USA > California > Contra Costa County > The history of Contra Costa County, California > Part 22
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In 1905 it was found necessary to build a new schoolhouse, to be located nearer to the town of Knightsen. Four acres was purchased for a school site. The new structure was completed in June, 1906, at a cost of $7000 for building and grounds. It was occupied during the fall term of that year.
In 1914 the number of pupils had increased so much that it was necessary to employ two teachers. The present teachers are Miss Edna Heidorn, principal, and Miss Pearl Gandrup, assistant. The number of pupils now enrolled is thirty-seven.
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IRON HOUSE SCHOOL
Late in the sixties the pioneers of the tule country in eastern Contra Costa County established the Iron House School District, naming it from a house lined with sheet-iron in that vincinity, and electing Mesdames Sellers, Babbe, and Walton as their first trustees. The first building was a mile west of the present site. School was opened with fifteen pupils.
In 1883 Mr. Emerson donated a portion of his fine ranche for school-grounds, to revert to his estate should they ever cease to use it for that purpose and the schoolhouse was moved to its present site, a quarter of a mile south of the old Babbe landing. Miss Angie Wakeman was the first teacher. She later became an actress under the name of Keith Wakeman. She is now a successful photo-play writer in New York.
In 1896, under the leadership of F. Morton, Thomas Rooney, and Frank Nugent, the present substantial building was erected.
In years gone by as many as sixty-five pupils have attended the school. At the present time thirty are pursuing their studies under Mrs. Alice Collis, a teacher of experience and ability, with the splen- did co-operation of E. B. Sellers, H. Tretheway, and J. Minta, as trustees.
DEER VALLEY SCHOOL
The Deer Valley School was established and built in 1869. The land was donated by W. C. Haney. The first trustees' meeting was held at the home of W. C. Haney, and W. C. Haney, W. J. Smith, and J. R. Filkins were elected to fill the duties of trustees until June, 1870; later J. R. Filkins moved away and the vacancy was filled by J. O. Diffin. The schoolhouse has been in three different locations. It was moved to within a short distance of its first location on the northwest corner of the Haney place, now occupied by the Betten- courts, then a mile and a half northeast on the Stockton ranch (now occupied by J. Van Buren). This was done to secure the children from the near-by mines. Then, as the house was old, it was abandoned, and a new building was erected where it now stands.
The first teacher was Miss Emma McElroy, who was succeeded by Miss Susan Robinson (later Mrs. R. G. Houston, of Byron). Other
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teachers were Miss Anzette Taylor, of Byron (later Mrs. Richard- son), and Miss Helana Calson. Later Mr. J. G. Parker taught for some years.
The first pupils who attended were Mellisa Haney (now Mrs. Smith, of San Francisco), Sarah Haney (now Mrs. S. Hobson, of Antioch), T. C. Haney, of Antioch, Rosa Diffin (now Mrs. W. P. Howard, of Marsh Creek), William Juett, John Haney (dead some years), Eugene Filkins, and George and Mary Smith.
LONE TREE SCHOOL
The Lone Tree School was established in 1869. The first trustees were James Talbot, James Hornback, and Woodhull Smith. Others were C. L. Donaldson, Thomas Shannon, and Robert Love; still later, John Fitzpatrick, H. B. Juett, Michael Campion, and C. A. Maylott; and again, Henry Heidorn, Patrick O'Brien, and Frank McFarland. The first teachers were Miss Fancher, Miss Dickson, and Susie Robinson ; then Miss Jackson, Miss Eva Wilk, Miss Avyette Taylor, Ella B. Shaw, and Carrie C. Clifford. Among the first pupils were William and Fannie Hornback, Abraham and Emma Harris, William and Laura Donaldson, Fannie Newton, James Talbot, Caroline Levaria, John and Philo Fancher, Joe and Mary Laws, Sarah, Mary, and Annie Smith, Joseph and Alex. Miller, James and John Carey, Sylvester Wristen, Dan Carey, Valentine Blair, George and Elijah Wills, Agnes and Mary Lewis, Eli Plater, Frank, Antoinette, Caroline, and Anna Rasette, Pat- rick and Edward O'Brien, William and Frank Robinson, Janet and Archibald Love; afterward the younger members of these families, in- cluding the Fitzpatricks, Shannons, Campions, Grennens, Juetts, Sul- lengers, Wealches, Heidorns, Lynches, Ganns, Haneys, and Maylotts. The second building was erected in 1883. The deed for the lot was se- cured from Chas. McLaughlin the day before he was killed, in 1883. The third building was erected in 1908. The location has never been changed.
