While working on the series about schools, I discovered numerous interesting photos, articles, and books. I thought I would share some here.
Oakland Schools – Special
Tag: Prescott School
Oakland’s First Playgrounds
In 1909 a newly appointed commission met at city hall with then Mayor Frank Mott to assume the responsibility of establishing a public playground system.
Oakland was the second city in California to establish a playground system; the first was Los Angeles in 1905.
Superintendent of Playgrounds
Greater Oakland 1911
In May of 1909, the commission appointed George E. Dickie, the first playground superintendent, and that summer, the city opened two “experimental” playgrounds at Tompkins and Prescott Schools.
Before 1909, the Oakland Women’s Club operated summer playgrounds for two years at West Oakland’s Tompkins and Prescott’s schools at their own expense.
With a budget of $10,000, the commission opened three municipal playgrounds in 1910.
The first was opened on January 10, 1910, at de Fremery. The park included a dozen swings, two long slides, a baseball diamond, two regulation tennis courts, and courts for basketball, volleyball, and handball.
Two weeks later, they opened Bushrod Playground at 60th Street and Shafter. The land was deeded to the city in 1904 by Dr. Bushrod Washington James of Philadelphia with the stipulations that it is maintained as a public park forever.
The first recreation “center” was built at the site, and the structure remained standing until 1943.
They then provided playground equipment to the West Oakland Park (which later became Bayview, and is now Raimondi Field) and Independence Park ( now San Antonio).
Recreation for Everyone
In 1911 the city charter was revised to include the role of recreation in the community, this resulted in disbanding the commission, and a board of playground directors was created to oversee the parks. The Parks and Recreation Department was formed
More Info:
- Bushrod Park – Oakland Local Wiki
- de Fremery Park – Oakland Local Wiki
- Raimondi Park – Oakland Local Wiki
- The Park System of Oakland, California. Carruth & Carruth, 1910. – Hathitrust
- Boys and Girls Enthusiastic – Oakland Tribune Jul 19, 1909
- Playgrounds Are A Great Success – Oakland Tribune Nov 24, 1909
- Right of Child to Have its Play – Oakland Tribune Jan 24, 1910
- Building Up Youthful Physiques – Oakland Tribune Jan 17, 1912
- West Oakland Park Declared an Eyesore – Oakland Tribune Dec 03, 1947
Then & Now – Oakland Schools Part 2
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.
Campbell Primary School
Campbell Primary School started put as the Grove Street School. The name was changed in 1906 to Campbell School for Fred Campbell, the superintendent of Oakland schools from 1870-1870 and 1886-1890. He was the state superintendent of schools from 1880-1883.
His daughter Mary Campbell was the school’s principal from 1898-1926.
In 1907 a new school was built. The Mission Style school was designed by Architect F.E. Voorhees and cost $38,000. It had seven classrooms and an office for the principal.
1954 the school was closed because it was not earthquake-safe, and the students were sent to Tompkins School. The school was sold and demolished in 1954. A commercial building was built on the site.
More Info:
The school was located at 416 Grove Street.
- New Campbell School opens – Oakland Tribune March 30, 1907
- Miss Campbell Retires – Oakland Tribune June 09, 1926
- Old Campbell School – Oakland Tribune June 09, 1926
- Sale of School – Oakland Tribune May 1954
Cleveland School
In 1912 the first drawing for a new Peralta Heights school was submitted to the school board. John J. Donovan and Shafer & Wilde were the architects. Donovan designed many schools for the district.
Peralta Heights is a small neighborhood in what is now known as Cleveland Heights.
Bids to build the school were submitted in 1912, based on the below photo. They held a formal opening of the school in Jan of 1914.
The old school building stood in 1973 and was finally replaced with a new facility in 1977.
Cleveland Today
More Info:
California Distinguished School for 2020
“serves the very diverse and historically underserved city of Oakland, with a large percentage of students living in poverty and a large percentage of English learner”
Release California Department of Education
Press Release – OUSD
Cleveland Elementary School is located at 745 Cleveland Street.
- New Peralta Heights School – Oakland Tribune July 09, 1912
- Cleveland School Website – OUSD
Cole Grammar School
Cole Grammar School was opened in 1878 in West Oakland on 10th Street between Union and Poplar Stree. The plans called for a two-story, 14-room building.
It was named for Rector E. Cole, an early Oakland dentist and member of the city council, and member and then president of the Oakland Board of Education.
Jack London attended Cole starting in 1887. He graduated 8th grade in 1891.
School Fire
In Dec 1923, the school was destroyed in a six-alarm fire where one fireman lost his life, and six others were injured. The fire was deliberately set by a”firebug.” A suspicious fire was a reporter at Garfield School at 23rd and Foothill Blvd.
The cornerstone for a new school was laid in May 1925, and the new two-story school was dedicated in April 1926.
