Tag Archives: Schools

History

Lassen High’s Experimental Farm

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A view of Diamond Mountain, from Lassen High School’s agriculture fields, 1916. Courtesy of D.M. Durst Collection

Early in the history of Lassen Union High School did stress an emphasis on agricultural, after many of its students were part of the ag community. In the 1930s, it had expanded the program. On Wednesday, April 29, 1936, E.F. McCarthy, the high school’s agricultural instructor held a visiting day for the public to the student’s experimental farm.

In a statement by McCarthy: “Irrigating of alfalfa has occupied the attention of the students during the past several days. Work at the farm had progressed rapidly and various projects have reached the stage where those who inspect the farm on visiting day will obtain a clear insight into the work being done.

“Seven hundred chickens including 250 New Hampshire Reds and 450 White Leghorns were recently received and the study of poultry has now been added to other subjects included in farm experimentation and demonstration. The farm already has been stocked with hogs and calves for study purposes.”

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History

Night Classes at Lassen High School

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Lassen Union High School

Beginning on January 4, 1926, Lassen Union High School inconjunction with Lassen Junior College instituted night classes for those 18 years and older. This was an outreach effort for those who had taken some high school, but due to circumstances had dropped out. The courses offered were bookkeeping, typing, woodwork and millinery. In addition, the schools met an additional need since there was a large workforce of immigrants who worked in the lumber mills. For this group two courses were offered, one for English and the other a Constitution class. Classes were taught twice a week, starting at 7:30 in the evening.

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History

Sierra Shangri-La – Noted Courses

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Blacks Mountain Experimental Forest, 1958

This is the final installment of Harold Gilliam’s publication Sierra Shangri-La concerning Lassen County.

“Susanville is justly proud of its Lassen Junior College. It has earned a national reputation for gunsmithing and forestry courses. The Lassen J.C. Gunsmithing course of four years is one of only three in the entire nation.

“The forestry department offers both a vocational course, preparing students for entering the lumber industry directly. Or it gives two years of accredited study, after which students may transfer to major universities to earn their bachelor degrees in two more years. The forestry course has the advantage of practical observation of the varied lumber industry of the area; the college has its own experimental forest of 160 acres and a small sawmill of its own.

“Blacks Mountain Experimental Forest in the Lassen National Forest draws students as well as industry leaders to inspect new methods being developed in both logging and forestry techniques.”

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History

McKinley School

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McKinley School, 1924

Most people assume that McKinley School has always been located on Fourth Street, but that was not the case. First a little background history. By 1920 the growth created by the arrival of the railroad and subsequent establishment of the lumber mills was more than Susanville’s one school could handle. That year the voters in the school district were asked to pass an $83,000 bond measure to build a second school. The school district trustees were stymied on the issue of where to build the second school. It was finally decided to build next to the current school. The district bought the Nathan residence on the corner of Cottage and Gay Streets and the house was moved across the street, which is now Elise’s Barbershop. In 1947, the Susanville Grammar now known as Washington was condemned and officials thought it was a matter of time McKinley would suffer the same fate. In 1950 a new McKinley school was built at the Fourth Street location.

Schools
McKinley School (left) and Washington School (right) as seen from Richmond Road, 1935.

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History

Mount Diamond Ski Club

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From the Caravan, the Lassen College Yearbook, 1940

This Lassen College ski club was organized in the fall of 1939. In the 1930s, skiing was all the rage in the region. In 1934, Westwood’s Paul Bunyan Ski Club constructed a ski jump on Fredonyer. In 1938, Lassen College forestry students built a ski hill and warming hut at Willards some six miles west of Susanville. Of course, this ski club took advantage of many skiing events held at Mineral and Lassen Park. The club had a very short existence and went dormant by 1942, one of the many affects caused by World War II.

Willard Hill, 1940. Courtesy of Margaret A. Purdy

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History

Inspiration point improvements

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Inspiration Point
Inspiration Point, 1930s.

Yesterday, it was mentioned that the local American Legion dedicated a flag pole on Inspiration Point on November 11, 1935. This was not the only improvements being made there, for Susanville’s first park. During the early 1930s, the Monticola Club adopted a beautification project for the entire bluff. One year they scattered hollyhock and poppy seeds. They also bought trees for the reforestation of the bluff. In its first year, the forestry students of Lassen College adopted Inspiration Point as a project. It was their intent to provide picnic tables, benches and fireplaces. They even discussed the possibility of a amphitheater there. While there intentions were good, they never completed the project. However, three years later the college students developed Willard Ski Hill.

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History

Lassen High’s Failed Expansion

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Harold Weeks sketch of the new gym

On July 6, 1938 the Lassen Union High School Board of Trustees announced plans for several new buildings. They cited the increased enrollment had an impact on the existing facilities. After all in 1930 enrollment was at 383, and now it was 776. Of course, a portion of the increase was due to the Lassen Junior College’s popular forestry program, which shared the high school’s facilities. Under the proposal a new industrial arts building, a new gymnasium would be constructed and a redo to the old gymnasium. The approximate expenditure was placed at $100,000 that could be funded under a federal Public Works Administration (PWA) grant and loan. The trustees would ask the voters to approve a $55,000 loan by a bond measure, to draw 4% interest to be sold to the PWA. When it went to the voters, it was soundly rejected. This was due in part the whole issue was put together hastily and the information about the bond was confusing.

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History

Another Era

Illustration by R. Herrera

While the vaccination debate rages on, I thought I would share this early day observation from Margaret “Peg” Woodrich of the by gone days on the Madeline Plains. She compiled a small history, “The Early Days of California’s Madeline Plains.”  She wrote: “The teaching methods of those times are long since forgotten. Each schoolroom had in its entry a bucket of water and a tin dipper from which all the youngsters drank, exchanging measles and whooping cough with democratic cordiality.”

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History

A Four County Community College?

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Lassen College
Lassen College on the Lassen Union High School campus.

In 1965, Lassen Community College severed its ties with Lassen Union High School. The college then began the process to locate and build a campus of their own.

During that process college officials decided to expand its territory with neighboring counties of Modoc, Plumas and eastern Sierra. After all, for nearly forty-three years residents of those counties took advantage of the opportunities made available to them at Lassen College.

On June 4, 1968 the voters of those counties, as well as Lassen, would decide if it was to be a four county community college. A college spokesman stated, “We want quality education in this mountain area at a reasonable cost.” The ballot measure ran into trouble with Plumas County, whose residents planned to annex to Peralta College in Alameda County. The major hurdle was the tax issue to fund the costs to build a new campus. While the Lassen voters approved the measure, the neighbors did not.

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History

Riverside Apartments, 1965

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Fruit Growers Apartments, 1920s

In the summer of 1964, Robin McVickers and Fred Toler formed the Northlands Holding Company for their newest endeavor. The two men purchased four of the old Fruit Growers Supply Company’s apartments on Alexander Avenue in Susanville from the Eagle Lake Lumber Company. The buildings were completely renovated, became known as the Riverside Apartments when they were opened in September 1965. One building, in particular, was dubbed “The Chateau.” This building was specifically set aside as a dormitory for Lassen College students and could accommodate fifty-six students. This apartment complex still exists and is known as the Parkview Garden Apartments.

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