1
1
1
1
.
I
1
1
1
1
:
1
I
Las Tablas
I
1
I
I
1
271 82
30 20
San José
531 38
50 00
Santa Rosa
Someo
273 60
30 48
San José.
1
1
1
APPORTIONMENT OF FUNDS.
DISTRICTS.
BOYS. GIRLS. TOTAL.
I
1
1
1
1
1
I
1
I
Home
I
3º3 34
33 70
Canyon
4
I
1
1
1
3,165 90
50 00
Estrella
1
259
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
STATISTICAL TABLES.
CENSUS STATISTICS.
SCHOOL STATISTICS.
No. of pupils enrolled.
Average daily attendance.
Percentage of attendance.
No. of school visits made
by Co. Superintendents.
No. of visits made by
No, of visits made by
Average No, of months
school was maintained.
Average No. of months in
each school same teacher
No. of teachers attending
Average monthly salary
of male teachers.
Average monthly salary of female teachers.
1866,
545
31I
164
22
348
133
65
.77
17
56
S2
7.I
8.5
55.00
75
1867.
658
381
212
45
174
121
.SI
43
50
107
7.1
S.
57.50
75
1868.
832
469
278
20
460
239
143
.83
13
57
78
5.9
6.8
52.09
1869.
1145
529
474
43
611
465
313
19
48
III
7.5
7.
9
50
1870.
1275
653
566
109
618
483
339
.82
20
67
204
5.7
5.6
II
70
52
1871.
Returns not on file.
731
456
343 375
.86
19
93
414
7.
14.
1873
1633
771
856
53
724
870
564
12
105
519
5.9
7.8
85
70
1874.
1843
844
926
104
813
974
602
.89
19
61
443
4.8
7.
16
89
78
1876.
2270
II26
1438
85
739
1502
730
.86
24
54
407
6.5
9.3
28
So
78
1877.
2561
II37
1557
S9
911
1546
851
.90
30
.92
37
208
502
7.
7.
43
75
1879.
2717
1232
1729
87
901
1710
1066
.93
43
204
668
669
6.8
10.6
47
72
66.40
1881.
2795
1327
IS28
77
890
2024
IIIO
.91
65
209
824
6.9
12.
47
73
63
FINANCIAL STATISTICS.
SCHOOL PROPERTY.
MISCELLANEOUS STATISTICS.
Year.
Total Receipts.
Total Disbursements.
Valuation of Lots, Houses,
Valuation of School
Valuation of School
Total Valuation of School
No. of Male Teachers.
No. of Female Teachers.
Total No. Teachers.
No. of Teachers Holding
First Grade Certificates.
No. Holding Second Grade
No. Holding Third Grade
No. of Teachers Subscrib-
No. of School Districts.
Annual Salary of County
Names of County Super-
intendents.
1866 ..
$4,350 03 5,706 50
$3,371 38 4,012 88
$800 755
$50 359
$30 300
SS80
3
I
4
2
I
2
5 $300
P. A. Forrester.
1868 ..
7,386 88
6,927 95
6,682
394
7,686
S
6
14
6
6
2
8
15
420
P. A. Forrester.
187 1
13,977
I7
8,803 17
7,950
475
9,305
8
2
IO
4
4
2
3
15
420
P. A. Forrester.
1872 ...
15,306 58
10,527 80
8,450
1,215
500
10, 165
I2
5
17
7
4
5
21
420
P. A. Forrester.
1873.
16,635
17
12,548 06
9,725
1,581
579
11,88I
IC
6
16
6
S
2
7
21
420
J. M. Felts.
1875.
- 31,100 23
22,039 19
13,375
1,847
740
15,962
16
IO
26
15
9
2
20
26
420
J. M. Felts.
1876.
34,294 01
24,834 77
11,420
2,067
1,567
15,654
16
19
35
14
14
7
25
30
567
J. M. Felts.
1877.
46,067 25
40, 117 98
27,800
3,195
2,165
33,260
20
23
43
16
20
7
40
36
567
J. M. Felts
1878.
33,640 03
28,964 31
28,400
3,706
2,310
34,416
28
46
18
19
9
16
38
600
Fred. E. Darke.
