History of the Schools of El Cajon
Valley
El Cajon School District was formed October 4, 1870 and
El Cajon's first school was held in a squatter's cottage
near "The Corners" in El Cajon. It was located where the
Knox Hotel was later built in 1876. The first teacher was
Miss Bishop. Trustees in the year 1870 were Uri Hill, David
Lamb, and J.W. Clark.
It was several years before El Cajon District built a
regular school house. After the school's first location in
the squatter's cottage, the school met in probably two other
houses before the first real school building (referred to in
those early years as "the big school") was built on North
Magnolia near the present Park Avenue. The location of one
of these houses which was used as a school was described as
follows: "...in the old Gleason house which was near the
corner of Washington and the old road east of the Shelton
place." The other houses described as a meeting place for
the school was a house located near Magnolia and Broadway at
which place and time there were ten children in
attendance.
It was in the latter part of the 1870's (probably
1878-79) that El Cajon built their first real school
building which was located on North Magnolia near Park
Avenue ( about where Long's Drug Store now stands). It was a
two story building with one room downstairs and one room
upstairs. At first, school was held in the downstairs room
and the upstairs room was used as a community meeting place,
Sunday School, etc. In the years 1883-86, the newly
organized Presbyterian Church held their services in the
upstairs room.
A picture taken on the front steps of the school in about
1887 or 1888 shows the teacher, Miss Polly Renney, with some
of the school children. The children in the picture are
(from left to right): Upper row--Kate
Rea, Anna Asher, Sopha Miller, Mary Asher, Alva Morrison;
Center row--Will Miller, Alpheus Asher, Allen Culbertson,
Jay Asher, James Culbertson; Lower row--Harry Hill, Joe
Miller and Charles Knox.
When this two room El Cajon School building became too
small, it was sold to the Catholic Church, and the District
built a one story school building in the same general
location-(about where the DeFalco Market now stands)-in the
area bounded by Magnolia, Wells, and Park. This newer El
Cajon School, with a couple of annexes was occupied until
1921. That was soon after the Valley schools consolidated in
1920. The old buildings were abandoned and the new school
was built on East Main Street near Lincoln. Two of the old
buildings were moved to the new school yard on Main Street
and used for a number of years for special services by the
school. One was used as a cafeteria. That first old El Cajon
School (the two story building) which the St. Mary's
Catholic Church had bought and used as their church
building, burned down in 1917.
The following are bits of information about the early El
Cajon School and some of its teachers. The list of teachers
is far from complete and the exact years of teaching service
for many of those mentioned has not yet been
ascertained.
Most of the early teachers were from the East, seeking
for health, and most of them in the earlier days boarded at
the Uri Hill home. Mr. Uri Hill and Judge William Ogden were
trustees and they endeavored to keep the standard of
teachers high. By engaging these eastern visitors, they
benefited both parties to the contracts ; helping them to
restore health and also providing opportunities for the
pupils. For a number of years the school was a one teacher
school.
Miss Bishop who was El Cajon's first school teacher in
the year 1970-1871 was a specialist in History and
Literature. It is believed that the school opened with six
pupils. Della and Clayton Hill, children of Uri and Renette
Hill were two of these pupils. (Claydelle Street in El Cajon
was named for Clayton and Della Hill by their parents whose
200 acre ranch and home, "The Claydelle", was in the area of
the valley.)
Names of some of the other teachers who taught in those
early years, between 1870 and 1880 were: George Welch, who
straightened out discipline ; Prof. Lee, who not only taught
school but aided the people in their legal problems ; Prof.
Jamieson who was a fine mathematician
and who also during his 1879-80 year of teaching,
prepared two of the young girls. Florence Ogden and Della
Hill, for the Examination for Teachers. These examinations
were given each June by the County Supt. of Schools.
In 1876, there were 20 pupils in El Cajon School taught
by Ada Lucas.
In 1877, the school was taught by Lydia Jane
Dickenson.
