Education
The San Pablo School District and Early San Pablo Schools
"...a country schoolhouse a mile or so this side of the little village of San Pablo. We were at first puzzled by the looks of the thing—it was suggestive of a country church..." [Excerpt from an article regarding a "Run" to the uninhabited region of the little village of San Pablo: Oakland Tribune • 11 Aug 1874]. The first Public School in San Pablo was built in 1852; located on the west side of San Pablo Ave. and south of Dam Road; 100 yards north of McBryde Ave [on Natalie Court].
Walter T. Helms was an important factor in the life of the schools from the earliest days. The San Pablo District is one of the original districts formed when Contra Costa County also included what is now Alameda County and part of Santa Clara County. This western end of Contra Costa County up to the advent of the Santa Fe Railroad was an agricultural community. San Pablo was a small village surrounded by large farms and vegetable gardens. The San Pablo School District was composed of all the territory west and south of Pinole to the County line. The main school building was located on San Pablo Avenue near McBryde Avenue. A branch was located near the Sunnyside Hotel at Market and 13th Streets (now Rumrill Blvd.), known as the Depot School.
Another early San Pablo School was located on Highway 40 at Tank Farm Hill in a site surrounded by eucalyptus trees. James Rogers, a former County Clerk and prominent Martinez attorney, began his teaching in that building.
By 1899, the Trustees of the San Pablo School District at the time were John J. Nystrom, Harry Ells and John Peres. This Board decided because of shifts in population, to discontinue the San Pablo Avenue School, known as the hill school, being located on a slight elevation, and the Depot School. With a small bond issue, a site was purchased where the Market Street School of San Pablo was located, and a four-room frame building was erected. This was ready for occupancy for the opening of the fall term of 1901. The new San Pablo Schools were the Market Street School, the Stege School, and a one room school located first in Richard’s Hall and, after a fire, moved to the basement of the original Methodist Church at Point Richmond. The Board then employed Mr. Helms as a Supervising Principal to organize and administer the San Pablo Schools based on the recommendation of the University of California. The faculty was composed of three teachers at the Market Street School, two at Stege and one at Point Richmond. A sentiment gradually developed in Richmond to separate from the San Pablo District and in 1903 the original San Pablo District was divided into three school districts, San Pablo, Richmond and Stege.
An 1864 Notice of an election to be held at the San Pablo School House to vote on a tax for the removal and repair of the school fence.
An article from the Oakland Tribune describing the "little village of San Pablo" and its school children.
PUPILS ATTEND SCHOOL HORSEBACK. "To more fully set forth the uninhabited character of this northern suburb, we will mention a country schoolhouse a mile or so this side of the little village of San Pablo. We were at first puzzled by the looks of the thing it was suggestive of a country church, where the members come several miles all round, and hitch their horses to the fence during service. On our return the school "let out," and the youngsters mounted these poor mustangs and rode off two or more on each animal, to their homes. One or two buggies lent variety to the scene."
The San Pablo School.
A correspondent writes to the Contra Costa Gazette, as follows, concerning the flourishing school at San Pablo: "Nol having seen anything of late in regard to the San Pablo schools or their efficient corps of teachers, in the columns of our valued county paper, the writer thinks it proper to make the assertion that our schools are in a flourishing condition, and as a merited complement to our teachers, to express our appreciation of their faithful labors here. We had the pleasure of being present at the closing exercises of the school known as the "Hill School," and were entertained' with music, recitations, compositions and a reading by the teacher, Miss Shaw. Their efforts were certainly very praiseworthy; but perhaps the most pleasing feature on this occasion, was the presentation of a beautiful gold locket to their loved teacher, showing the kindly feelings existing between them as teacher and pupils. That these pleasing relations may continue to exist, is, we think, the unanimous wish of those who are particularly interested. I will add that this thoroughly appreciated gift was a complete surprise; but as the recipient is equal to any emergency, her acknowledgment was rendered in a happy manner.
McBryde Public School Class 1885.
"Rancho San Pablo School"
"The tiny building was erected on a little knoll overlooking a small lagoon. Although the building no longer exists, its first location has been fixed in the block now bounded by Ventura and Lassen Streets, between McBryde and Glenn Avenues. Traces of the lagoon are still existent but will soon be entirely filled by the proposed new freeway through San Pablo." [Article on the "Rancho San Pablo school" from The Knave, Oakland Tribune • 14 Mar 1954]
An excerpt of an 1894 map showing Rancho San Pablo School on Sap Pablo Avenue near McBryde. The black and white striped line running from center bottom to top right is the California & Nevada RR.
"When San Pablo Avenue was relocated, the one-room school was also moved. The second location (seen in 1894 map above) is described as being north of McBryde Avenue in the vicinity of Natalie Court. It was standing at this location when the narrow-gauge railroad was built to follow San Pablo Avenue out from Oakland to Orinda. Originally, San Pablo Avenue was a winding road along the foothills leading to San Antonio (now a part of Oakland) and was moved to its present location in 1852." [Article on the "Rancho San Pablo school" from The Knave, Oakland Tribune • 14 Mar 1954]
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