CONCORD GRAMMAR SCHOOL
In 1870, just one year after the laying out of the town of Concord, the grammar school was started. The first teacher was Miss Annie Carpenter, who afterward became Mrs. Henry Polley. A good two-
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story building was erected at the corner of Grant and Bonifacio streets. It consisted of only two class-rooms and library, but in the course of a few years this was inadequate for the growing attend- ance. Several buildings about town were used as extra class-rooms, even after a new building for primary classes was put up across the street from the old one. An old building near the corner of Mount Diablo and Colfax streets and the upper room in the Fireman's Hall were used for a time, but both proved very unsatisfactory. It was finally decided to build a schoolhouse of sufficient size to accomodate the growing attendance for many years, and in 1892 a modern six- class-room building was completed. It stands several blocks from the center of town on the Willow Pass road. Since its erection a one- room bungalow has been added, and some of the class-rooms di- vided, indicating at the present time a very crowded condition. The old schoolhouse stands today at the corner of Grant and Salvio streets, two blocks from its original location, a landmark in the town.
Today the Concord Grammar School ranks among the best in the country, with an attendance of nearly three hundred and a corps of eight teachers. E. A. Palmer, the Misses Helen Morehouse, of San Francisco, Eleanor Bertola, of Alameda, Agnes Hoey, of Martinez, Grace Smith, Charlotte Boyd, Ellen Thurber, and Mary McKenzie, of Concord. Among former teachers are several well-known people in the county-W. S. Tinning, a prominent attorney of Martinez ; Miss Ida Hall, of Alamo; Mrs. Susie Dunn DeSoto, now of Rio Vista ; Dr. Mariana Bertola, a physician of note in San Francisco; A. A. Bailey, for many years superintendent of schools in Contra Costa County ; Mrs. Jasper H. Wells, wife of the present county clerk ; Mrs. S. W. Cunningham, of Bay Point; Mrs. Thomas G. Smith and Mrs. F. F. Neff, of Concord.
VINE HILL SCHOOL
Twenty-five years ago (1892) October first our school building was completed. The teacher, Mrs. Matson, opened school with an attend- ance of twenty pupils, earning a salary of forty dollars per month. The schoolhouse is a structure of the old frame type. The district was bonded for sixteen hundred dollars to build it. In 1916 improvements costing five hundred dollars were made in the building. The lot on
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which the building stands contains an acre of land, and was purchased for the sum of three hundred dollars. The first trustees were Captain J. F. Thoroe, James Kelly, and H. S. Ivey.
Our school today has a daily attendance of thirty-five pupils, from first grade to eighth grade. The present teacher, Ethel B. Bernier, is paid ninety dollars a month, having taught here six years.
The board of trustees at present are George H. Wright (clerk), Mrs. Julia Chandler Hill, and John Simonds.
THE RICHMOND SCHOOLS
BY WALTER T. HELMS, PH. B., CITY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS
When in the year 1900, as the Santa Fe was completing its railway lines and terminals, the people began to settle in that territory that was soon to become the city of Richmond, it was part of the San Pablo School District. Consequently, when it became necessary to establish a school to provide for the children of these families the demand had to be met by the trustees of the San Pablo School District, who at that time were J. R. Nystrom, Harry Ells, and John Peres.
The first school was opened in March, 1901, in Richards' Hall, with fifteen pupils and A. Odell as teacher. The school was under the super- vision of Mrs. L. E. Benedict, who at that time was principal of the San Pablo school. Mr. Odell taught for some time, when he was taken with typhoid fever and Miss Clesta Rumrill took his place.
The school was moved from Richards' Hall to the basement of the Methodist church, to remain there until a building could be erected to accommodate it. There was considerable discussion as to a proper location for the school site; but it was finally located on Standard Avenue, near the Standard Oil Refinery, the site having been given for school purposes by the Tewksbury estate.