In 1883, Miss Bertie Bush was the teacher. Josephine
Asher (Vacher) was in her class that year as an 8th grade
student.
In about 1887-88, Miss Polly Renney was the teacher.
In 1889, the school was taught by Miss Merrill.
An item appearing in the El Cajon Star Newspaper--June 1,
1889, tells that "The trustees ordered a 200 pound bell for
the El Cajon School."
In 1892, Miss Isabel Lisco was the teacher.
Other teachers listed as teaching before the turn of the
century were Jennie Otis, Cora Lamb, Mary Renney and
Josephine Asher.
Della Hill, after passing the Examination for Teachers in
June 1880 with the highest grades in the class, taught in
the year 1880-81 in the school for Lawson and Lyons Valley
east of Jamul.
In 1912, the faculty of the El Cajon School included J.R.
Creech, Principal; Miss C.M. Balch and Miss Anne Culbertson.
In 1913, Miss Mary Jane Kennedy started teaching at the El
Cajon School with 4 teachers and 200 students. She served as
a teaching Principal the last five years before retiring to
become Mrs. William J. Collard in 1921.
In 1920, the faculty included Mary J. Kennedy, Myrtle
Sears, Mrs. Mariel Miller, and Mrs. Josephine Asher
Vacher.
Before the turn of the century and for some time
afterward, school transportation was a problem. Children had
to get to school by foot or horseback. Hence, the valley and
surrounding territory became dotted with one room school
houses; and in some instances, other school districts were
formed which pulled students from the area originally served
by El Cajon.
In 1875, Alpine District was formed and Sweetwater
District in 1876. Cowles School (later called Santee) was
started in 1891 and La Mesa in 1894.
The Meridian School District was formed in the latter
part of the year 1887. An old school district record book of
"minutes" show that Julia A. Kellogg was employed January
13, 1888 to teach the district school for three more months
at a salary of $50 per month. By April 28, 1888 she had
resigned and T. A. Ross was employed to teach the district
school for the remaining five weeks at a rate of $60 per
month. Meridian School was first held in a tiny one room
building (about 14' x 20') on the east side of Meridian Road
(now Third Street) and just north of Highway 80. This
location was near the present intersection of Third Street
and Naranca Street in the Bostonia area.
In August 1888, B. B. Warren was employed to teach for
eight months beginning with September 10, 1888 at a salary
of $70 per month but his service terminated in December 1888
and T. A. Ross was again employed to teach for the remaining
seventeen weeks at salary of $70 per month.
Samuel C. Hall, one of the sons of Mr. And Mrs. J. P. R.
Hall wrote from Laguna Beach, California (September 25,
1967) that he was one of the students in that little one
room Meridian School. The J. P. R. Hall family came to El
Cajon Valley in 1886 and developed a forty acre ranch along
Madison Avenue between the present. Third Street and Fourth
Street. The Hall children had to walk to the El Cajon School
until the Meridian District was formed.
In December 1888, the trustees "voted to erect a
two-story building having two rooms 30' x 40' and with a
hall and tower similar to the general design of the school
at Del Mar." They erected this school building on the west
side of Meridian Road and just across the street from the
original little one-room schoolhouse.
The name "Meridian" was chosen for the road and also for
the school because Meridian Road is on one of the survey
meridians used in describing property boundaries.
This two room, two story Meridian School building was
completed in the summer of 1889 and the opening enrollment
was thirty students. In September 1892, the school term
opened with Miss Neylan as teacher and an expected
enrollment of about forty students.
In August 1893, the El Cajon Union High School District
was formed by trustees of El Cajon, Meridian, Cowles and
Lakeside School Districts. The second floor or the Meridian
School became their meeting place. The El Cajon Union High
School was held in the upstairs of the Meridian School until
1908, at which time a high school building was constructed
at Third and Broadway--"just up the road from the Meridian
School."