1879.
34,904 53
30,506 13
30,900
3,175
1,735
35,810
25
23
48
16
26
6
24
41
600
Fred. E. Darke.
1880.
35,694 19
29,707 55
31,925
3,375
1,953
37,253
28
23
51
16
33
2
40
45
600
J. F. Beckett.
1881.
41,287 72
37,521 72
35,473
5,979
2, 1 39
43,593
26
28
54
23
31
32
51
600
1. F. Beckett.
1882.
5º
53
J. M. Felts.
REVIEW OF STATISTICS.
The preceding tables show the steady growth of the schools, showing the increase of population in the county and the attention paid to the all-important sub- ject of education. The number of public schools has risen to fifty-three, with fifty-nine teachers, and from a trifling revenue to over $40,000 per annum. From the few children who used to listen to Don Guillermo Searles and Don Miguel Merchant repeating in Spanish and Eng- lish the simple lessons, in the old adobe wing of the mis- sion, there are now over 2,000 children, out of 3,000 enu- merated by the census, attending school in large, comfort-
able buildings constructed specially for the purpose. The laws of the State require that all children between the ages of five and seventeen years attend some school, but the law is not enforced and is a "dead letter."
The appropriations from the county for the School Fund was $235, in 1853; $320, in 1858; $402, in 1861, and $613, in 1863. The revenue was derived from a tax of thirty-five cents on each $100 of assessed valuation from the county, besides the receipts from the State School Fund. The county tax rate for school purposes in 1882-83 was fixed at twenty and one-half cents on each $100.
.
Years.
No. of children between
5 and 17 years of age.
No. of children under 5
No. of children between 5
and 17 years of age, at-
tending Public School,
No. of children between
5 and 17 years attend-
ing only private school.
No. of children between
5 and 17 years not at-
tending any school,
County Institute.
has taught.
41
80
75
1880.
2752
1303
1805
78
869
2035
1099
.92
46
213
215
6.9
4.
87
74
1875.
2012
974
1100
107
802
II26
679
.91
24
48
Not on file.
41
1878.
2625
1244
1598
99
928
1247
971
.SS
30
104
325
6.7
7.5
80
60
1872.
1404
768
603
107
694
575
S2
59
.88
Property.
Apparatus.
1.354
1,667
6
S
14
4
4
6
II
1 300
15
300
Jas. H. Gooch.
1870.
12,902 74
10,451 56
P. A. Forrester.
1874.
16,722 26
12,717 00
9,800
1,668
670
12,137
16
8
24
9
15
2
24
420
P. A. Forrester.
IS67.
7
I
5
3
6
300
Jas. H. Gooch.
S
6
14
6
4
4
Certificates.
Certificates.
ing for an Educational
Journal.
Superintendent.
So
6.
and Furniture.
Libraries.
611 880
during school year.
years of age.
other persons.
School Trustees.
36
23
.86
52.09 75
816
I
1869 ..
6
260
HISTORY OF SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY.
SCHOOL. DIRECTORY.
In the following Directory of the public schools of San Luis Obispo County will be found the complete roll of the teachers, officers, and districts at the beginning of the school year, July 1, 1882.
DISTRICT.
DISTRICT CLERK.
TEACHER.
ADDRESS.
Arroyo Grande.
1
B. C. Ide
Miss Mary Owen, Assistant
Ascension
J. F. Walker
Miss Cynthia Kingery
Avenal
J. M. Sprague.
Miss Viannie McLaughlin
Branch
Albert Fowler
B. F. Whittemore.
Canyon
H. V. Jones
Jas. A. Ford.
Central.
--. B. Kester
Mrs. Lizzie Goldworthy
Corral de Piedra
L. Maxwell
Miss Josephine Rockwood
Cuesta
R. R. Harris
Miss Captola Evans.
East Sante Fé
N. H. Fitzwater
E. P. Rogers
San Luis Obispo. Pozo.
Estero
J. C. Stocking
Miss Cornelia Richards
Morro.
Estrella
P. T. Waggoner
J. J. Beggs
Paso Robles Springs. Morro.
