Closed and / or Demolished School Buildings
Informational page, our practice is residential real estate.
As early as 1933, because of California Earthquakes, the California legislature passed what was called the "Field Act" which
sought to minimize earthquake danger to life and property by using certain basic construction standards. Prior to this time, school districts paid
little attention to the perils of living in earthquake country. In 1966, The Stockton Unified School District hired an engineering company to check
every school in the district. The result was complete condemnation of Burbank, El Dorado, Fair Oaks, Grunsky, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lincoln,
Munford, Schneider Vocational, Old Weber, New Weber and Woodrow Wilson. Other schools not totally condemned because of newer additions, only older
sections were declared unsafe and abandoned included Hazelton, McKinley, Roosevelt, Stockton High and Victory. Exceptions are El Dorado, Schneider and
Woodrow Wilson have been retained for related uses
August School
August School- 3121 Waterloo Rd. The original one room schoolhouse was built in 1912 - The photo at the right was taken in 1950. The new August
Elementary School is around the corner at 2101 Sutro Ave as shown in the left photo.
El Dorado School
Elmwood School
Fair Oaks School
Fair Oaks School - 2145 East Lafayette - The original school opened in 1899 and renovated in 1921. Post WWII photo of the totally renovated
School (No longer a school at this location). Razed in 1971 after the opening of the Martin Luther King School five blocks to the east.
Franklin School
Franklin School (Not to be confused with Franklin High School)- West side of Center between Washington and Lafayette - For a long time the board
of education discussed the building of a schoolhouse and in August, 1858, they concluded that they had sufficient money and by a vote they selected a
lot on Center and Washington streets as the location, and the 14th of October construction began. The building was in constant use up to 1900. It was a
substantial building of brick, two stories high and containing two large rooms as well as cloak rooms, a model building for that time. With the
completion of the building, the public schools were housed beneath a roof of their own. The joy of the event was considered worthy of a public
demonstration. On February 25, 1859, the change to the new building was made amid much rejoicing, the boys to whom the good fortune fell of occupying
the new building, marched to their new home - Demolished. (No longer a school at this location)
Fremont Grammar School (Not to be confused with Fremont Jr. High or Fremont Elementary) - Fremont and Aurora - 1892; W. R. Nauman principal;
Miss Lottie Grunsky, Willis Lynch, Miss Carrie Q Berdine, Miss Ella Morris, Mrs. C . M. Bayley, and Miss Hattie Patterson, teachers; J. Sarles,
janitor; seating capacity, (f) Kj 350; average attendance, 280. - The bell tower became the subject of much ridicule until it was removed in 1911.
(No longer a school at this location)
Fremont Primary School
Fremont Primary School- Fremont and Aurora (Not to be confused with Fremont Jr. High) - it was built to the north of the grammar school to
accommodate the lower grades due to overcrowding in the large building. (No longer a school at this location)
Grant School
Grant School - 1800 South Sutter - The original school was built in 1898 and gutted by fire in 1937 - The photo shown is the replacement school
built in 1938
Lottie Grunsky Grammar School
Hazelton School
Hazelton School - 1031 South Lincoln at Anderson Street The school faced East, fronting on Lincoln Street.- Completed in February of 1916 -
1973 photo. In 1976 this part was razed. Today, Hazelton School is around the corner at 535 W. Jefferson St.
Jackson School
Jefferson School
Lafayette School
Lafayette School - 301 E. Market and San Joaquin NE Corner - The first Lafayette school was a four-room brick building which was erected on the site of the
Academy building at a cost of $11,679. The total cost was $17,300, this including the fence, sidewalk, grading the play grounds, etc. This building had
a large bell, which could be heard all over the city. It rested on a tower in a corner of the school yard, was made of pure copper, the donation of C. T. Meader, then known as the "copper king." The school was opened January 10, 1865, with four teachers in charge. (No longer a school at this location).
First Presbyterian Church next to the school.

A new Lafayette School at 535 East Church was opened in 1912 which is often called the West School on online postcards. Along in the '90s four
more rooms were added to the main building, largely increasing the amount of school room, decreasing at the same time the playground space, none too
large at first. Before the dawn of the new century there was talk of removing the schools, as the noise of wagons, the blowing of whistles and the
continuous smoke from the water works on Hunter Street made it a very disagreeable location for a school building. Some eight years ago it was sold to a
building corporation for a commercial building. Photo posted by Terry Gust. (No longer a school at this location)
Lincoln Elementary School