From 1908-1921 Meridian Grammar School made full use of
their building. The lower grades met downstairs and the
upper grades met upstairs. In 1920 Meridian District, along
with other small school districts in the area, joined with
El Cajon in forming the Cajon Valley Union School District.
After the new El Cajon School was completed in 1921, the
Meridian school was no longer used and it was finally torn
down.
Mrs. Mabel Farley Adams was the last principal at the
Meridian School. She was the principal for three or four
years. After the school consolidation she continued teaching
in the El Cajon School until her retirement in 1941.
Miss Lillian French taught in this old Meridian School.
When the school consolidated in 1920-1921, she also started
teaching in the El Cajon School until she retired in 1949
after nearly forty years of teaching.
The Lakeview School was a one room school which
was built east of Los Coches Road between Highway 80 and
Lakeside. It was later used as a residence.
The El Capitan School was built on the high bank
on the right of Highway 80 about one and a half miles east
of Flinn Springs. It was later used as a residence. Finally
the house has disappeared.
The Jamacha School in Jamacha Valley was another
of our early schools. It was later used as a club house and
community hall.
Hillsdale School was built on Jamacha road in
1894. It ran an attendance of 15 or 20 students. In 1920
when the schools consolidated, Hillsdale School closed and
the students moved to the new El Cajon School. From then
until the end of World War II the school building was used
as a meeting place for such groups as the 4H Club, The
County Farm Bureau and a church congregation.
453 After repeated vandalism, and with rising taxes, and
when joint efforts of the Hillsdale Community Club and the
Native Sons failed to find someone willing to move and
restore the old landmark, it was decided to destroy the
structure as it was considered a fire hazard.
Miss Theodora Birdseye (Mrs. John Ballantyne) was the
first teacher at the Hillsdale School in 1894. It was her
first teaching assignment. She rode horseback to school to
teach. Her salary was $60 per month.
Miss Dorothy Chase (Mrs. Harold Ross), granddaughter of
the Uri Hill family who were early settlers in El Cajon, was
the teacher at Hillsdale School in its last year of service
as a school (1919-1920). Incidentally, it was her first
teaching assignment also.
Cajon Valley Union School District
-Formed in 1920-
In the period of 50 years from 1870 to 1920, the number
of pupils in the valley had increased from 6 to 300; and it
was in 1920 that the several small schools were consolidated
into a union elementary district.
People thought it would be better to have one larger
school. Mrs. Collard was one of those persons believing that
unification of the several small school districts of El
Cajon Valley would be best for the education of students.
Too, transportation of students was no longer the problem it
had been in those earlier years. Mrs. Collard was
instrumental in calling a unification meeting which brought
about the formation of the Cajon Valley Union School
District and the construction of the new El Cajon School
building on East Main Street which housed all of El Cajon
Valley's elementary school students for the next 20 years.
Mrs. Eva Stuver was another person particularly active in
this consolidation movement.
Mr. Allen was Principal in the year 1921-22 which was the
first year in the new El Cajon School on Main Street. That
year Mrs. Josephine Asher Vacher, the first grade teacher,
had 92 pupils in her class--46 boys and 46 girls. The next
year (1922-23) she had 80 pupils--45 boys and 35 girls.
The first Parent-Teacher Association in Cajon Valley
School District was formed at the El Cajon School on January
29, 1922. The slogan was "Pull Together Always."
Mr. Len Barry was a Principal in the El Cajon School
during the 1920's.
Mr. John Montgomery's long career as Principal of the El
Cajon School and Superintendent of the Cajon Valley Union
School District began in September 1930. At that time, he
joined the El Cajon School faculty as a teacher. He served
as Superintendent of the district for 21 years, from 1934 to
1955 at which time he resigned as Superintendent and is now
serving as principal of the John Ballantyne School.
Superintendents following him have been Dr. Jens Hutchens,
Dr. Peter Bancroft, Dr. M. Ted Dixon, and the present
Superintendent, Dr. Mitchell L. Gilbert.