In 1901 a two-room building was completed and the school moved into it, with Miss Emily Boorman as teacher and an attendance that had increased to eighty-seven pupils. In July of the same year W. T. Helms had been placed in charge of the schools in the San Pablo Dis- trict, which then included this school at Point Richmond, with one teacher, three teachers at San Pablo, and two at Stege, making six teachers in all. Today, just fifteen years later, this same territory re- quires a force of over eighty-five teachers. What was then a small rural
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school system has in this short space of time developed into a modern city school system.
The building erected at the Standard Avenue school site had only two rooms, and it soon became necessary to add an additional teacher. People also began to settle at the east side of town, and the first school there was opened in the loft of a small barn at the corner of Ohio and Sixth streets, with Miss Elizabeth S. Carpenter as teacher.
The San Pablo School District was very large and the means of communication and travel very difficult. It was soon apparent that the schools could not be covered with San Pablo school as the center of administration. Consequently, in 1903 the district was divided into three districts, made up of the San Pablo School District, the Richmond School District, and the Stege School District. For the balance of the year Mr. Helms remained with the San Pablo school as principal, but in 1904 was chosen to head the Richmond School District, which at that time was in a very poor condition, owing to the lack of funds, ac- commodations, and general organization. It soon became apparent that Richmond was to become a city of considerable size, and that buildings, sites, etc., should be provided with a view to future growth and development.
The school at Standard Avenue soon outgrew the two-room build- ing, and a six-room building was erected at that site. To accommodate the rapidly growing east side a four-room building was erected at a site on Tenth Street, donated by the Richmond Land Company. A few years later it was necessary to increase this four-room building to double its size and to provide schools for the Santa Fe section and the North Richmond section. A site was secured in the Turpin tract, and a four-room building erected and named the Peres School, after John Peres, who had been a trustee since the beginning of the city. In the Santa Fe section a four-room building was erected and named the Nystrom School, after John R. Nystrom, who had been president of the board for a number of years, and who gave much of his time to the demands of the growing district.
The district grew very rapidly and it was soon felt that a high school was needed. In 1907, due to the efforts of the Rev. D. W. Calfee, John Roth, and others, an election was called, and it was unanimously voted to establish a union high school, to be composed of Richmond,
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San Pablo, and Stege districts. L. D. Dimm, of Richmond, W. F. Belding, of San Pablo, and B. B. McClellan, of Stege, were chosen as trustees to establish the school. With a desire to secure perfect co- operation between the high school and the grade schools, they selected Mr. Helms to act as supervising principal of the high school as well as that of the grade schools.
The high school was opened and organized in August, 1907, at the old two-room school building at Standard Avenue, with B. X. Tucker, Miss Ruth Peterson, and Miss Alberta Bell as faculty, and an en- rollment of about forty-five pupils. Plans were at once started for the erection of a permanent building. Eighty-five thousand dollars in bonds were voted, and in January, 1909, the school was moved to the present "Class A" building, which had been erected at the site chosen at Twenty-third Street near Macdonald Avenue.
In 1909 a very important thing happened in the school history of Richmond. The citizens decided to adopt a charter form of govern- ment. In that year a modern charter was approved by the legislature, and Richmond became a charter city. In so far as the school depart- ment was concerned, this charter contained many provisions far in ad- vance of their time, and which are now considered highly desirable for any modern school department. The underlying principles kept the schools from all possible political contagion, based the selection and tenure of teachers on efficiency, and made the city superintendent of schools head of the school system and responsible for its success. The directors were given long terms of office (six years) and the elections arranged to take place in the even-numbered years, while the election for councilmen was held in the odd-numbered years. In this way there is very little possibility for the issues at a council election becoming involved in a school election, and in consequence school elections have been quiet, free from politics, and have attracted the highest class of citizenship to seek office. Excellent teachers have been secured, be- cause they are assured that as long as they give excellent services their positions are secure. The department has been free from all sorts of strife, wrangling, and discord. The policy has been to provide the best schools possible for the money expended, without ostentation or adver- tising of any kind.
