Then & Now – Oakland Schools Part 10

This is the tenth in a series of posts on Oakland Schools. I hope to show Then and Now pictures of most of the schools, along with a bit of history of each school I show. Some of the pictures are in the form of drawings, postcards or from the pages in history books. 

Not all schools will be included in this series and sometimes I might just post a picture of the school.

Note: Piecing together the history of some of the older schools is sometimes difficult. 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.

Golden Gate Elementary/Junior High School

Bay Public School was the first school in the Bay School District which is now the Golden Gate neighborhood. The 2-room schoolhouse was built in about 1875.

In 1885 two more rooms were added. In 1892 the school was replaced

In 1922 a new red brick building was built.

The School Today

The Berkley Maynard Academy is a charter school. The school is named after publishers Thomas L. Berkley and Robert Maynard.

Berkley Maynard Academy – Website

Herbert Hoover Junior High School

Herbert Hoover Junior High School (1929–1974) was located at 3263 West Street.

Plans for the new Clawson-Longfellow Junior High School were drawn in 1928. It was the last school to be built using the 1924 bond issue of $9,600,000.

The school’s cornerstone was laid on March 4, 1929, the same date as President Hoover‘s inauguration as the nation’s 31st president.

It was designed by John I. Easterly. 

The official dedication events for the school held during American Book Week, November 11-17, 1929

School Unsafe –

In 1972 the School board approved the replacement of 3 schools. The schools deemed unsafe in an earthquake.

The schools were Clawson and Durant Elementary and Hoover Jr. High. A new k-4th Grade was to be built on the Hoover site and a 5th – 8th at the Durant site.

The school was demolished in 1974, to be replaced with a more earthquake-safe lower school.

The School Today

The school is located at  890 Brockhurst Street, Oakland, CA

• Hoover Elementary School – Website

More Info

• Oakland Honors New President – Oakland Tribune March 05, 1929
• New School is a Masterpiece –  Oakland Tribune September 29, 1929
• The Way It Spozed to Be – Oakland Tribune March 24, 1968
• Board ok’s Replacing 3 Schools – Oakland Tribune July 06, 1972

Longfellow Elementary School

I haven’t had much luck with finding any photos of the old Longfellow School.

Longfellow Elementary school was opened in 1907 and was located at 39th and Market Street.

In March of 1907, a couple of the school board members questioned the name of Longfellow for the school. One thought it was too close to the Berkeley school with the same name. The other questioned the school being named after a dead poet who never did anything for the city. The name stayed with only one dissent.

New School

In 1957 plans were drawn up by the firm of Alexander and Mackenzie. The plans call for 16 classrooms, kindergarten, library, special education room, multipurpose room, and administrative offices at a cost of $623, 600.

The new Longfellow Elementary School was formally dedicated in November of 1959. The new school replaced the multi-storied building built after the 1906 earthquake. It Cost $595,000.

Just Say No to Drugs!

First Lady Nancy Reagan met with a group of elementary school students and their parents Wednesday to talk about ways to fight drug abuse, one of the biggest problems facing the city of Oakland. UPI – July 1984

Today

Today the Longfellow School site is being used by the Oakland Military Institute.

Oakland Military Institute – website

Located at 3877 Lusk Street

More Info:

• New Building Considered – Oakland Tribune Apr 14, 1907
• Naming a School – Oakland Tribune March 19, 1907
• Plans for New School Drawn Up – Oakland Tribune Oct 17, 1957
• Bids to Demolish 3-story School Building – Oakland Tribune Jan 23, 1959
• Longfellow Dedicated – Oakland Tribune Nov 22, 1959

Lowell Junior High School

Lowell Junior High that most people will remember opened in January of 1928.

The new building cost between $288,000 and $ 320,000 (depending on what I read). The building fronted on Myrtle Street at 14th Street.

• Groundbreaking – 1927
• Cornerstone laid – 1927
• Dedicated Jan 1928

 Howard Schroder noted Oakland architect designed the school.

Name Change

Prior to Lowell opening in 1928, the school was called Market Street Junior High.

In 1937 when the old McCymonds High School was abandoned, its students joined Lowell and then it was known as Lowell-McClymonds. A year later the name was switched to McClymonds-Lowell. The Lowell students were switched to Prescot Junior High in 1938.

When McClymonds new school was built on Myrtle Street the name was changed back to Lowell Junior High School;

Historic Site

The new building replaced an old historic wood-framed building that had the distinction of being the “most named” school.

Earthquake – 1955

The building was damaged during an earthquake on October 23, 1955.

The formal dedication for the new Lowell Junior High was in November 1959.

The new school located at 1330 Filbert Street cost $1,656,083 and was designed by Warnecke and Warnecke.  

The new building had 18 general classrooms, 5 special Ed, 3 Art rooms, 3 homemaking rooms, 2 

More Info:

• New Lowell Junior High – Oakland Tribune Aug 14, 1927
• Lowell Jr. High is Closed by Quake – Oakland Tribune Oct 29, 1955
• School Evacuated – Oakland Tribune Oct 30, 1955
• Lowell a Hazard – Oakland Tribune Oct 30, 1955

Peralta School

I haven’t found any early photos of Peralta. Does anyone have any?

Peralta Today

• Peralta School – Website

More Info

• Want School Improved – Oakland Tribune Oct 03, 1914
• Symon Brothers Wrecking Old School – Oakland Tribune June 22, 1922
• Peralta School To Open – Oakland Tribune May 19, 1922
• Fire-damaged Peralta Elementary – Eastbay Times March 28, 2007