The Lincoln Elementary School was established in 1878 with twenty nine students and was a one-room country school, opened on the corner of an
empty field five miles north of Stockton. It was located along Lower Sacramento Road, now Pacific Avenue just south of the present Lincoln Grammar
School. Eight grades were taught. The school was in use until the late 1950s.
Lincoln School
Lincoln School (Not to be confused with The Lincoln School on Pacific Avenue) - 125 South Ophir (Now Airport Way)- 1977 photo - Former
Vineyard School - Built January 7, 1895 - closed in 1966, demolished in 1977. (No longer a school at this location)
Luther Burbank School
Luther Burbank School - 1125 S. Pilgrim corner of Jackson - Opened in September, 1925. With 10 classrooms and a large basement, the student
population remained consistent, so additions were never required. An attractive two story Elizabethan brick building. it was abandoned in 1978 and on
November 15, 1978 it was sold to the Islamic Community of Stockton for $100,000. it served the Stockton Unified School District for 53 years. The
building was added to the city register by resolution number 35,547 on August 28, 1978. (No longer a school at this location).
Built in 1925, A modified Elizabethan Tudor building, designed by the nationally influential local architectural firm of Allen & Young. Glazed tile
ornamentation enhances the façade of the 10 classroom structure which served the Stockton Unified School District for 53 years
McKinley School
Monroe School
Monroe School - 135 South Monroe at Washington Streets - Opened in January 1903 Photograph date: 1910 - A mission style single story building
designed by San Francisco architect Louis S. Stone . Considered to be one of the most attractive school buildings in California. The school was closed
in 1967. (No longer a school at this location)
Munford School
Munford School - 1950 East Sonora at B Street - Built as the Stockton Day Nursery in 1927 and donated to Stockton Unified in 1944 by the Stockton
Day Nursery Corporation - the school closed and was sold in 1971 and students and staff were transferred to the new Walton Development Center which
adjoins the Stagg High School Campus. The building is still standing today and operates as "Casa Del Sol", a board and care home for the
elderly. (No longer a school at this location)
North School
Roosevelt School
Schnieder Vocational School
Saint Mary's Assumption School & Assumption Convent
Saint Mary's Assumption School & Assumption Convent - 620-640 N. San Joaquin St
Former St. Agnes School and Convent Today, The Stockton Unified Police Department - Built as a Catholic parochial school in 1914 the facility has been
successively called the St. Agnes Academy, St. Agnes High School, and San Joaquin Middle School. The adjoining building constructed in 1920 served as a
convent for the Dominican sisters. Neoclassic and late beaux-arts design highlight this yellow buff brick complex, arched porch and terra cotta capped
pilasters. Located in the Magnolia Historic Preservation District. The building was added to the city register by resolution number 86-0503 on August 11, 1986.
St. Agnes Academy and Catholic Schools
The first Catholic school was on the corner of Sutter and Lafayette streets, St. Clair Lever was the teacher, however it failed for lack of students. In
1865 a second school was opened with Mary O'Donnell as teacher.
Subsequently the old Catholic Church was torn down to make room for a two-story brick building. It was erected on the church property facing San Joaquin
Street and Taylor Streets and the building was used as a boys' school, with Weber hall in the north end of the second story. Eight years previous to the
establishing of the Brother's school. Father O'Connor planned the establishing of a girls' academy, with Sisters of Charity in charge. Captain Weber was
approached upon the subject and as he was then tearing down the old Corinthian building all the available lumber was hauled to the proposed site of the
new academy building. A number of the Sisters were sent to Stockton, and they collected the necessary building fund, $20,000. The building was finished
in due time and St. Agnes Academy was dedicated and consecrated March 17, 1876.
In 1884 a boys' school was contemplated, and at Father O'Connor's solicitation four Brothers came from Dayton, Ohio, to take charge of the Brother's
school. In the meantime, the old Catholic church was remodeled and fitted up as a school and Brothers' residence and in August, 1884, it was dedicated
and consecrated by Bishop Riordan.
The location of the school on the corner of San Joaquin and Taylor streets was quite satisfactory until 1896. when the Santa Fe Railroad built a depot
across the street, and the constant ringing bells and blowing of whistles made it a very undesirable location either for a schoolroom or a place of
residence for the Sisters. In 1913 a quarter of a block of land was purchased on the corner of San Joaquin and Park streets and a handsome school
building was erected at a cost of $60,000. Later an adjoining building was erected, adjoining the school on the south as a residence for the Dominican
Sisters, who had charge of the academy.
Stockton High School
Stockton High School. Built in 1904, the school’s Anglo-Classic style main building was the first of a handful of structures to comprise the campus (one of which—the
auditorium—still stands today). It was also Stockton’s only high school until 1942. Were it still here today along with the state hospital buildings, it would also
fit perfectly into a university setting. Combined these buildings could have provided a stately campus for a UC or CSU. Stockton High School’s main building was
condemned in 1966 and demolished a year later.

