San Joaquin
County
Biographies
RIPON UNION
HIGH SCHOOL
In midsummer, 1910, when the old Ripon Board of Trade was young and full of enthusiasm, and its members casting about for something to do for the town and community, two citizens, meeting at the postoffice, one said to the other: "Why can't we have a high school here?" The other replied promptly and confidently, "We can, if we go after it." So a plan of campaign was talked over, and in a very short time a petition was drawn up and circulated, and after a sufficient number of signatures were secured, an election was held in August, a high school board was elected and the Ripon Union high school district was organized and ready for business in just one month. This broke all previous records for speed in such matters in San Joaquin County and is a good example of community boosting. The school was opened on September 1 in Odd Fellows Hall, rented for the purpose, with one teacher and fourteen students. Another teacher was added just after the holidays in 1911. Odd Fellows hall being a very unsatisfactory place to conduct the school, the board called a bond election for the purpose of buying and building a suitable high school building to cost $22,500, part of which was to be rented to the Ripon grammar school, as that school at that time was in need of better quarters. The election was held on April 22, 1911, but failed to carry, and this same proposition was put up to the voters of the district a second time, on June 1, 1911, and also failed to carry.
During this
year a holding committee was formed to acquire and hold land for the schools,
and said committee, being backed by the people and the bank, built a temporary
high school building, and school was opened in that building at the
commencement of the fall term, September 1, 1911, the high school board renting
the place from the holding committee, and adding a room and a teacher as the
growth of the school required, until 1916, when the building contained five rooms
and five teachers were employed. The rent paid to the holding committee having
reached a sum sufficient to pay the cost of the building and grounds, the property
was deeded to the high school district. Also at this time, it appearing to the
board that the time was ripe for a new and modern building, so imperatively
necessary, that the board decided to call and did call the third bond election,
which was held on June 1, 1916. It is to the credit of the high school board
and the progressive spirit and generosity of the people that the election was
successful, and bonds for $27,000 were voted and sold, and the building was
started in August, 1916. It is a beautiful, modern, up-to-date building that
will stand as a monument to the progressive spirit and enterprise of the people
and an inspiration to the youth of the land to aspire to higher and better
things. The Ripon high school is generally recognized for its ability and
thoroughness and its graduates are admitted direct to the State University.
Transcribed by V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham,
George H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Page 1504. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
©
2012 V. Gerald
Iaquinta.
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