Miss Mary Lake

Miss Mary Lake is the principal of a young ladies' school of the highest style, in a neat, large and highly ornamental building erected for the school by Senator James G. Fair on the northeast corner of Sutter and Octavia streets, San Francisco, a beautiful portion of the city.  The building is 56-1/2 x 92 feet in dimensions, occupying a lot twelve feet wider and forty-five feet longer, is four stories high and is a beautiful specimen of architecture.  Schulze & Meeker were the architects and John T.Grant general contractor.  Of course all the modern improvements are incorporated.  The first or ground story contains an infants' class-room for sixty-five scholars, having a southern and western exposure and consequently sunny.  Separated from it by means of sliding doors is the gymnasium, 28 x 59 feet.  The dining-room, 20 x 30 feet, has an open fireplace of ornamental brick-work from floor to ceiling and paneled wainscoting, and this with the kitchen and serving room occupies the entire western side on Octavia street.  In the first story are also the servants' quarters, in the rear and entirely separated from the main building.  Large and airy toilet-rooms, clothes-rooms, etc., are provided in abundance.

     The second or principal story has three large connecting parlors, a music room, the library (a particularly nice room), the history room, the art room, the mathematics room and three large general class rooms, each about twenty eight feet square and connecting.  The finish of the wood-work throughout this story is in the natural.  The principal entrance, the entrance hall and staircase hall are all paneled five feet high in English oak.  The principal stairway to the third and fourth stories is of oak newels, balusters, rails, risers and treads.  The staircase-hall is separated from the main entrance hall by a carved screen of Moorish spindle-work in English oak, with carved seats.

     The third and fourth stories are arranged for the dormitories and contain accommodations for sixty-five to seventy boarders.  All the rooms are painted in different colors to a dull surface.  Ingle nooks and reading nooks with open fireplaces are provided everywhere, and the views from the numerous bay-windows and cosy (sic) window corners are delightful in all directions.  The closets are masterpieces in the art of planning, and will hold five of the largest Saratogas, leaving sufficient room for all the other appurtenances.  In the third story, in the sunniest and quietest corner, is the infirmary, closely connected with which is the large medicine closet.  From the rear entrance on Octavia street to each floor is a large power trunk lift.  Each story is connected with the laundry by means of a linen shute.

     The school, not sectarian, was first opened in 1890.  While the first object of the school is necessarily mental development, the second is that "molding of the character which enables the pupil to express the kindly impulses of a fine nature with tact and serenity."  These are "day pupils" and "boarding pupils" and about seventeen assistant teachers and professors, in their respective specialties all the way from the ancient classics down to modern dancing.

 

Transcribed 12-12-04  Marilyn R. Pankey.