By Susan Couso
At the beginning of the 20th Century, it was no longer considered adequate to have a grammar school education. The world was expanding, and to address the issues of the modern world, students were encouraged to further their education to become good citizens. Lassen County Superior Court Judge Harry Burroughs said at the time, “If the people are to rule, then the people must know how to rule, else government for the people and by the people can no longer endure.”
In November of 1902, the citizens of Lassen County took a giant step to insure the future education of county students, and the future of our country. They voted to fund a high school to advance the knowledge of the area’s children.
There were questions about where to place the new school to insure that it was available to the most students, and Susanville, the county seat, was chosen as the logical place by the Board of Supervisors.
Before bussing was available, students from the county’s outlying regions needed to board in town during school months.
Things moved more quickly in those days. In April of 1905, building plans were selected, and in July of that year, $2,000 was paid for the land of Daniel Armstrong for the site of the new school. The little rise, called ‘Blake Hill’ was chosen as the perfect place to build the school building itself. This insured safety from the floods which often occurred from overflowing Paiute Creek and the Susan River.
Architect W. H. Weeks, of Watsonville, designed the building, and the Granite Rock Co., of Watsonville contracted the work. Royal Heating Co., of San Francisco did the heating and ventilating work.
All-in-all, the construction of the new Lassen County High School cost taxpayers $28,014, so for the cost of land and building combined, the new school was achieved for just over $30,000.
In September of 1905, with much fanfare, music from the Mountain Echo Band, and speeches aplenty, the cornerstone was laid.
A parade, led by William Brockman, and assisted by Oscar Hemler and William Neuhaus, began at 1:30p.m. from the Masonic Temple (then at the corner of Lassen and Main Streets) and proceeded up Main Street to Roop Street, down Roop to Nevada Street, down Nevada to Lassen Street and up Lassen to Main, then down Main to the new High School.
At the school, the Grand Orator of the Day was Judge Burroughs, and speeches continued in the usual profuse manner throughout the afternoon, “accompanied by lovely choir voices and much applause.”
In September, 1903, high school classes began in the Public Grammar School on Cottage Street with an enrollment of 40. The enrollment for the 1904-5 school year was: 24 boys and 34 girls. Lassen County High School’s beginning enrollment in 1905 was 48. The staff included the principal, Mr. Barton, who also taught, and Mr. Peck, teacher.
With limited staff and high hopes, the school began its mighty mission, and through the years, as staff, accommodations and enrollment grew, thousands of students were prepared for the future.
By the mid 1960’s, the school building was greatly in need of repairs. The original building was constructed of wood, with a stone façade. The wood substructure had decayed, and was no longer doing its job to support the walls. As parts of the school were condemned, it became necessary to plan for the future. Once again, the county citizens were asked to fund a school, and by 1968, the old building breathed its last as it was demolished in preparation for the new construction.
