Volume 010-2 - April 1956 (2 pages)

a primary school at that time. Miss Marian Marsh was the teacher in the primary school. In 1866, the Pike’s Point School (later called the Pike Flat School) was built on Union Hill Street. This was later known as Bennett Street, named for a pioneer resident, John Bennett, who owned quite an acreage on that street. Nevada City instituted its first high. schuvol in 1862. It was at the corner uf Wévada and Water Streets. It was shaded by fine locust trees, and was built partly of wood and partly of brick. The rooms were furnished with “modern” furniture, a geological cabinet, and other improvement$; It was conducted by J. B. McChesney, and his assistant was Miss Sarah Pratt, appointed in 1864. The average daily attendance at that time was seventy. An_ intermediate school was located on the north side of Pine Street with about sixty scholars. Frank Power was the teacher. The dates for the beginning of high schools in both Nevada City and Grass Valley differ with different historians. However, it is known that in 1868 the State Legislature authorized a tax levy of one per cent for high schools, and in 1870 a new and elegant structure was completed in Nevada City at a cost of $19,798.47. This was’ in part due to a gift enterprise, which was conducted in 1867 by the Cosmopolitan Benevolent Society to pay the debt on the Washington School. Fifty thousand tickets were issued, and the drawing was commenced at the Nevada Theater on December 18. After the new building was completed, the old Washington School was used as a school for colored children, conducted by the colored people. Later the colored children were taught with the white children, Later the State Legislature authorized u course of study for high schools and those graduates of Nevada City and Grass Valley who successfully completed this course of study were permitted to attend the State University at Berkeley without going through the preparatory school at that place. Nevada City and Grass Valley High Schools were near the top in scholastic attainment. One of the very early schools near Nevada City was in the Piety Hill district. It was taught by Miss Annie Irwin and there were forty pupils. Oakland District, too, began in 1866 and was first located in J. B. Byrne’s residence. It had thirty-five scholars. All along the Ridge education seemed to be a main concern, and in the fastgrowing communities from Bridgeport 1 Washington education of the young was given a prominent place. In 1877 there were fifty pupils in the Cherokce Schoul. The town and school were named for the Chcrokee tribe of Indians who lived there in goodly numbers. There were also sixty pupils in North Columbia, seventy in French Corral. fifty in Sebastopo}, sixty in Sweetiand, and North San Juan had sixty-five pupils in primary school and fifty in grammar grades. At this time the enrollment at Birchville was not mentioned because the school was closed. duc to an epieemic of diphtheria, which was said to _ ave caused a dozen deaths. The school at French Corral, named for a Frenchman who built a corral there for his mules, was built first in 1855 as a hotel. Later the schoolhouse burned and the hotel was remodeled as a school, and is still standing. Historians tell us that when the hotel was turned into a school the upper story was removed and a belfry built with funds provided through a pie and cake sale. A long time resident, Mrs Lily Fogarty, remembers counting the 321 silver dollars collected for the bell, which was cast in New York. The bell cost $200 and the freight for shipping was $121. Teaching ceased there after the First World War, or about 1942. The building is now used for a community center. The Sweetland School, named for H. P. Sweetland, who settled there in 1850, seems, according to one writer, to have been the favored one on the Ridge at these early times. It was a model school in every respect, and the building was said to be one of the finest in the state. The teacher, Mr. Kennedy, had no superior in the county or state. Among his many accomplishments was a thorough knowledge of several languages. North San Juan, as early as 1857, provided educational facilities for the children who were old enough to go to school. The schoolhouse was built on the north side of Flume Street on mining ground and near the brow of a precipice. Shortly it was divided into two departments, the grammar school remaining in the schoolhouse and the primary department in a low, dingy room in the basement of the Odd Fellows Hall. In 1868 an election was held to build a new schoolhouse for the primary department. A tax of $2,000 was voted by the citizens, and with the lot cost $2,400. The grounds were large, surrounded by a