Johnstonville School was one of the original Lassen County school districts established in 1864, but was originally named Susan River School District.  In February 1878, the name was changed to Johnstonville. On January 20, 1961, a groundbreaking ceremony was held to build a new school to replace the old one. School board members, Harry Reuck, Mary Barr and Leroy Cramer, broke the ground for a new four-room schoolhouse which would cost the district $134,518.

In 1963, the school district deemed the old school surplus property. The school had. been remodeled over the years to include two rooms, kitchen and bathrooms. The property sat on eight tenths of an acre. On December 9,  1963 was the date set for a public auction. Minimum bid $5,000. No one was interested and the matter was referred to the State for guidance. On February 10, 1964, the district receive an offer of $4,300 from J.D. Leitaker.

Tim

School calendars are constantly evolving. After all many schools fall semesters begin August, when there was a time when the school year dd not begin until after Labor Day.

Lassen High’s Class of 1907 held many distinctions. First it was the first four year class to graduate from Lassen. It should be noted that was the class of 1906, had several graduates that involved a three-year commercial course of instruction. The Class of 1907 has distinction of the  latest held graduation being on Friday, June 21, 1907. Those graduates were: Medford Arnold, Jessie Hulsman, Hanchen Lesser, Jeanette Alexander, Kate DeForest, Ruth Hemler, Evelyn Hulsman, Lena Cahlan, Wright Spalding, Percy Holmes and Ralph Taylor.

Tim

In 1911 the Fall River Valley High School was formed in eastern Shasta County. However, that school’s boundary extended into Lassen County,  most notably the Pittville section. Prior to the Fall River school that area was in the jurisdiction of the Lassen County High School. Lassen County erroneously taxed those that served by the newly formed school. In 1912, Lassen County Auditor George Bailey addressed the Lassen County Board of Supervisors of the issue. He asked the board for permission to send out tax rebate checks to those affected-some 86 individuals. The total amount came to $483.01. The smallest amount was fourteen cents to Charlie Young and the largest was $112.00 to Thomas B. Walker.

Tim

Established in 1887, it was originally located at the Bonham Ranch in the Smoke Creek Desert. The school closed in 1919 for lack of students.

In 1929, it was resurrected at Flanigan in the Honey Lake Valley. It closed on June 20, 1969 and at that time it was the only remaining one-room school in Washoe County. Standish resident Ed Bass purchased the school and moved it to his property.

Tim

Providing service’s to Lassen County’s largest mining community had its challenges. There were, of course, the boom and bust cycles, so its population was always in state of fluctuation. Due to its elevation and harsh winter conditions, many residents sought refuge elsewhere in the winter months.

Those factors influenced educational opportunities at Hayden Hill. In 1872, Perry Edris opened a private school on the Hill. It was not until 1878 that the public school was created. The school opened in the fall of 1878, with Ida Spalding as the teacher of fifteen students. The school remained in operation until 1925, when it closed for lack of students.

On June 1, 1931, the Board of Supervisors offered the schoolhouse for sale. Fred Bunselmeier and Lloyd Walsh purchased the two-story building for approximately $125.

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It is only fitting to the end series on Lassen College’s history during its centennial that to acknowledge Glenn Wemple’s contribution to that institution For those not familiar Glenn served on Lassen College board from 1957 to 1987. It should be noted when he was first elected he was as trustee of Lassen Union High School, that oversaw Lassen Junior College.  In 1965 the college separated from the high school, and Glenn was one of transition that he became a college trustee.

In 2012, Wingspan Press published Glenn’ memoirs I Remember Lassen College. It is a candid account how Lassen College came to be. Unfortunately, I am not sure of its availability. Margie’s Book Nook in Susanville kept in stock, so one might inquire with the store as to the status.

Tim