Wooden Valley students, circa 1913. Photo: Napa Valley Register
Posted on 06/11/2010 3:13:04 AM PDT by JoeProBono
SAN FRANCISCO, - The longest-running one-room schoolhouse in California, opened in 1853, will close at the end of this term, officials say.
Wednesday was the final day for the Wooden Valley School in Napa County, KGO-TV, San Francisco, reported.
"We made it through the Civil War. We made it through the Depression. We've made it through the recession. This school can make it through all of that. It can survive this economic crisis also," says parent Wanda Berger.
But in the past two years the Napa Unified School District has cut $20 million from its budget and the closing of Wooden Valley will save $100,000 more money that Superintendent John Glaser says the district needs badly.
"You have to ask yourself what is good for the most number of kids?" says Glaser. "There are no easy answers. No low-hanging fruit left."
Parents say Wooden Valley has an uncommon sense of community that sees former students coming back after they graduate simply because they connect with the school. Losing the school, some say, is akin to losing a family, KGO-TV said.
"Feels like an empty spot in my heart," says local resident Daniel Norlund.
Because of what they call a little bit of money, an entire way of life is coming to an end, locals say.
"We're not losing it. It's becoming extinct," Leanne Lohand said.
Wooden Valley students, circa 1913. Photo: Napa Valley Register
This kind of story breaks my heart. The One Room School house was the last link with the more personal past. The parents should not have let this go so easily. Saving 100k a year does not seem like such a big deal given the budgets most school systems receive yearly. I have friends who are Old Order Mennonite and teach in the last remaining one room schoolhouses in PA. There is no way that the school needs over 100k to run efficiently. In this CA school, the teaching position could have been one that rotated every few years to give a new teacher experience and to provide them with salaries that remain realistic and affordable. Parents could have opted to clean the school and paint it themselves. There is just so much they could have done. It always makes me frustrated when I read interviews with the parents who are crying that their little school will close, but give up the struggle to keep it open.
“We made it through the Civil War. We made it through the Depression. We’ve made it through the recession”.
...just can’t seem to get through this Marxist BS though.
“...just can’t seem to get through this Marxist BS though.”
You nailed it !!
If nothing else, they could donate the building to a home schooling group and operate it as a museum.
Oh? What's your salary, Superintendent Glaser? How many assistant superintendents do you have, and how much is each paid?
His first wife was one of his students and she is buried in the Peshtigo Cemetery. His second wife was my Great Grandmother.
The last full time teacher for the one in Pine Grove was Mrs. Taylor, a woman whose husband was a minister. She was a great teacher and about 15 years ago we had a party for her, she was in her 90s then and has since passed away. I can never repay her for the things she gave to me, education, integrity and respect for the rule of law.
RIP America, you were truly great once.
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