fence and there were _ beautiful shade trees and shrubbery. In 1869 an additional fund of $1,000 was aised to add the grammar schogl to the new location and that year eighteen {eet was added to the building. In 1879 a library was added to the building, and both buildings repaired. There were 700 bouks of excellent literature. The Union Hill School at Union Hill was built about 1860 and was built at first where the Union Hill Mine dump now is. That school burned and a new one was erected about a half mile away where the Brunswick Mine buildings are now, That school, too, burned, and the third one was placed where the Union Hill School stands today. A Mr. Gough was one of the first teachers. The boys who attended the school gave him sa much trouble drinking, smoking, and card-playing, instead of attending to their lessons, that he finally resigned. He was succeeded by Miss Ellen Pearson. She was the first lady teacher. Her kindly and appealing nature brought order to the school. Miss Pearson taught from 1869 to 1872, when she resigned to marry E. W. Donnelly, one of Grass Valley’s early grocers. Professor Crowell and his wife later taught at Union Hill and it was here, under Professor Crowell, that Ella M. Littner, afterward Mrs. Ella M. Austin, did her first teaching. The late M. J. Brock, J. M. Manning, and Arthur O'Connor also taught at Union Hill. Rough and Ready School was established in 1853. The first teacher, Miss Franklin, first had a private school there. Rough and Ready School continued in’ existence until 1954, when the building was condemned for school purposes, and the pupils have since been transported under contract to Grass Valley. Recently bonds have been voted to supply funds for construction of a new school building. : In 1852 a Mr. H. L. Hatch bought the land on which the Indian Springs School was built from Mr. Mallory Lowery, who owned most of the land around there at that time. He taught most of the elementary subjects himself, and had a teacher for music and one for French. He built a hotel where the students lived. Between 1860 and 1863 the county bought the school. In 1878 there were sixty-one children attending the school, thirty-six boys and twenty-five girls. Mariposa School, named for the Mariposa lily, which grew profusely around that region, was opened in 1883 in a wood chopper’s cabin with an enrollment of sixteen pupils. Later a building was erected on the Dunn ranch about a half mile away. It was furnished with straight wooden benches which had Greeley School to Spenceville, the been discarded by the Forest School. During the snow of 1890 the school building was crushed. One of the earliest Oriental schools was at Union Hill and was taught by Miss Florence Denton. She later became a missionary to the Orient, and taught there for many years. The Winchester School in Grass Valley was erected about 1864 at a cost of $1,500, including the grounds. M. B. B. Potter was the first teacher, and there were about one hundred pupils. Bear River School was started about 1868 with James S. Hennessey as its first teacher. It accommodated the children who lived between Union Hill School and the Bear River. It was first located near the middle of the district on a very rocky piece of ground, but there was a nice fresh water spring near by. Later it was moved nearer the Union Hill end of the district after the Chicago Park School was taking care of the children nearer the Bear River. It closed in 1947, and the children were then taken to Grass Valley by contract. When the Chicago Park Colony was founded by Messrs. Briot and Porter of Chicago more people came to that part of the county. They felt it necessary to have their own school. To do this in 1897 and 1898, a building which was first the town hall and situated near the former picnic grounds, or the Chicago Park townsite at Coleman Station of the Nevada County Narrow Guage Railroad, was moved to a piece of land containing one acre (out of a ten-acre plot belonging to the father of Mr. Carl Brandt), was donated for a school by Mr. Porter. The building, after its removal to this acre, was partly completed by Mr. Brandt and his son in 1897. It was not enough for the school they had planned, so a Mr. Nethercot donated a small house that he owned to finish the school. The younger Mr. Brandt completed the building in 1898, and Mr. Brandt salvaged the fence around the Nethercot property, and built it around the school free of charge. Miss Tillie Stephens was the first teacher. The Spenceville School was first called the Greeley School and was ]ocated where the Spenceville Copper Mine buildings were later built. Afterward it was moved further up the road and in 1876 it was named Spenceville, the same as the town. Originally the

