Tag Archives: Schools

Johnstonville School – Then and Now

August 13, 2016 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

Usually, on a monthly basis I like to feature a then and now post of what a particular site/building has changed over the years.

This month’s feature is the Johnstonville School, one of the original school districts created in 1864 when Lassen County was formed. The original school house pre-dates the school district and was built in 1863, on land that Eber Bangham eventually donated. 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. When completed the old school house located on an adjoining parcel was sold and converted into a private residence.

The old school as it now appears.. August 6, 2016.

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History

Richmond School – Then & Now

July 11, 2016 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

Richmond School, 1916. D.M. Durst Collection

At the St. Patrick’s Cemetery Tour,the first grave visited was that of Matilda Todd Montgomery. In 1865, Matilda’s two sisters, Margaret Streshly and Mary Drake, were instrumental in soliciting both building materials and money to build the first Richmond School.

On April 1, 1966, Richmond School was held for the last time in that building. The original one-room school was replaced with a $175,000 structure that consisted of three classrooms, offices, a kitchen and a multipurpose room and located a short distance to the east. The original school building still remains, though it has been remodeled, and converted into a private residence.

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History

Lassen County Acquires Property

June 18, 2016 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

Lassen County Courthouse, 1938. Courtesy of Jere Baker

On June 18, 1864, the County of Lassen purchased its first piece of real estate. On that date, the county purchased the entire Block 22, in the town of Susanville from Isaac Roop for $100.* It should be noted that the majority of the blocks in the original plot had not been been subdivided, mainly those with Main Street frontage. The property, of course, was to be utilized as a courthouse. However, due to the county’s finances, it was not until 1867, when the first courthouse was constructed on this site.

*It should be noted that a covenant was included in the deed that should the county abandon the property it would revoke back to Roop or his heirs. This was a common practice in the era, a number of rural schools received property in that fashion with the stipulation should the property no longer be used for its intended use the property would revert back to the original landowner or that person’s heirs, two examples being the Lake School and the Willow Creek Valley School.

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History

Lassen High School Trivia

June 7, 2016 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

In the beginning of time, the school’s colors were not purple and gold. I know that sounds almost sacrilegious. Back in the earliest years of the school’s history, it was the seniors who chose the colors for the year. The first graduating class of 1907 selected the colors of green and gold and this proved popular for the next few years. The Class of 1911 were a bit more rebellious and opted for blue and white. By the end of the decade purple and gold were adopted, and its been that way ever since.

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History

Standish School

May 12, 2016 Tim Purdy 2 Comments

The school district was created on January 5, 1906. That summer the Wilbur Brothers constructed a $1,300 schoolhouse. On July 1, 1951, the residents of the Bridgeport, Soldier Bridge and Standish School Districts agreed to consolidate and form the Shaffer Union School District. The Standish School was subsequently closed.

It should be noted the Wilbur Brothers also built the Honey Lake and Missouri Bend schools, and all three are similar in design. Honey Lake school has been converted into a residence and no longer recognizable. Missouri Bend is still intact, and for awhile it has been used as a private school.

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History

Lassen College’s Paul Bunyan Days

May 10, 2016 Tim Purdy 3 Comments

Couresy of D.B. Martin — Paul Bunyan Days at Willard Creek, April 1970. Featured is the log rolling contest-student still standing is Howard Hanns and the student falling is Marshall Benedict. Photograph courtesy of D.B. Martin

This topic is certainly a work in progress, after all it does take a lot of research time to put together these daily posts.

Lassen College’s forestry department began in 1938, though now its major emphasis is on fire science, than forestry. It was in this era of the late 1930s and early 1940s that the forestry students developed a small winter recreational area known as Willard Hill. For several decades it was a very popular spot for sledding, etc.

Back to the topic at hand, Paul Bunyan Days. Any one out there who can shed more light on this? If so, please contact me.

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History

Lassen High Alumni – 2016

April 16, 2016 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

Lassen High faculty and student skiers, 1917. D.M. Durst Collection

Something a little bit different. On the third Saturday of June, the Lassen High Alumni Association holds it all alumni picnic in Susanville. Alumni come far and near to attend this event, some 400+. For me its always been fun, and I can conduct a lot of historical research in one afternoon. For your reading enjoyment, I provide you with the Alumni’s April newsletter, which has a lot of interesting reading material, including a Remember When column penned by yours truly. Clink on the link below to open the PDF file.

Alumni Newsletter Apr 2016-3

History

Lassen Union High’s Block L

March 29, 2016 Tim Purdy 2 Comments

The "L" as it appeared on the mountainside in 1947. In the foreground is the Paul Bunyan Lumber Mill, now the area of WalMart, etc. Courtesy of Fred Lendman — The “L” as it appeared on the mountainside in 1947. In the foreground is the Paul Bunyan Lumber Mill, now the area of WalMart, etc. Courtesy of Fred Lendman

On February 18, 1928 the Lassen High Block L Society formed, that was the boy’s athletic organization. One of their first activities was the painting of the “L” on Susanville Peak. In 2008, Betty Jo Buckles Coplen provided me with this behind the scene account: “In 1924, my father, Maynard Robert “Billy” Buckles accepted a position teaching at Lassen Union High School, and we moved to Susanville. Four years later, members of the new Block L Society came to my Dad. They asked him to help them plan a Block L for them to lay out on the hillside. He helped them to design a letter L with the proper classic proportions (200 yards long). He also warned them that a letter of that size would be difficult to keep whitewashed. The Block L boys persevered and constructed the letter on the hill, moving rocks into the outline to be painted white. For decades as planned the freshman boys painted the letter each year, but eventually that practice died out.”

While the Block L Society no longer exists, the Lassen High Alumni Association has from time to time maintained it, the last time was done in 2008.

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History

Lake School – Then and Now

March 11, 2016 Tim Purdy 1 Comment

Built in 1877, the second story was used as a hall for the Independent Order of Good Templars. In 1935, Francis Wilbur, a local carpenter, was hired to remove the second story from the school. In 1971, the school closed and annexed to Janesville. In 1975, the Janesville District declared the Lake School as surplus property and it was deeded to George and Jane Bailey. The schoolhouse has since been converted into a private residence.

Lake School as a private residence, February 7, 2016.

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History

Constantia School

February 26, 2016 Tim Purdy Leave a comment

In 1897 and 1898 the Warm Springs and Junction Schools were formally declared closed by the Superintendent of Schools. Due to that circumstance, no school existed in the extreme southern portion of Lassen County. In 1904, F.C. McDiarmid petitioned the County Superintendent of Schools, J.F. Dixon, to form a new school district in the southernmost portion of Lassen County. McDiarmid cited there were 21 school age children in the proposed district and that the majority of these children resided more than ten miles from the nearest schoolhouse. McDiarmid’s petition was submitted on March 14^th and required urgent attention. State law required all new districts be formed before the 5^th of April of any year. Dixon urged the Board of Supervisors to approve the District and noted that the Board would need to hold a special meeting to meet the State deadline. The Board of Supervisors held a special meeting on April 4^th, with three members in attendance, and approved the formation of the Constantia School District. The District boundaries included the Constantia Ranch and all the territory south to the Sierra County line. Continue reading Constantia School →