I plan 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.
Chabot Elementary School
Bungalow Annex
The Board of Education in May of 1926 approved the plans for a new school to relieve the overcrowding at Claremont School.
The new school was on Chabot Road at Patton Street. The Tudor Revival-style school was built in 1927 and was initially known as the Claremont School Annex. The seven-room structure was designed to hold 350 students and cost $50,000 using funds from a 1924 voter-approved school bond.
The “Claremont” Annex was dedicated on April 21, 1927. The school cost approx. $89,000. The architect was William G. Corlett (1887-1954.)
Soon after the school opened its doors, the name was changed to Anthony Chabot School.
New Addition
In 1937 an addition was added and funded by the Living New Deal.
In the mid-1950s, a portion of the old Sacramento Northern right-of-way was acquired and converted into an upper playground field.
Chabot Today
Chabot is located at 6686 Chabot Road
More Info:
- Storied School Marks 80th Anniversary – Oakland Tribune October 21, 2007, + pg 2
Claremont Middle School
The new school at the corner of College Avenue and Birch Street was to be named Claremont School, and it opened in August of 1913 as an elementary school. John J. Donovan and Walter D Reed designed the school.
By 1916 the school was so crowded that they were using the teachers’ room and the auditorium as classrooms. Portables were added later.
List of Graduates 1921
In 1925 7th and 8th grades were added. The elementary grades were transferred to The Annex (Chabot School) when it opened in 1927. Claremont soon after 1927 became Claremont Junior High.
In the 1950s, 28 classrooms were added to the Claremont campus, plus a cafeteria and gymnasium.
50th Anniversary
Claremont Today
The historic gates are all that remain of the original school building that was demolished in 1976. The gates were moved to the corner of Birch and College Avenue.
5750 College Avenue
More Info:
Members of the Vernon-Rockridge Improvement Club had hoped that the school would be named Vernon-Rockridge.
- Claremont School Defects – Oakland Tribune December 10, 1913
- Defends Construction of Claremont – Oakland Tribune December 25, 1913
- Overcrowded Schools – Oakland Tribune August 13, 1916
- New GYM – Oakland Tribune November 19, 1950
- Claremont Middle School – Oakland Local wiki
Centennial Celebration 2013
Letters to the Editor
- Claremont Middle the need historical accuracy – April 4, 2013
- Claremont Middle Centennial will be Accurate- April 11, 2013
Crocker Highlands School
In 1922 the board of education authorized the purchase of land for a new school named Crocker Highlands School.
Groundbreaking ceremonies were held in April 1925.
The six-room structure costing $40,000 was built as part of the 1924 school bond issue. Wythe, Blaine & Olson designed the school.
The school was dedicated in September 1925.
Miss Bernice Baxter was the first principal of the school. There were 61 students enrolled that first year, and by 1929 there were 485 students enrolled.
In 1929 plans were approved for a new $95,000 addition of 11 classrooms and an auditorium. Blaine & Olson were the architects.
In 1937 another addition was added.
In 1971 the original building from 1924 was declared unsafe in an earthquake and was to be replaced.
In 1976 when the school was upgraded for earthquake safety. They added a two-story basement with ten classrooms, two special education rooms, a multipurpose room, a library/resource teachers, a music room, a teachers’ lounge, a computer lab, a kitchen, storage, and custodial rooms.
Crocker Highlands Today
More Info:
- School Site – Oakland Tribune July 7, 1922
- Groundbreaking – Oakland Tribune April 7, 1925
- School Dedicated – Oakland Tribune September 23, 1925
- Crocker School – Oakland Tribune June 14, 1925
- Plans Accepted – Oakland Tribune April 17, 1929
- Parents Aid In School Refurbishing – Oakland Tribune September 7, 1970
Grass Valley School
In 19Oakland’sd’s newest school was officially known as Grass Valley School. The name was chosen by parents of the children attending the school after it was temporarily known as the Toler Heights Annex. Meadow View and Rancho Benito came in 2nd and 3rd.
On December 11, 1952, the school was dedicated. For the first 3 or 4 years, the school consisted of three portables and 100 students.
New School Building
In October 1957, plans were submitted to build a new school with eight classrooms. A kindergarten, a special education room, a library, a multipurpose room, and admin. Offices. The new school was to house 362 students, cost about $350,000, and was expected to be completed by August 1958.
First Day of School 1958
Grass Valley Today
The is located at 4720 Dunkirk Avenue
More Info:
- The Name is Grass Valley – Oakland Tribune November 4, 1953
- Temporary School Dedicated – Oakland Tribune December 11, 1953
- Grass Valley Bids – Oakland Tribune October 30, 1957
Grass Valley Website – OUSD
Hillcrest School
I couldn’tcouldn’t find any earlier photos of the school. I will update you if I do.
Construction on the new Rockridge Highlands school began in 1950.
The new school housed 210 children in six classrooms, a kindergarten, and a library.
It was designed by Anderson and Simonds and cost $218,697.
The school was dedicated on January 19, 1951, and was the 27th building to be built due to the $15 million bond issue voted in 1945.
In May 1951, Rockridge Highlands School’s name was changed to Hillcrest School.
1991 Fire
Hillcrest was spared during the 1991 Oakland Hills fire.
Forty-six Hillcrest families, including 59school’sschool’s 236 students, lost their homes in the fire.
S.F. Examiner
Hillcrest Today
The school is located at 30 Marguerite Drive
More Info:
- Work to start – Oakland Tribune January 12, 1950
- Student Share Toys After Fire – S.F. Examiner October 26, 1991
Rockridge School
Note: I could not locate any pictures of the first school. I will update this if I find some.
They purchased a triangle piece of property on Broadway Terrace adjoining the Claremont Country club facing Broadway.
The school opened in February 1922. It cost $75,000.
They built a Spanish colonial renaissance-style two-story structure with cement stucco and a tile roof. The exterior was painted coral with windows green-blue and tiles bright red.
Every one of the classrooms opened upon a terrace that sloped down to a garden.
Ventilation in the new building was by windows and not by a fan, and there was a warm bench for drying wet shoes.
Large Play Space
“The kindergarten is one of the best in the west.”
Oakland Tribune
The kindergarten contained ample play space, a fireplace, various nooks, and a glass porch.
Plans were approved for a new addition consisting of an assembly hall, and three classrooms were added in 1927.
FrElsie’s Elsie’s Column in 1938
Condemned Building 1953 and 1971
In 1953 the auditorium was condemned and closed. Preliminary plans for a new one were drawn up in 1957.
The old building from 1922 was deemed unsafe in an earthquake in 1971.
In 1978-1979, the school building was torn down, and portable classrooms were placed on the grounds.
The school closed after the 1988-89 school year and later became Far West High School, which closed in 2011.
Rockridge Today
The school is located at 5263 Broadway Terrace.
More Info:
- Rockridge to Open Soon – Oakland Tribune February 5, 1922
- Citizens Debate Demolition of Rockridge School- Oakland Tribune June 22, 1979
Update Dec 2022