a primary school at that time. Miss Marian Marsh was the teacher in the primary school. In 1866, the Pike’s Point School (later called the Pike Flat School) was built on Union Hill Street. This was later known as Bennett Street, named for a pioneer resident, John Bennett, who owned quite an acreage on that street. Nevada City instituted its first high. schuvol in 1862. It was at the corner uf Wévada and Water Streets. It was shaded by fine locust trees, and was built partly of wood and partly of brick. The rooms were furnished with “modern” furniture, a geological cabinet, and other improvement$; It was conducted by J. B. McChesney, and his assistant was Miss Sarah Pratt, appointed in 1864. The average daily attendance at that time was seventy. An_ intermediate school was located on the north side of Pine Street with about sixty scholars. Frank Power was the teacher. The dates for the beginning of high schools in both Nevada City and Grass Valley differ with different historians. However, it is known that in 1868 the State Legislature authorized a tax levy of one per cent for high schools, and in 1870 a new and elegant structure was completed in Nevada City at a cost of $19,798.47. This was’ in part due to a gift enterprise, which was conducted in 1867 by the Cosmopolitan Benevolent Society to pay the debt on the Washington School. Fifty thousand tickets were issued, and the drawing was commenced at the Nevada Theater on December 18. After the new building was completed, the old Washington School was used as a school for colored children, conducted by the colored people. Later the colored children were taught with the white children, Later the State Legislature authorized u course of study for high schools and those graduates of Nevada City and Grass Valley who successfully completed this course of study were permitted to attend the State University at Berkeley without going through the preparatory school at that place. Nevada City and Grass Valley High Schools were near the top in scholastic attainment. One of the very early schools near Nevada City was in the Piety Hill district. It was taught by Miss Annie Irwin and there were forty pupils. Oakland District, too, began in 1866 and was first located in J. B. Byrne’s residence. It had thirty-five scholars. All along the Ridge education seemed to be a main concern, and in the fastgrowing communities from Bridgeport 1 Washington education of the young was given a prominent place. In 1877 there were fifty pupils in the Cherokce Schoul. The town and school were named for the Chcrokee tribe of Indians who lived there in goodly numbers. There were also sixty pupils in North Columbia, seventy in French Corral. fifty in Sebastopo}, sixty in Sweetiand, and North San Juan had sixty-five pupils in primary school and fifty in grammar grades. At this time the enrollment at Birchville was not mentioned because the school was closed. duc to an epieemic of diphtheria, which was said to _ ave caused a dozen deaths. The school at French Corral, named for a Frenchman who built a corral there for his mules, was built first in 1855 as a hotel. Later the schoolhouse burned and the hotel was remodeled as a school, and is still standing. Historians tell us that when the hotel was turned into a school the upper story was removed and a belfry built with funds provided through a pie and cake sale. A long time resident, Mrs Lily Fogarty, remembers counting the 321 silver dollars collected for the bell, which was cast in New York. The bell cost $200 and the freight for shipping was $121. Teaching ceased there after the First World War, or about 1942. The building is now used for a community center. The Sweetland School, named for H. P. Sweetland, who settled there in 1850, seems, according to one writer, to have been the favored one on the Ridge at these early times. It was a model school in every respect, and the building was said to be one of the finest in the state. The teacher, Mr. Kennedy, had no superior in the county or state. Among his many accomplishments was a thorough knowledge of several languages. North San Juan, as early as 1857, provided educational facilities for the children who were old enough to go to school. The schoolhouse was built on the north side of Flume Street on mining ground and near the brow of a precipice. Shortly it was divided into two departments, the grammar school remaining in the schoolhouse and the primary department in a low, dingy room in the basement of the Odd Fellows Hall. In 1868 an election was held to build a new schoolhouse for the primary department. A tax of $2,000 was voted by the citizens, and with the lot cost $2,400. The grounds were large, surrounded by a fence and there were _ beautiful shade trees and shrubbery. In 1869 an additional fund of $1,000 was aised to add the grammar schogl to the new location and that year eighteen {eet was added to the building. In 1879