By 1941, the student enrollment had well outgrown the
buildings on the El Cajon School yard. A number of additions
had been made during the twenty years since it had been
built. Enrollment had increased to 850 pupils. A new school
was planned to lighten the load. This new school was...
The Bostonia School... It opened on December 8,
1941 with six class rooms, five teachers and a teaching
principal, Mrs. Irene Vita. More rooms and an auditorium
were added later.
School enrollment was climbing rapidly. The influx of
population was due to military people who liked the area and
the community. By 1950, the attendance had grown to better
than 2,000 children.
Cuyamaca School was built in 1948. Mrs. Margaret
Graffam was the first principal. Additional rooms and a
multipurpose room were added later.
The (new) Meridian School was built at Third and
Washington Streets in 1949. This school is located about a
mile farther south on Third Street than the place where the
old Meridian School had stood. Additional rooms and a
multipurpose room were added later. Mr. Lawrence Trickey,
Jr. was the first principal.
Between 1950 and 1961 the following schools were built:
1952 - Chase Avenue School. This school is of brick
construction. Although the original cost of brick
construction is slightly more expensive, it was believed
that the difference in cost would soon be offset by the
lower cost of maintenance and upkeep on the building. Mr.
Karl E. Nielsen was the first principal.
1952- Magnolia School. Mr. J. Cline Slack was the
first principal.
1953- Cajon Valley Junior High School (7th and 8th
graders). This school opened with Mr. Norman L. Esser as the
first principal. From 1941 to 1953, all 7th and 8th grade
students in the district, as well as the children in grades
1-6 who lived in the immediate vicinity of the school, had
attended the El Cajon School on East Main Street. All of the
schools built between 1941 and 1953 had been elementary
schools for grades 1-6 . In 1951, kindergartens were started
in all of the elementary schools.
1953- John Ballantyne School. When the El Cajon
junior high school opened, the buildings of the old El Cajon
School on East Main Street were remodeled, eliminating the
use of the front buildings as classrooms since that portion
had been declared unsafe for classroom use. A new
multipurpose room and administrative suite were added. The
school's entrance was changed from East Main Street to
Roanoke Road and the school was renamed John Ballantyne
School with Mr. George T. Janecek as its first
principal.
The front portion of the old El Cajon School which had
been abandoned as classrooms continued to serve as a
warehouse and district library. When the new library rooms
were completed at the Education Center on Roanoke in 1967,
the vacated frontal portion of the old El Cajon School was
torn down after having served the school district for some
46 years. The stately palms and green lawn are being
preserved at a small park.
For several years during the late 1940's and the 1950's
El Cajon Valley's population was increasing so rapidly that
was impossible for the school building program to keep up
with the rapdily increasing school enrollment, and some of
these years found the district schools with double sessions
and, in a few instances, with some classes housed in church
facilities while awaiting the completion of another
school.
1953-1954 - Johnson Avenue School . This school
was built largely with Federal Aid Funds. Mr. Perry Bosworth
was the first principal.
1956- The Crest School was built up on the hill at
Suncrest to serve the La Cresta and Suncrest area. Mr. Rex
T. Dahms was the teaching principal the first year that the
school opened.
1956 - Greenfield Junior High School (7th and 8th
grades ) was built at Greenfield Drive and Third Street in
the Bostonia area and quite near the Bostonia School. For a
short period of time the Greenfield Junior High housed some
overflow classes for the Bostonia School. Mr. Norman L.
Esser was the first principal at the Greenfield School.
1957 - Lexington School was built on South First
Street near Washington Avenue. Mrs. Irene Vita was the first
Principal. It was from this school that she retired in June,
1966 after having served the district for 28 years- three
years as a teacher in El Cajon School, 16 years as principal
of the Bostonia School, and 9 years as principal of
Lexington School. She had come to El Cajon Valley in 1912
with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. N. E. Liljenberg, and a
sister and brother, Melva and Stanley Liljenberg. She
attended and graduated from the old Meridian Grammar School
and the old El Cajon High School before leaving the valley
to attend a university.
