Humboldt County, CA History

Transcribed by Kathy Sedler

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History of Humboldt County California - Historic Record Co., Los Angeles, 1915
 



 
CHAPTER XIV.
Early School and Educational Activity.
 
        Educators and lovers of historical data regret that there are no 
obtainable facts regarding educational matters in early Humboldt. It is known, 
however, that the first school ever organized in the county was at Union, 
afterwards Arcata, in the year 1852. Those whose memories are still vivid say 
there were about fifty pupils. Humboldt county was at that time a part of 
Trinity, and fond parents looked forward with much anxiety to the education of 
their own offspring, ever anxious that somebody should "teach the young idea how 
to shoot."
        It is reported that in the school year which ended on October 31, 
1854—only two years after the establishment of the first school in Humboldt 
county—there had been three common schools, ordinarily called public schools, in 
operation in the county, according to the report of the school officers 
regularly constituted. It appears that there were at that time one hundred and 
eighty-six children of school age entitled to education from what was known as 
"the state school money." Mrs. A. E. Roberts, in the district of Union, had 
taught school nine months, it appears, in the year 1854. In the Eureka district 
the school was kept for three months during 1853 by a man who is remembered by 
the old pioneers as an ambitious educator—George W. Gilkey.
        Bucksport was by no means neglected, for in the Bucksport district a 
school had been kept for three months in the year by Miss Louisa Wasgatt. In 
addition to the public schools at Union there had been a private school kept for 
part of the year. The Hon. A. J. Huestis was superintendent of schools in the 
year 1855, and in November, 1855, the Bucksport school district was organized. 
This included Bucksport, Table Bluff, Pacific, and the Eel river towns.
        We read that Maj. E. A. Howard succeeded Mr. Huestis and that during his 
administration the formation of new school districts was a matter of frequent 
discussion and great interest, as was the obtaining of competent school 
teachers. One of the problems of much interest in that time was, owing to the 
infrequency and uncertainty of the mails, the forwarding of reports to the state 
superintendent's office at Sacramento promptly. This was necessary for the 
reason that if reports did not arrive there in time the county did not receive 
its proper proportion of the school funds.
        Referring to the first school districts, it is found that in 1856 there 
were only three schools organized under the common law—at Bucksport, at Eureka, 
and at Arcata. Bucksport was quite prominent and the citizens there built a 
first-class school house—first-class for the old pioneer days—which answered the 
purpose of a village church and town hall for certain occasions as well. It is 
said that the second story was finished by the Masons of the vicinity and that 
they used it for their meetings. It is worth noting that Eureka was not behind 
at that time and that a school building was finished there at that period. 
Arcata had not shown so much public spirit in this respect as she has shown in 
later years, although a school had been kept there once and the number of pupils 
at one time was greater at Arcata, or Union, than at any of the other posts or 
villages in the county ; but the year after that Messrs. Jowby and Martin, of 
the trustee board, bought Henry White's house for $9000, one-half in cash, 
one-half to be paid in sixty days. The board caused this house to be fitted up 
temporarily for the purposes of the school, and it was occupied by Mr. Desty for 
a school house in the year 1857. The next superintendent of schools in the 
county was Henry H. Severns, who reported in 1860 that the total number of 
districts in the county was nine ; the number of school children in Humboldt 
county was five hundred and two, and the funds were in the aggregate $803.04; 
and the expenditure for all school purposes in the county was $7,036.
        We read that the Rev. W. L. Jones succeeded this gentleman as 
superintendent of the schools. It is said that he was an energetic and earnest 
superintendent and did much for the cause of education in those pioneer times 
when there was great demand for work by the boys and comparatively little 
interest in their educational affairs. Some years thereafter Mr. Jones went to 
Hilo, in the Hawaiian Islands, where he was in charge of a private institution, 
and where, also, he made a record as a good instructor.
        J. B. Brown, at present the pioneer educator of Humboldt county, a 
prominent Mason and leading teacher, was appointed superintendent of schools 
when the Rev. Mr. Jones resigned, after which he was elected continuously to the 
office until he refused to accept the position. Much in favor of Mr. Brown was 
said in those days because as a superintendent and teacher for more than 
fourteen years he had successful charge of the schools of Eureka, which 
prospered under his able supervision, and schools there compared more than 
favorably with the larger schools of California.
        Following Mr. Brown's long and successful service, E. C. Cummings, who 
was the next superintendent, was engaged for a number of years as teacher in 
various parts of the county. He proved successful as a superintendent, but 
previously to his term of office he had been an active member of the Board of 
Education and was re-elected to the office thereafter. He had no opposition at 
the first election, but at the close of his official term he withdrew from the 
profession of teaching. Perhaps it may be said that no county in the state of 
California ever developed more than Humboldt did during those times, for the 
school children increased in number and their parents were very much pleased to 
help the instructors. Twenty-four school districts then included all of Humboldt 
county—all she could boast of in those days, but soon thereafter the number grew 
to fifty-six, and more than eighty teachers were employed to carry on that work. 
The school affairs of the county were thereafter ably managed by J. B. 
Casterlin.
        During the year 1882 the superintendent apportioned from the state 
school funds of Humboldt county the sum of $158.50 to each teacher assigned to 
the several districts, and an additional sum from the same fund of $7.95 per 
capita on the average daily attendance as shown by the last annual report 
preceding the time involved. Ten per cent of the state fund of each district was 
also set apart for library purposes, and there was appropriated from the county 
school funds $13.50 for each teacher.
        In the old days considerable attention was given to debating, so-called 
rhetorical exercises, spelling, and the idea of thoroughness in the ordinary 
studies pursued in the ordinary school.
        A number of the most prominent men of California—men eminent in the law, 
the ministry, medicine, and other professions—received their education during 
those strenuous days, in Humboldt county.
        It was the custom of the old teachers to limit the studies of their 
charges to a number within the comprehension of a child's mind. The so-called 
new fangled ideas did not receive much encouragement in those old days, but the 
fundamentals known as reading, writing, and arithmetic, were given special 
attention by those in charge of the education of the boys and girls of those 
distant times, many of whom have become prominent citizens of California in 
later days.
        It is impossible within the limits of a brief chapter even to indicate 
the lines of growth which have taken place in the educational field since the 
pioneer days of which we speak. Suffice it to say that the school system has 
been extended throughout the county, that the standard of efficiency in teachers 
has been increased by reason of normal schools, and that the press, the pulpit, 
and the public at large have always supported the public school system of the 
county, believing that the safety of the people depends upon the dissemination 
of knowledge among young men and young women.
        High schools have been constructed since those days, and Arcata now has 
the Humboldt Normal, under the control of Prof. N. B. Van Matre, who was for 
several years a successful teacher and superintendent of city schools at Eureka. 
The new normal school has employed a number of eminent educators, and the 
outlook for educational matters is brighter, and the field is being enlarged, by 
reason of its activities.
        One regrettable occurrence must be referred to briefly in connection 
with the development of educational affairs in Humboldt within the last few 
years. We refer to the bitter fight between Arcata and Eureka for the site of 
the normal school. Arcata won, but not without some bitterness and a number of 
criminations and recriminations that might well have been omitted, to the 
betterment of the entire county; for it is now generally believed that there can 
be no real prosperity if East shall fight West, North, South, hill, valley or 
any one part of the county, another.
        Eureka is now building (May, 1914) a large and modern high school at a 
cost of $150,000. Fortuna, Ferndale, and the other towns of the county, as well 
as the country districts, are enthusiastic for good schools.