a library was added to the building, and both buildings repaired. There were 700 bouks of excellent literature. The Union Hill School at Union Hill was built about 1860 and was built at first where the Union Hill Mine dump now is. That school burned and a new one was erected about a half mile away where the Brunswick Mine buildings are now, That school, too, burned, and the third one was placed where the Union Hill School stands today. A Mr. Gough was one of the first teachers. The boys who attended the school gave him sa much trouble drinking, smoking, and card-playing, instead of attending to their lessons, that he finally resigned. He was succeeded by Miss Ellen Pearson. She was the first lady teacher. Her kindly and appealing nature brought order to the school. Miss Pearson taught from 1869 to 1872, when she resigned to marry E. W. Donnelly, one of Grass Valley’s early grocers. Professor Crowell and his wife later taught at Union Hill and it was here, under Professor Crowell, that Ella M. Littner, afterward Mrs. Ella M. Austin, did her first teaching. The late M. J. Brock, J. M. Manning, and Arthur O'Connor also taught at Union Hill. Rough and Ready School was established in 1853. The first teacher, Miss Franklin, first had a private school there. Rough and Ready School continued in’ existence until 1954, when the building was condemned for school purposes, and the pupils have since been transported under contract to Grass Valley. Recently bonds have been voted to supply funds for construction of a new school building. : In 1852 a Mr. H. L. Hatch bought the land on which the Indian Springs School was built from Mr. Mallory Lowery, who owned most of the land around there at that time. He taught most of the elementary subjects himself, and had a teacher for music and one for French. He built a hotel where the students lived. Between 1860 and 1863 the county bought the school. In 1878 there were sixty-one children attending the school, thirty-six boys and twenty-five girls. Mariposa School, named for the Mariposa lily, which grew profusely around that region, was opened in 1883 in a wood chopper’s cabin with an enrollment of sixteen pupils. Later a building was erected on the Dunn ranch about a half mile away. It was furnished with straight wooden benches which had Greeley School to Spenceville, the been discarded by the Forest School. During the snow of 1890 the school building was crushed. One of the earliest Oriental schools was at Union Hill and was taught by Miss Florence Denton. She later became a missionary to the Orient, and taught there for many years. The Winchester School in Grass Valley was erected about 1864 at a cost of $1,500, including the grounds. M. B. B. Potter was the first teacher, and there were about one hundred pupils. Bear River School was started about 1868 with James S. Hennessey as its first teacher. It accommodated the children who lived between Union Hill School and the Bear River. It was first located near the middle of the district on a very rocky piece of ground, but there was a nice fresh water spring near by. Later it was moved nearer the Union Hill end of the district after the Chicago Park School was taking care of the children nearer the Bear River. It closed in 1947, and the children were then taken to Grass Valley by contract. When the Chicago Park Colony was founded by Messrs. Briot and Porter of Chicago more people came to that part of the county. They felt it necessary to have their own school. To do this in 1897 and 1898, a building which was first the town hall and situated near the former picnic grounds, or the Chicago Park townsite at Coleman Station of the Nevada County Narrow Guage Railroad, was moved to a piece of land containing one acre (out of a ten-acre plot belonging to the father of Mr. Carl Brandt), was donated for a school by Mr. Porter. The building, after its removal to this acre, was partly completed by Mr. Brandt and his son in 1897. It was not enough for the school they had planned, so a Mr. Nethercot donated a small house that he owned to finish the school. The younger Mr. Brandt completed the building in 1898, and Mr. Brandt salvaged the fence around the Nethercot property, and built it around the school free of charge. Miss Tillie Stephens was the first teacher. The Spenceville School was first called the Greeley School and was ]ocated where the Spenceville Copper Mine buildings were later built. Afterward it was moved further up the road and in 1876 it was named Spenceville, the same as the town. Originally the