Merritt Trace Elementary School

Through the Years

The making of Merritt Trace Elementary School – Through the Years

By Co Author, E. Leonard Johnson

In order to appreciate the work that went into preparing “Merritt Trace Elementary School – Through the Years” the story needs to be told about the history of the history.

My family and I moved to San Jose from Southern California in 1967, into what was known at that time as the Hanchett Park area of the city, in very close proximity to Hoover Junior High, Trace Elementary and Lincoln High Schools, as well as the SJUSD Administration Offices. At that time I began acquainting myself with many of the Custodians, Gardeners and District personnel of the time. To most of these people, I would be known as the “kid from across the street.”

As school started for me at Trace School in 1967, I would begin my after school time by going into Hoover Junior High and assisting the night custodians in cleaning the classrooms. Later I would meet Ed Meeker, night custodian at Trace Elementary, and assist him in cleaning classrooms on alternate days. It would be through these interactions with school personnel that I would learn the history and gain a special perspective about these beautiful historic schools.

In 1971, after the decision had been hastily made to demolish Merritt Trace Elementary School, school personnel were grappling with how to move all the various classroom materials, equipment and furniture from the old building to the new portables erected outside. I was one of the few students given the opportunity to assist in moving the school to the portables, which gave me unprecedented access to the entire “Historic Trace” building.

During this time Evelyn Walkington, then Principal of Trace, had commissioned a photographer to come to the school and take the final picture of the building before it was turned over to the demolition crew. Interested in the activity, I went to the second floor to watch the photographer take the picture. Little did I know at the time, I would be captured in the photo as a silhouette – upstairs, second set of windows from the left, lower pane.