In 1912 the citizens of Point Richmond had outgrown the second
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building, and it was decided to erect a larger and permanent building at a more suitable site. By a vote of the citizens of the district a site on Richmond Avenue was chosen and the Washington School erected.
In 1913 the residents of the Stege School District, feeling that they could secure better advantages by becoming a part of the Richmond School District, were annexed to the Richmond District by the board of supervisors, thus bringing back the Richmond District to almost the same size as the original San Pablo School District from which it started. San Pablo District still remains a distinct district.
At the present time the Richmond School District has nine graded schools-Washington, Lincoln, Peres, Nystrom, Stege, Fairmont, Grant, Pullman, Winehaven, and the high school.
In place of the enrollment of thirty-six pupils in 1900, we have an enrollment of over twenty-five hundred pupils. These are housed in modern, sanitary buildings containing all the latest devices for ventila- tion and heating and other equipment necessary to provide everything modern in the course of study, such as manual training, cooking, sew- ing, etc.
In addition to the so-called regular subjects, excellent instruction is furnished along modern lines, as special teachers are employed in music, sewing, cooking, manual training, penmanship, and drawing. In order to interest the pupils of the upper grades, their work has been further broadened along the lines of study such as is incorporated in what are known as intermediate schools, by the introduction of algebra, German, and Spanish. In order that children may progress rapidly, and to reduce the number of laggards as much as possible, promotions are semi-annual, or as often as occasion may require. All the newer build- ings are fitted with windows that can be thrown open to make each room an open-air school, and every attention is given to the health of the children. Adjustable desks are provided, so that the seating may be as correct as it is possible to make it. With a view to further promoting the health of the children, a trained nurse is employed, and careful in- vestigation is made of all absences. She consults with parents and uses every means to improve the physical condition of the children. In this way, and with the close co-operation of the health department, the Richmond schools have never been closed on account of an epidemic.
In the high school, in addition to the regular courses required in
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order that students who desire may enter the University of California, other courses are offered, enabling a student to secure a good practical education should he not continue in school after graduating from high school. Special attention is given to courses in music, art, manual training, and domestic science. The high school has a very strong com- mercial department, which enables young men or young women to pre- pare for a business career.
The school department of Richmond has always been fortunate in the loyal support of a loyal public. It has never been disturbed by fac- tions among its patrons. It has been indeed fortunate in the class of men who have been chosen from time to time to conduct its affairs. In the grammar schools such prominent and capable men as John R. Nystrom, John Peres, Harry Ells, James Cruickshank, E. O. Gowe, Dr. J. L. Bedwell, Otto Poulsen, and E. L. Jones are recalled, while the high school shall alway cherish the names of W. F. Belding, B. B. McClellan, and L. D. Dimm.
At the present time the board of education of the elementary school department is composed of J. N. Long (president), J. O. Ford, and R. E. Slattery. The high school board is composed of E. H. Harlow (president), W. S. McRacken, J. F. Brooks, H. W. M. Mergenthal, and Edward Hoffman.
ANTIOCH GRAMMAR SCHOOL
In 1890 the trustees, H. F. Bude, J. Rio Baker, and D. P. Mahan, noticed the crowded condition and promoted the erection of a new schoolhouse. They were entirely successful, and as a result of their efforts a building, one of the finest in the county, was erected. So far did they look into the future that the building is still occupied, although it is also fast becoming too small. At first only the lower floor was occupied, but upon the founding of the Riverview Union High School the upper floor was used by that institution. It was only for a few years, however, as the increasing attendance in the grammar school made it necessary for the high school to seek new quarters.
The work so well started has been continued by the boards that followed. M. D. Field, Mrs. Paulo Donlon, and Doctor W. S. George, the present trustees, deserve great credit for the manner in which they have kept the school abreast of the times during the past few years.
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Special courses in manual training, domestic science, and music have been introduced, and in the yard steel playground apparatus has been built. Antioch is justly proud of her school, which is among the fore- most in the county.
MOUNT DIABLO UNION HIGH SCHOOL
This school was organized in the spring of 1901. The board that was chosen that year, and was in office from the first of July, consisted of E. J. Randall, president; M. T. Sickal, secretary, and Messrs. Kirk- wood, Putnam, Parkinson, Sutton, and Miss Loucks. Two rooms were secured in the grammar-school building and school opened in August, with G. W. Wright (principal) and Miss Maud Grover as the teachers. Miss Grover later married Mr. Chandler, now a member of the State Water Commission, and resides in Berkeley. There were thirty or forty pupils the first year, six of them from other high schools and the others in the first-year class.
