I hope to show Then and Now images of Oakland Schools in this series of posts. Along with a bit of the history of each school, I highlight. Some photos are in the form of drawings or postcards or from the pages of history books.
Note: Piecing together the history of some of the older schools is sometimes tricky. I do this all at home and online — a work in progress for some. I have been updating my posts when I find something new. Let me know of any mistakes or additions.
Brookfield Village School
Brookfield Village school opened for the new school year in September of 1944, the latest of Oakland’s 77 schools.
“Brookfield Village Elementary School opened without the benefit of bells.”
Brookfield was Oakland’s newest public school, which opened under wartime handicaps. Money and supplies were tight. Classes were being held in 19 portables that arrived three weeks before school started.
767 boys and girls were enrolled, just 33 less than anticipated in that first year.
New School
In February 1950, they held a groundbreaking ceremony for Unit 1 of the new Brookfield Village School.
The school unit was designed by Confer and Willis. The new building had 11 classrooms, a library, and an auditorium. It was a one-story building of wood frame construction.
New Addition
In November of 1957, they broke ground for new addition costing $286,680. The new building will include a cafeteria, ten classrooms, a kindergarten, plus two special classrooms.
Brookfield Today
Brookfield Lions: Learning and Thriving with Pride.
The school is located at 401 Jones Ave., Oakland, CA 94603
- Opening Day at Brookfield – Oakland Tribune Sept 17, 1944
- Class Community Built by Pupils – Oakland Tribune Jan 16, 1949
- Groundbreaking for Brookfield – Oakland Tribune Feb 15, 1950
- Groundbreaking for new Addition – Oakland Tribune Nov 26, 1957
- Brookfield Village website – OUSD
Clawson Grammar School
Clawson School dates back to the 1880s, as seen in the image below.
Clawson Elementary School was built in 1915. This Neo-Classical design had two stories and utilized extensive terracotta ornamentation. The ornamentation around its front doors. The building was designed by
By John Joseph Donovan 1921
The Clawson Elementary School was listed as standing near the intersection of 32nd Street and Magnolia Street in Polk-Husted’s Oakland, California, City Directory, 1918
Kindergarten
Clawson School pergola, Oakland, California (1916) 1
Principal’s Office
Auditorium
By John Joseph Donovan 1921
Bathrooms Boys and Girls
Clawson Closed
The building functioned as a school until it was closed sometime between 1971-1973. OUSD closed three schools in 1973 rather than spend the money needed to retrofit them, including Clawson School. Clawson couldn’t meet the new stricter seismic standards that went into effect in 1973.
New Life
After extensive remodeling and structural upgrading, the building reopened as The West Clawson Lofts in 1999.
Location 3240 Peralta Street Oakland CA
- Clawson School – Oakland Local Wiki
- Clawson School – American Architect
- School Architecture – 1921
- West Clawson Lofts – webpage
- Clawson School – PCAD
Emerson Elementary School
The Bancroft Library, UC Berkeley
Emerson Elementary School was built in 1913. It was designed by John J Donovan and John Galen Howard. The total cost of the school was $163,879. It was located at 49th and Shafter Avenue.
By John Joseph Donovan 1921
By John Joseph Donovan 1921
Emerson Now
The address is 4803 Lawton Avenue. In 1978, it was torn down because it was considered seismically unsafe.
- Modern Spanish – Oakland Tribune
- Proposed Emerson School – Oakland Tribune
- New Emerson School – Oakland Tribune
- Emerson School – American Architect
How ironic that Clawson School was closed in the early ’70’s yet is one of the very few buildings still standing!
Very cool building.
Wonderful articles. Thank you for this fascinating research. It seems to me, though, that the modern schools lack the majesty, civic pride, and pride in beautiful design that the older buildings had.
I remember Clawson, my sister worked there as a then called “yard teacher”. I thought it was a beautifully large school. It’s to bad they wouldn’t update seismic retrofit, but chose to close it instead, story in the life of West Oakland.