San Francisco public grammar schools

In 1879, San Francisco had 15 grammar schools, three exclusively for girls (Denman, Rincon, and Broadway), three exclusively for boys (Lincoln, Washington, and Union), and nine co-educational (Spring Valley, Hayes Valley, North and South Cosmopolitan, Valencia Street, Eighth Street, Mission, Jefferson, and Clement). In addition, co-ed Potrero School served both primary and grammar pupils.[1] Students expected to attend grammar school for seven or eight years.[2]

The Denman Grammar School, Bush Street, San Francisco LCCN2002722237

Several grammar schools survive to this day, including James Denman Middle School,[3] Lowell High School (formerly Union Grammar School), and Spring Valley Science Elementary School.[4] Washington Grammar School is believed to have been destroyed in a fire in February 1930.[5]

Three more grammar schools, Crocker, Hamilton, and Horace Mann, were created in 1913.[6] These were the final grammar schools opened in San Francisco as the later pupils of grammar school age would attend junior highs (first opened in 1922) and middle schools (opened in 1978).

Academic awards
Denman Grammar School Medal

Four of the schools (Denman, Lincoln, Broadway) awarded medals to their top graduates. In addition, male pupils competed for the Bridge Medal, established by Samuel J. Bridge who resided in San Francisco before returning to his native Dresden, Maine.[7]

Segregation

The Chinese Elementary School was created in response to a court ruling in 1885 that Chinese students must be educated. This ruling would have allowed Mamie Tape to attend Spring Valley Grammar School if the Chinese Elementary School had not been created to prevent her doing so.[8]

Statistics

In 1870, a typical grammar school building for 1,000 pupils cost $30,000 to build.[9]

In 1875, 6,055 students were enrolled in San Francisco's grammar schools, taught by 129 teachers (102 of which were female).[10]

The first female principal of a San Francisco grammar school was Kate Kennedy, who was appointed in 1856.[11]

References
  1. Mann, A.L. (1879). Annual Report of the Superintendent of Public Schools for the School Year Ending June 30, 1879. San Francisco, CA: George Spaulding. pp. 312–333. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  2. Swett, John (1876). History of the public school system of California. San Francisco: A. L. Bancroft and company. p. 137. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  3. San Francisco Public Schools. "James Denman Middle School". James Denman Middle School.
  4. San Francisco Public Schools. "History". Spring Valley Science Elementary School. San Francisco Public Schools. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  5. San Francisco Public Library. "Old Washington Grammar School". Calisphere. UC Libraries. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  6. California Digital Library. "Finding Aid to the San Francisco Unified School District Records 1854-2005 (bulk 1874-1978)". Online Archive of California. California Digital Library. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  7. Mann, A.L. (1879). Annual Report of the Superintendent of Public Schools for the School Year Ending June 30, 1879. San Francisco, CA: George Spaulding. p. 310. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  8. California Digital Library. "Finding Aid to the San Francisco Unified School District Records 1854-2005 (bulk 1874-1978)". Online Archive of California. California Digital Library. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  9. Swett, John (1876). History of the public school system of California. San Francisco: A. L. Bancroft and company. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  10. Swett, John (1876). History of the public school system of California. San Francisco: A. L. Bancroft and company. p. 95. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  11. Swett, John (1876). History of the public school system of California. San Francisco: A. L. Bancroft and company. pp. 88–89. Retrieved 7 April 2020.


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