1957 - Naranca School. Mr. Lawrence Trickey. Jr.
was the first principal.
1958- Madison Avenue School. Mr. Perry F. Bosworth
was the first principal. In addition to the regular school
program as carried out in each of the district schools,
Madison Avenue School has a physical therapy department in
the Cerebral Palsy Unit, which serves the physically
handicapped children of the entire district.
1958- Emerald Junior High School -(7th and 8th
grades) opened in February of 1958 with Mr. Perry F.
Bosworth serving as principal as well as principal of
Cuyamaca School. Emerald was used for elementary classes for
the balance of the school year. In 1958-59, Mr. Robert B.
Davies became principal and in 1959-60, Emerald became a
Junior High School with Mr. Alvin R. Bowman as
principal.
1959 - Fuerte School. Mr. George T. Janecek was
the first principal.
1959 - Flying Hills School also opened with Mr.
Evan R. Cramer as the first principal,
1959 - Rios School. Mr. Raymond R. Baker was the
first principal.
1960 - Anza School - Mr. J. Cline Slack was the
first principal. He served as principal for two years before
returning to class room teaching and then retiring.
1960- W.D. Hall School opened in February, 1960
with Mrs. Mildred Stout Zinn as the principal. The school
was opened on her birthday. She served as principal until
she retired in June, 1965 after 37 years of service to the
district as teacher, vice principal, Director of Library
Services (when the district pulled away from the County
Services to form their own library), and principal. She
began this service in the old El Cajon School on East Main
Street in the year 1928.
In 1961, the enrollment for the Cajon Valley Union School
District was just a few less than 10,000 and the district
had 16 elementary schools (K-6) and three junior high
schools (7-8 grades). The seventeenth school, Avocado
School, is currently under construction with hopes of
opening in January, 1971. Mr. Cloyd A. Kitt is the
principal. On September 29, 1970, the enrollment is 12, 621
pupils.
EL CAJON VALLEY UNION HIGH
SCHOOL
Bostonia, California
El Cajon Union High School District was formed August 8,
1893. Excerpts from early El Cajon Valley News
show..."1893--Pursuant to a call, the trustees of Meridian
and Lakeside School Districts met at Mr. Donald's house,
Tuesday, finally deciding a high school was a necessity. If
established, it is probable that the Meridian School
building will be used for the first year, as it is offered
free of rent."
"August 26, 1893- County Supt. of Schools, Wagner, met
with the trustees of Lakeside, Meridian and Cowles School
Districts Thursday night at the Lakeside Hotel, and after a
long discussion the high school was located in the Meridian
District. The upper room of Meridian School was selected as
the high school quarters for the next two years."
The El Cajon High School used the upper floor of the old
Meridian School for classrooms from 1893 until 1908. Prof.
J.C. Adams was the principal in the year 1893-94. At that
time he was "elected to the chair of mathematics in San
Diego High School" and Prof. Payne was hired as the new
principal for El Cajon High.
In the year 1902, there were two graduates; in the year
1905, there was two graduates also. I (Mrs. Sperry) have no
specific information as to the size of other graduating
classes.
Excerpt from "Once-A-Week"~ February 23, 1899 reads: "The
Meridian High School celebrated Washington's birthday with a
picnic at old Mission Dam."
1908- The El Cajon Valley Union High School was built at
Third and Broadway in Bostonia. It was the only high school
east of San Diego High School. Irene Hall (Mrs. Rexford
Hall) was a teacher in El Cajon High School during the year
1918-19. Mr. W.A. Pratt served as principal for several
years prior to the 1915-16 year and Mr. J.L. Cutler served
as principal for several years following.