More Info:
Cole School was the headquarters of the Chief of Police from 2013-2021 (?.) As of 2023, a new OUSD administration building in under construction.
Cole School was located at 1011 Union Street.
- Cole Grammar School – Oakland Local Wiki
- New Cole School – Oakland Tribune October 5, 1877
- Torch Welder Causes Fire at Cole School – Oakland Tribune December 31, 1923
- Cole School Fire – Oakland Tribune December 31, 1923
- Central Administrative Offices Cole Campus – OUSD
Piedmont Avenue School
The Piedmont Avenue School, as seen below, was built in 1891.
Before that, a two-room schoolhouse was closer to the Mountain View Cemetery. Classes we held for a time at the home of G.W. Hume, who lived in a large estate where the school is located now.
Both children from Piedmont and Oakland used the school at that time. The building was designed by William Kirk and cost about $10,000 to build. The school had a bell tower with a 350-pound bell. There was a large assembly room, a library, a hothouse for plants, classrooms on both floors and a large lighted basement where the children could play during wet weather.
The school was dedicated on Washington’s Birthday in 1892.
School Fire
In July of 1938, while the students were on summer break, the school was destroyed by an arson fire. Ten firemen were injured, four of them seriously.
The new school was dedicated in March of 1941 with funds provided by “The Living New Deal” Works Progress Administration (WPA).
This Art Deco school building has an auditorium, library, kindergarten classroom, kitchen, offices, and regular classrooms. There is still a WPA sidewalk marker in front of the school.
More Info:
- New Piedmont School – Oakland Tribune February 13, 1892
- Firebug Hunt is On – Oakland Tribune July 25, 1938
- School Burns – Oakland Tribune July 25, 1938
- School to Be Rebuilt – Oakland Tribune August 02ust 02, 1938
- Piedmont Avenue Elementary School – Living New Deal
- Piedmont Avenue School – OUSD
Prescott School
Prescott School was established in 1866 as a one-room primary school. It was named after William H. Prescott, a historian, and was located at Ninth and Campbell Streets on dirt roads surrounded by woods.
In 1869 a new two-story building with four classrooms on each floor, ‘the largest, and it was the most up- to- date school building in Oakland,’ with C. W. Brodt as principal, with a salary of $150 per month.
Prescott school building was heavily damaged in the historic 1906 San Francisco Earthquake.
UC Berkeley, Bancroft Library
Permalink: https://calisphere.org/item/ark:/13030/hb1m3nb284/
New School
Prescott Primary School was constructed in a record time of 187 workdays by Lawton & Vezey, a local contractor.
The new school was a two-story Spanish-style steel-framed building with a basement and seventeen classrooms.
“accepted by the school board, who considered it one of the best in the recent school buildings”
Oakland School Board – October 05, 1926
Towns (Royal E.) Papers
Oakland Public Library, African American Museum
Ida Louise Jackson, Oakland’s first African-American teacher, taught there in 1925 — 13 years before any other school hired a black teacher.
Unsafe and Condemned
In 1954 Prescott Junior High (name change?) was condemned for being dangerous to the students. At that time, there was no budget to replace it.
Prescott Today
Prescott is located at 920 Campbell St.
The school has been operating under the name PLACE @ Prescott (Preparatory Literary Academy of Cultural Excellence @ Prescott) since 2006, serving Kindergarten through 5th-grade children
More Info:
- Prescott School Addition – Oakland Tribune Dec 23, 1882
- Prescott School – Oakland Tribune March 15, 1953
- 150 Years of Prescott – OUSD
- Prescott website- OUSD
- Place@Prescott website – OUSD
Swett Grammar School
Swett School was located at 12th Avenue and East 19th Street.
Owning Institution: UC Berkeley, Bancroft Library
Permalink: https://calisphere.org/item/ark:/13030/hb9199p3sm/
Woodrow Wilson Junior High
Woodrow Wilson Junior High started as Mosswood Junior High in August of 1923. It was located at the corner of 48th and Webster Streets. In 1924 the school’s name was changed.
In 1926 they laid the cornerstone for a new school.
In the early 1970s, Woodrow Wilson Junior High School was demolished, and a new school was built. In the mid-1970s, the school was renamed the Verdese Carter Middle School.
from Adrienne Broach
from Adrienne Broach
Woodrow Wilson Today
In 2007 the Oakland Unified school district opened its first school that enrolls only immigrant students. The Oakland International High School is modeled after international high schools in New York City for newcomers to the United States. The school was still open in 2019.
More Info:
The school is located at 4521 Webster St.
- Odd Fellows to Dedicate School – Oakland Tribune October 29, 1926
- School Dedicated – Oakland Tribune August 20, 1927
- Mosswood Junior High – Oakland Tribune January 03, 1949
- Oakland International High School – OUSD
- West Coast District Uses East Coast Model – August 2007
Updated August 2023