Excelsior
S. C. Davis.
Miss Mary L. McKennon
Fair View
Geo. A. Freeman
Miss Mary E. Lucas
Cayucos. .
Franklin
J. Q. Buffington
J. W. Raines
Cayucos.
Harmony
E. A. Everett.
Miss Clara Carmien
Cambria.
Hesperian
George S. Davis
) Miss Bertha Music, Assistant
Home.
B. F. Mayfield.
Miss Agnes Doud.
Hope
J. H. Hollister
Miss Alice Mac
Huasna
Arza Porter
Miss Sallie Findley
Huer-Huero
J. S. Morgan
J. D. Beggs.
Josephine.
Laguna
S. D. Triplett
W. W. Beckett
San Luis Obispo. Adelaida.
Lincoln
A. F. Pomeroy
Mrs. Mary E. Thompson
Los Berros
WVm. C. Dana
Miss Emma Ware
Los Osos
John C. Gibson
Miss Meda Cole
Mammoth Rock
James M. Buffam
Miss Ellen Dill
Mission
J. L. Raines, Principal.
San Luis Obispo. San Luis Obispo.
Mission
Levi Rackliffe
Miss M. Root, Second Assistant .. Miss H. Hamlin, Third Assistant.
San Luis Obispo. San Luis Obispo.
Mission
Miss A. Murray, Fourth Assistant-
Mission
Miss B. Churchill, Fifth Assistant_
San Luis Obispo. San Luis Obispo. Morro.
Mountain View
John L. Oilar.
R. L. Rigdon, Jr.
Oak Dale
A. J. Hudson
Miss Agnes M. Parson
Oak Flat
Franklin Frick
Chris. McNulty
Oak Grove
C. Graves
J. W. Evans
Olmstead
M. C. Marks
Allan McLean
Cambria. Guadalupe. San Simeon.
Pacific
D. Lippman
Miss Mattie Chappell
Paso Robles
P. H. Dunn
Miss Annis Osborn
Paso Robles Springs.
Rinconada
Geo. W. Rector
William F. Kent
Santa Margarita.
Salinas
William Farrel
Miss Annie J. Murphy
Santa Margarita.
Sand Hill
Andrew Lauretzen
Miss Jennie E. Doyle
San Luis Obispo.
San José
S. S. Frazer
S. M. McKnight.
Pozo.
San Miguel
John Thompson
Mrs. Anna Schwatka
San Miguel.
San Simeon
H. W. Martin
A. F. Burrows.
Cambria.
Sante Fé
E. Miles
Miss Lizzie La Tourette.
San Luis Obispo.
Santa Manuela
J. N. Jatta
William Findley George T. Noe
Cambria.
Someo
John McAuliffe
C. H. Woods.
Cayucos. Cholame.
Spring
C. P. Buckley
Miss Henrietta G. Sander
Stowe
P. O'Connor
Jas. M. Felts
San Luis Obispo.
Summit
Michael Gerst
Miss Addie Howard
Paso Robles Springs.
Sunderland
Otto Wyss .:
A. F. Parsons
Adelaida.
Washington
B. F. Muma
Miss Lily Doud
San Simeon.
Oso Flaco
P. Moore
Miss Margie McHenry
Paso Robles Springs. Paso Robles Springs. Adelaida.
Las Tablas
A. L. Tolle
Miss Hattie Warring
Adelaida. Arroyo Grande. San Luis Obispo. Cambria.
Mission
D. Meredith, First Assistant.
Cambria.
Hesperian
Cambria. Cambria.
San Luis Obispo. Arroyo Grande. Santa Margarita.
Josephine
J. D. Lindner.
Miss Mattie F. McKnight.
San Luis Obispo. San Luis Obispo.
El Dorado
Richard Freeborn
Mrs. Mary Ferrari_
Arroyo Grande. Arroyo Grande. Paso Robles Springs. Pozo.
j J. F. Beckett, Principal
Arroyo Grande.
Santa Rosa
David Armstrong
Arroyo Grande.
Mission
Fred. E. Darke, Principal
Arroyo Grande. San Luis Obispo. Cayucos.