1920- In June of 1920, the Grossmont Union High School
District was formed. At that time, the El Cajon High School
students joined with the Lakeside or Riverview students and
attended classes at the Riverview School in Lakeside while
the Grossmont High School was being constructed.
The El Cajon High School building, after being vacated by
the high school, was later used as a night club. During that
time (June, 1928) the building burned down. Only the
foundation and a little of one wall remained.
December 13, 1920. The lot for Grossmont High
School was purchased from Col. Ed Fletcher for $10.00.
September 17, 1921. Gradings and footings
constructed.
January 13, 1923. Buildings completed.
In the year 1922-23, the first classes were held on the
new Grossmont campus. Mr. Carl Vance was the principal and
Mr. Carl Quicksall was one of the teachers. In 1924, Mr.
Vance resigned and Mr. Quiksall became principal.
GROSSMONT UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT
June, 1920- Grossmont Union High School District was
formed.
December 13, 1920, lot purchased form Col. Ed Fletcher
for $10.00; September 17, 1921, gradings and footings
constructed; and January 13, 1923, buildings completed.
The ivy which was used so extensively in the landscaping
was obtained from Castle Rocks Ranch in El Cajon. Mr. J. M.
Asher, San Diego's first florist and pioneer nurseryman
(1869) and developer of Castle Rocks Ranch in 1879 had
brought the ivy to Castle Rocks. It was taken to the
Grossmont High School campus by the Busch boys who were
among the first students to attend there and whose parents
owned Castle Rocks Ranch at that time.
In the year 1922-1923, the first classes of the Grossmont
Union High School were held on the new Grossmont campus. Mr.
Carl Vance was the principal and Mr. Carl Quicksall, a
teacher. In 1924, Mr. Quicksall became superintendent when
Mr. Carl Vance resigned. In 1944, Mr. Quicksall retired and
Mr. Lewis Smith became superintendent. Mr. Lewis Smith
retired in 1964 and Mr. John T. Warburton took over as
superintendent.
1952- Helix High School was built in La Mesa at
7323 University Avenue with Mr. Benton Hart as the
principal.
1955- El Cajon Valley High School was built in El
Cajon at 1035 East Madison Avenue with Mr. John Cornelius as
its principal. Mr. Cornelius retired in the spring of 1969
and Mr. James R. Peace, a former teacher at that school,
became the new principal.
1957- Mount Miguel High School was built in Spring
Valley at 1800 Sweetwater Road with Mr. Melvin Grant as its
principal.
1959- El Capitan High School was constructed in
Lakeside at 10410 Ashwood (formerly part of San Diego River)
with Mr. Russel Savage as principal.
1960- Granite Hills High School was built in El
Cajon at 1719 East Madison Avenue and Mr. Phillip Morell is
the principal.
1961- Monte Vista High School was also built in
Spring Valley at 3230 Sweetwater Road with Mr. Stanley
McClintic as principal.
1965- Santana High School was constructed in
Santee at 9915 Magnolia Avenue with Mr. Robert Spencer as
principal.
Grossmont's Annual Christmas Pageant was started in
December of 1925 as the school's gift to the community. Mrs.
Eva Quicksall was its first director.
The following is a copy of page 5 in Grossmont Union High
School's annual "El Recuerdo" - Vol. 3 - 1923. This 1923
annual was published at the close of Grossmont Union High
School's first year on the new campus and was dedicated to
Colonel Ed Fletcher.
Grossmont Union High School
"The new Grossmont Union High School, situated upon a
sightly knoll and commanding a sweeping view of El Cajon
Valley and the picturesque Cuyamaca Mountains, is
constructed of gray granite. With its suggestive towers,
turrets, and battlements, this two story, sami-octagonal
building from the rear, gives the impression of some
impenetrable medieval castle where armed hordes might battle
vainly before stern gates. Yet approaching it from the
front, one might easily imagine that those walls and
shinning windows were concealing some fairy princess; and
for all that, they may - who knows?"