The next year Miss Gulielma R. Crocker was added to the teaching force, and a small room in the grammar-school building was secured for a recitation room, and was also used for such laboratory work as could be done under such conditions. There were three graduates this year-Misses Elinor Godfrey, Helen Godfrey, and Lucille Busey.
For the third year of the school, 1903-04, Miss Sara Lunny was se- cured to take the place of Miss Grover, who resigned to be married. There were three graduates this year also-Miss Grace Crawford, Miss Agnes Williams, and Leonard Martin. In the meantime Mr. Sickal had moved to Concord, and George Whitman succeeded him as a member of the board of trustees. Mr. Parkinson also gave way to Mr. Tormey, and Mr. Gehringer took the place of Mr. Sutton.
As soon as it had a graduating class the school was examined and accredited by the State University. The course of study was the regu- lar academic course, but even with this the school had now outgrown its accommodations, and the board began to discuss the question of a new schoolhouse. A room was now secured in Odd Fellows Hall and equipped for laboratory work for both chemistry and physics. A bond election was called to secure money to build a new house. The bonds received a majority, but failed to obtain the necessary two-thirds vote. After some time a second bond election was called, the bonds failing
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to carry this time by a few votes. If the writer remembers correctly, six votes were needed to make the two-thirds majority. In the meantime the question of the legality of the organization of the district was raised, and the matter was taken to the Superior Court for decision. The court decided that the organization was legal. The board now decided to erect the building by direct tax. Through the generosity of Mr. Maltby, a site was donated and the building was constructed in the summer of 1905.
At the election of trustees Mrs. Bancroft was chosen to succeed Mr. Whitman and Mr. Douglas was chosen to take the place of Mr. Kirk- wood, who had moved out of the district. Herbert Kitridge was chosen principal for the year 1905-06. After four years' occupancy of the grammar-school quarters, school was opened in the new building.
In the last six years vast changes have taken place in the Mount Diablo region, and these changes have been reflected in the Mount Diablo Union High School. This section of the county has been electri- fied by being brought into closer communication with the cities about San Francisco Bay. And the school responding, as schools always do, to conditions in the community about it, has itself developed into a new life.
In 1910 the school occupied a six-room building on a lot of three and a half acres, and offered a course which was strictly academic and preparatory to the normal schools and the State University. Today it is crowding eleven rooms on a ten-acre lot, and has broadened its curric- ulum to include some of those vocational subjects for which there is so wide-spread a demand.
This growth has been gradual, as all healthful growth must be. It is interesting to note the steps by which it has come about. In the sum- mer of 1911, the trustees purchased something over six acres of land immediately adjoining the old triangular lot, thus making a rectangular piece of property approximately six hundred feet to a side. At the same time, they connected the building with the newly installed sewer sys- tem, and made the sanitary equipment of the building thoroughly up to date. The following winter the board laid a concrete sidewalk along the front of the school property, anticipating the work which the town soon after took up.
In the spring of 1912, the trustees and student body, working to-
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gether, laid out a quarter-mile track and erected a grand stand. The annual track meets of the Contra Costa Athletic League have been held on this ground since that time, and it is probable that the league will continue to hold its field meets in Concord for some years to come, since Mount Diablo is the only school in the county which owns athletic grounds large enough for this purpose.
During the summer and early fall of 1912, the high-school building was materially enlarged by the addition of an assembly-room. The far- sighted policy of the trustees in laying a hardwood floor in this room has been a source of pleasure to the students ever since. It is the best dancing floor in Concord. For the more prosaic every-day use of a study-room, the hall will seat one hundred or more pupils. And when seated as an auditorium, it will accommodate three hundred. The stage at the east end is large enough for concerts and for commencement ex- ercises, but it has proved too small for the plays which the students give every fall.
The lower story of this annex was finished in the summer of 1913 to form two rooms, one of which is now used as a sewing-room and the other as a kitchen.
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