Main Building 351 East Vine Street

North Building - West Wing Harding Way

North Building East California & Harding

Gymnasium Facing California Street

Cafeteria Building Harding & San Joaquin

Cafeteria Building Harding & San Joaquin

Site of the Main Building
 Main Building
351 East Vine Street

Main Building

Auditorium

Campus - 1929

Main Building
351 East Vine Street Stockton High School was built in 1904, the school’s Anglo-Classic style main building was the first of a handful of structures to
comprise the campus (one of which—the auditorium—still stands today). It was also Stockton’s only high school until 1942. Were it still here today
along with the state hospital buildings, it would also fit perfectly into a university setting. Combined these buildings could have provided a stately
campus for a UC or CSU (but probably not since I believe most state schools generally prefer new buildings). Stockton High School’s main building was
condemned in 1966 and demolished a year later.
Victory School
1121 Buena Vista - Designed by local architects Losekann and Clowdsley. This post World War One school was named for the Allied victory in 1918
VICTORY SCHOOL 1121 Buena Vista was Designed by local architects Losekann and Clowdsley. This post World War One school was named for the Allied victory in 1918. The
original building was demolished in the mid 1970s
Vineyard School

Vineyard / Lincoln School - Corner of Market and Ophir - Opened February 14, 1870. In 1891 the building was sold to L. Mollenhauer who moved it to
348 South Aurora Street. Rebuilt as the Lincoln School in 1891 the New Lincoln school building was erected on the Vineyard district school site, corner
Ophir and Market streets, the property having been given to the district trustees by Captain Weber way back in the early '70s. (No longer a school
at this location)
Washington School
Washington School Site Plaque - Inscription: Commemorative Plaque, First Stockton High School - This building housed the first high school organized in
Stockton. According to records, the classes were opened to students January 10, 1870. Twenty eight pupils made up the new school. The faculty consisted
of A.H. Randall, principal, and Mrs. A Loomis, assistant. The first graduating class consisted of Miss Lottie Grunsky, Miss Alice M. Mills and Mr. Edward
Grunsky. These pupils received their high school diplomas December 23, 1870.
Original Washington School
Washington School - SE Corner of San Joaquin and Lindsay. The building faced San Joaquin. There was at this time 1,265 children entitled to school
privileges, and only nine school rooms to accommodate them. There was another bond issue in 1867 of $15,000 and in December, 1869, the original
Washington school building was erected. Occupying a quarter of a block two of the lots were donated by Captain Weber and two were purchased. The building
cost $20,627 and the entire cost was $25,724. It was a four-room building, the high school occupying two of the second-story rooms. In 1891 a third
story was erected to accommodate the increased attendance of the high school students, making it an eight-room building. The removal of the high school
pupils to their own high school building gave increased room to the lower grades and a few years ago. For safety reasons the third story was torn off
and the building remodeled as we see it here. The building later became the district's "Administration Center" The building was razed in 1958
following its purchase by the Bank of Stockton.

Original Washington School - 1870
 Washington School with it's third floor addition in 1891
 the third story was removed and the building remodelede
Washington School Postcard
Weber School
Weber Primary School - 55 West Flora, corner of Commerce. Designed by Stockton Architect Charles Beasley, the plan was used for both the Franklin
School on South Center and this building. Named in honor of Captain Charles Weber and opened on May 12, 1873. The seating capacity, 242; average
attendance, 150. It's the oldest brick building in the city retaining its original appearance. The building was added to the city register by resolution
number 29,100 on June 7, 1971. It is #73000445 on the National Register of Historic Places, and was added as the Old Weber School in 1973.
New Weber School
Weber School 701 N. Madison (The New Weber School) - Madison and Park Streets - Today its the Stockton Unified School District Administration
Building, relocated here from the cramped facilities of the Washington School. Completed in April of 1915. In the mid 50s enrollment dropped to less
than 250 students as the neighborhood aged and younger couples were buying homes in newer subdivisions
Woodrow Wilson / North School
Private Schools
Kindergarten School - On Lindsay between. Hunter and San Joaquin; Mr. E. M. Tureman, principal.

Stockton Business College and Normal Institute - SE Corner of California and Channel; W. C. Ramsey , principal, organized in 1875.
Catholic Schools
St. Mary's College - San Joaquin between Market and Washington · Brother George principal· Brothers of Mary teachers
St. Joseph School - NE corner Grant and Fremont; Sister Evangelist, principal.
See also
Books
Stockton's Historic Schools -
Robert Bonita - A brief photographic history of the public schools of Stockton which were built between 1853 and the passage of The Field Act in 1933.
Photographs of these early schools, some long since razed in the name of progress along with the majority of others demolished in conformity with
enforcement acts passed
California Legislature in 1959 and 1968, make up a large portion of this book. A brief history of the development of
Stockton school system precedes the body of the book for those interested in Stockton's pioneer beginnings
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