"The above description of our school, written by Hayden
Honnell starts the imaginative powers to working and one
might expect to see a horde of medieval humans occupying the
structure. What one does see, however, are the boys and
girls of the twentieth century busy in the school life of
Grossmont. This building represents the interest and
sacrifice of many people who have done a great deal to
further the opportunities of the students by consolidation
and one might go far to find a person who is not proud
indeed of the new "Grossmont."
"The history of the school union began in 1920, when on
August 14th of that year the El Cajon and Riverview High
Schools consolidated with the Allison Spring Valley and
Lemon Grove Grammar School districts. The Riverview High
School was used in 1920 - 1921 in preference to El Cajon
High School because it was larger. The first trustees of the
consolidated schools were A. B. Foster (President). Mrs.
Eveleen K. Bryan, Izer Davis, R. T. Robinson, Jr., and W. J.
Seat. On October 4, 1920, a resolution was offered in a
meeting of the trustees to call a bond election for November
5, 1920, to raise the sum of one hundred and ten thousand
dollars for the new building to be eracted at Grossmont on
fourteen acres.
of land given by Col. Ed. Fletcher. When the returns of
the bond election were canvassed, it was found that a large
majority were in favor of the bonds.
"On June 18, 1921, the contract for the new building was
let to Young and Beer. The material for the structure was to
be gray granite from the hills on Grossmont, which Colonel
Ed. Fletcher furnished the contractors at the cost of
getting it out. The work was to begin July 1, 1921, and to
be completed in twelve months. Mr. J.W. Wiley of La Mesa was
hired as the Board's inspector, and it was in part due to
him that the good looking building we have was secured.
"The work was begun at the time specified, and the
building was slowly erected. During the erection, The
ceremony of laying the cornerstone took place on February 6,
1922, in the presence of the teachers and pupils of the high
and grammar schools, and a large number of citizens.
"As the building was not completed at the time for the
fall opening for school, and as it seemed that the
contractors would be unable to complete it, the Board took
over the finishing of the contract and with Mr. Wiley as
Superintendent of Construction the building was finally
completed in every detail by December. Meanwhile, however,
school began on September 25, with an attendence of three
hundred and twenty, which has increased up to the latter
part of the school year to three hundred and fifty.
"With this brief history in mind of the facts leading up
to the present school whose beauty of structure can be seen
in the opposite picture, the students of Grossmont takes
great pride in knowing that their school is a fitting and
lasting monument to the patrons of the distract."
quote by Helen Moriarty '24
Grossmont Junior College
Grossmont Junior College District was formed in 1960.
Classes started in 1961 on the Monte Vista High School
campus. The dedication of the Grossmont College on the
Fletcher Hills campus took place on Sunday, December 13,
1964. Mr. Harold Hughes was the college district
superintendent at that time. Mr. Hughes paid tribute to
former Grossmont superintendent Lewis Smith calling him "the
father of Grossmont College".
Student enrollments for the beginning of the new school
year, September, 1970 are as follows:
Grossmont Union High School District - 19,017 (as of
September 29, 1907)
Grossmont Junior College - 10,329 (as of September 29,
1970--for the combined day and evening classes)
Copyright 2000 Alex, Cammi, Chelsie, Cristina, Danielle,
David, Josh, Kimberlyn, Lucas @ Hillsdale Middle School
All rights reserved
________________
1 This information has been compiled by Mrs. Hazel
Sperry. Notes taken in 1961 on a talk given by Mr. John
Montgomery, Principal of the John Ballantyne School; notes
kept through the years by the late Mrs. Josephine Asher
Vecher; recollections of the school year 1870-1871 and the
following early years told by Mrs. Della Hill Chase prior to
her death in 1939; a paper on El Cajon Schools prepared by
Mrs. Irene Hall; records information contributed by Samuel
C. Hall; and excerpts from early issues of San Diego and El
Cajon newspapers have been incorporated into this
compilation. ...Hazel Sperry
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