Donald M. Cleland A History of the Santa Monica Schools 1876-1951, Santa Monica Unified School District, February 1952 (Copied for the Santa Monica Library, July 22, 1963). 140 pp., 1912
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Visitors, discovering the beauty of Santa Monica, remained in ever-increasing numbers to become permanent residents. The schools found it difficult to keep pace with this phenomenal growth, and the inadequacy of instructional facilities (at Washington School) made it necessary, in 1912, to send the eighth grade to Lincoln School.
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"Santa Monica pronounced it a gala day when the cornerstone of the new high school was sealed into place. The ceremony was held on April 11, 1912, and was witnessed by nearly one hundred county and city superintendents from various parts of the state. A luncheon was served at the Seaside Hotel for the superintendents, city officials, school personnel, and distinguished guests, after which the whole town turned out to witness the ceremonies incident to the laying of the cornerstone.
"The formal ceremony was notable because of the full participation of the town, the clergy, and fraternal and civic organizations. The invocation was given by the Reverend J.D.H. Browne, rector of St. Augustine's Episcopal Church. The Reverend Patrick Hawe, pastor of St. Monica's Catholic Church, delivered the prayer of dedication. The cornerstone was laid by Dana R. Weller, past grand master of the Grand Lodge of California, Free and Accepted Masons, and was assisted by members of the order. The benediction was given by the Reverend W.H. Cornett, pastor of the Santa Monica Presbyterian Church, [56. Program, Laying of the Cornerstone-Santa Monica High School, April 11, 1912; in files of Santa Monica Board of Education,] Among other distinguished guests who spoke on that memorable occasion were Edward Hyatt, state superintendent of public instruction, who gave greetings; Mark Keppel, county superintendent of schools, who complimented the people of Santa Monica on their foresight in providing an institution of the calibre of the proposed high school; and Benjamin Ide Wheeler, president of the University of California, who delivered the address of the day.
"As a record of the occasion, the following articles were placed in the cornerstone: a copy of the program of the day; the high school course of study; the elementary course of study; a directory of teachers of the Santa Monica School District; the Los Angeles County School Directory; the directory of California secondary schools; the city charter; a copy of the Daily Outlook and the Evening Journal, Santa Monica's two newspapers; pictures of the Santa Monica Schools; and Ingersoll's History of the Santa Monica Bay Cities. Inscribed on the cornerstone were the words: "The Foundation of Every State Is the Education of Its Youth." In 1937, when the building was being remodeled, the metal case that held these documents was opened. The contents were examined, resealed in another metal case, and place in the new cornerstone. [57. Santa Monica Evening Outlook, July 8, 1950, p. 8G.]
"The three buildings comprising the main sections of the high school plant were of tapestry brick construction, with red tile roofs. These structures housed, respectively, the academic and administrative departments, manual arts and commerce, and the science, household, and fine arts departments. The academic building stood in the center of the group and contained, besides sixteen classrooms, complete administrative offices, a special recital hall with seating capacity for 110 persons on the second floor, and the school auditorium. Much pride was taken in the auditorium that seated 1200. Nothing, it was concluded, could have been more complete in the way of an auditorium, with its modern upholstered chairs, fully equipped stage, and dressing rooms. [58. Pearl, op. cit., p. 91.]
"The manual arts and commerce departments occupied the building facing Michigan Avenue, which held the foundry, forge, machine shop, and laboratory for practical physics. There were shops for cabinet making, milling, a dry kiln, finishing and fuming rooms, and a large instruction hall. Wood-turning and pattern-making found room in the basement, while the second floor of the building provided space for the commercial department and mechanical drawing.
"The structure on the south side of the administration building, facing on Fremont Avenue, housed on the first floor chemistry, with its lecture rooms and laboratories; physics, biology, and botany rooms; a dark room, and an instructors' room. The second floor contained rooms for the fine arts department, and for cooking, sewing, dressmaking, millinery, and other phases of domestic science.
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The Board Minutes of May 12, 1912, contain the following memoir:
"We believe that the Williamson D. Vawter Gate will teach the boys and girls who pass through it in pursuit of education, a higher respect for age and superior wisdom, a noble appreciation of worthy deeds and self-sacrifice, and higher ideals of civic pride and public duty."
The same sentiments were expressed in the minutes on the presentation of the Elliott Gate, and the Board presented a copy of the statements to the donors of each of the gates.
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On August 8, 1912, the electors voted another $150,000 for the schools, of which $65,000 had been allotted to the high school for gymnasiums and other improvements. [61. Board Minutes, Aug. 14, 1912.] From this bond money a health unit was constructed to serve as an emergency first-aid room and rest room for those who were not well.
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" . . . The following spring more than a dozen teachers were added to to the staff to meet the requirements of an increased enrollment. [60. Pearl, op. cit., p. 92]
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Samohi [67. The name Samohi came into being in 1912 when the faculty and students decided to publish a school paper, and a contest was held to determine what it should be called. Edwin Coulon, a boy of French extraction who lived in Santa Monica Canyon, won the competition with the name Samohi, which he devised from the three words, Santa Monica High. The name soon was applied to the school itself, and is now so associated. Student's Manual, 1950.
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