BOARD OF EDUCATION: Chauncy H. Phillips, President, San Luis Obispo; Chas. H. Woods, San Luis Obispo; James L. Raines, Cayucos; William F. Kent, Santa Margarita; County Superintendent, John F. Beckett, Secretary, Arroyo Grande.
261
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
GROWTH OF SCHOOLS.
In 1867 the districts. were, Mission, San Simeon, Arroyo Grande, Morro, Salinas and Santa Rosa. Grad- ually these have increased until they number fifty-four in 1883, with applications frequently presenting to the Board of Supervisors for more.
The school of Miss Clark was the first in the north- ern part of the county, although the general impression prevails that the first school in San Simeon was established in 1863, by Mr. E. A. Clark. Then a school house cost- ing $650 was built, near Santa Rosa Creek on the public lands, and twenty-three children attended.
The schools are now in an exceedingly prosperous con- dition, and the satisfaction given is proven by the high percentage of attendance. During the last two or three years the average pay of male teachers has been reduced from $80.00 to $73.00 per month, and of female teachers from $75.00 to $63.00. In 1861 the pay was at the low- est, then Mr. Clark receiving in the Mission School but $75.00 and Miss Clark but $30.00 in the San Simeon School. Generally the salaries have maintained a respect- able figure, showing a careful business spirit on the part of the county authorities, while at the same time capable teachers were employed and the schools kept at a high standard of efficiency.
TEACHERS AND SUPERINTENDENTS.
The amount appropriated for school purposes in San Luis Obispo in 1856, was $517.92, and in 1857, $338. Among the teachers of the first ten years of the single school of the county not previously named were Walter Murray, John Bains, and A. Leon Cervantes. The School Superintendents were D. F. Newsom, elected in 1853 ; W. . C. Dana, elected in 1857; F. Wickenden, elected in 1859; Patrick Dunn, elected in 1860; Alexander Murray, elected in 1861; re-elected in 1863; P. A. Forrester, elected in 1865; James H. Gooch, elected in 1867; P. A. Forrester, elected in 1869; re-elected in 1871; J. M. Felts, elected in 1873; re-elected in 1875; F. E. Darke, elected in 1877; J. F. Beckett, elected in 1879; J. M. Felts, elected in 1882, and is the present incumbent.
From Superintendent Murray's report for 1862, we glean the following additional particulars: Number of teachers designing to make teaching a profession, none; number of private schools and colleges in county, none; total number of pupils attending academies and colleges, none; number of teachers who subscribe for an educa- tional journal, none; longest time any one teacher has taught the same school, four months; salary of County Superintendent, $150; cost of taking school census, $200; number of pupils attending private schools, 20.
James M. Felts was elected Superintendent in Novem- ber, 1882, succeeding to the office in January, 1883. By the Legislature of 1883, the salary of the Superin- tendent of Schools in counties of the Twenty-seventh Class, which included San Luis Obispo, was fixed at $1,000 per annum.
THE SCHOOLS IN 1882.
Superintendent Beckett in May, 1882, visited the sev-
eral schools, and his report is summarized as follows in the educational column of the San Luis Obispo Tribune :-
ARROYO GRANDE SCHOOL.
The Arroyo Grande School has a large attendance and the pupils are generally doing excellent work. J. F. Beckett is Principal, and Miss Mary Owen Assistant, succeeded by Miss Lizzie Davidson.
ASCENSION SCHOOL
Is very beautifully located on a high ridge which commands a very extensive view of the surrounding country. The school was found to be somewhat excited over the killing of a huge rattlesnake measuring about three feet in length and possessing twelve rattles. His snakeship had been found coiled up under the school house and was speedily dispatched by Miss Kingery and her pupils. The school was visited with Trustee Grandstaff. Order good, lessons fair, and the school in a satisfactory condition.
A MOUNTAIN DISTRICT.
Away up in the rugged Santa Lucia Mountains is situated the pleasant school of Oak Grove. As we neared the place the notes of an organ and high pitched strains of several voices were wafted to us down the dell. Entering the school room, a rough log-cabin, we found that the teacher and his little band had been practicing their morning music lesson. Mr. Evans, the teacher, is the happy possessor of an excellent organ, which he has taken with him to his field of labor. The school has greatly improved since the last official visit and is now in excellent condition.
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