1944 Cleland 1952

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., 1944

     By 1944, it had become evident that additional buildings and equipment were needed to meet the needs of increased enrollments brought about by the upsurge of population during the war. But to the Board of Education it was equally clear that the building needs of the district would have to be met by some means other than current tax funds. Accordingly, the Board requested Percy R. Davis, Superintendent of Schools from 1932 to 1948, and his staff to estimate the needs of the elementary and junior high schools, the high school, and the junior college. [72. Johnson, op. cit., p. 17.] Results of this survey revealed the necessity of raising $3,500,000 for the various schools, and a proposed bond issue in that amount was placed before the voters of the Santa Monica School District. The bond issue carried, and $1,283,000 was earmarked for the purpose of building a new city college. At that time it was proposed that half the bungalows, which were still in use at the old campus [Prospect Hill], be moved to the new site and remodeled. The other half of the needed buildings were to be of new, one-story, frame-and-stucco construction to conform to the architectural style of the remodeled bungalows. [73. Ibid., p. 18.]

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 Kelyn Roberts 2017