Then & Now – Oakland Schools Part 1 – B

This is a continuation of Part 1 – University High School

I hope to show Then and Now images of most of the schools, along with a bit of history of each school I show. Some of the photos are in the form of drawings, postcards, or from the pages in 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.

University High School

University High School, which was built in 1922 and opened in 1923 and was designed by Charles W. Dickey.  The school is located at 5714 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, (the original street name was Grove Street, but became MLK, Jr. Way in 1984)

The school initially opened in 1923 at what was 5714 Grove Street. “UNI” gained the reputation of the “feeder” high school of Oakland of students directly to the University of California.

 

The high school was closed following World War II in 1948.

In 1954, the campus was converted into the first location of Oakland City College, which later became Merritt College. Merritt College moved to its new campus in 1967. In the early 1970s, the location temporarily became a high school again, as Oakland Technical High School moved its students into the campus. In contrast, its normal location was retrofitted for earthquake safety. At the time, many called this site “Old Tech,” although Oakland Tech was actually opened at its current location in 1914, before University High School.

National Register of Historic Places

This site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.

The following photos are from the 1992 National Historic Places Registration Form.

University High School Today

The school is now used by the North Oakland Senior Center. Annual events at the Center include holiday dances, birthday parties, and flea markets. There are weekly salsa, swing and line dancing classes, along with activities such as Tai Chi and blood pressure screening.

More Info:

• Oakland Local WIki – University High
• University High School – Wikipedia
• North Oakland Senior Center – website

The End