Cloverdale Union High School - Spectator Yearbook (Cloverdale, CA)

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fic brought prosperity. New stores of all kinds were started to sup¬ ply the wants of the people. And so the town grew to the size that we now see, always retaining the nature of a community of friends—the characteristic which was so marked in its early days. In the following pages you will find a few anecdotes and some of the events of Cloverdale’s early history. These must of necessity be brief and few. We can say nothing of the barn dances and the corn huskinffs. and sinking schools and the quilting bees, where old and young found amusement and recreation. At these and other social Catherines was nurtured the feeling of good fellowship and friendli¬ ness which makes Cloverdale a name loved by all who have ever made it their home. —Z. B. THE BEST THING IN CLOVERDALE Somewhere in California there is a pretty little village surrounded by forest covered mountains, where small streams of water flow in the deep canvons, and go seeking the sunny valley below. There they ioin the Russian River and linger along as though loath to leave this wonderful spot where all is peaceful and harmonious. Green fields cover each side of the river. In the very center of the valley is a busi¬ ness-like little town with its small white cottages covered with roses. T] ie o an e blossoms near by send their sweet perfume to mingle with that of the roses. It is very hard to determine what is the best thing in such a per¬ fect spot, for everything combined seems to me the best of all. Take awav the river and it is no longer perfect; take away the mountains and it is not complete, but I have pondered carefully and have come to the conclusion that it is the school that is the best of all. What would a perfect spot be without the little boys and girls playing around their homes, their baby voices pealing forth the glee that fills their hearts! The older people would become narrow minded and selfish without their influence, and they would have no one to work for, and no on ' 1 to love. Realizing the importance of education for their children, the citi¬ zens of Cloverdale built a school house where they might send them to learn many necessary tilings. As time went on Cloverdale became more thickly populated so a larger buliding was erected, but after many more years a still larger and more modern school was built. Many new conveniences were put into it, and new equipment made it possible

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lias sheltered many a camper who, after a night spent under its wide spreading boughs, woke with the determination to roam no farther. And so, little by little, the valley was populated; soon fields of grain covered the land, fine stock was raised for the market and later vine¬ yards and orchards were planted. All this land was originally a Spanish grant called the Muscalon. It was bought by Mr. Markel and then the name Markelville was given to the community. In 1858 Mr. Kleiser bought from Mr. Markel eight hundred acres, stretching from the Russian River on the east to the foothills on the west and from Heald’s Hill on the north to the present city limits on the south. This became the site of the town. The first farm house was located where now stands the beautiful home of Dr. Elwood Mead. Later Markel’s Inn was built on Main Street. This house is now known as the Field place. The first store was a little harness shop. Where Dineen’s Pharmacy now is, was lo¬ cated the first grocery store. It soon became evident that a new town was to grow up here, so Mr. Kleiser had the land surveyed. Lots were sold at a nominal price and settlers came rapidly. Near the north end of the town was a beautiful little grove. This was given for a school site. It is those same trees which now make our grounds one of the most beautiful in the state. Here a little one room building was put up. Soon another room was added, but the town grew so fast it was not long until it was necessary to have several rooms. The patriotic cititens made cash contributions to a fund which was sufficiently large to erect the building which served us for school pur¬ poses until within the last few years. During all this time the mail had to come from Healdsburg. This was very inconvenient, so the citizens decided to petition the govern¬ ment for a postoffice. Then came the question of a name. Several pio- neerss claim the credit for having suggested the one that was chosen, and really, we can easily understand how it may originally have occur¬ red to many of them at the same time, when we remember that the lux¬ uriant growth of clover reached in many cases to the flanks of the horses, as the farmers drove them back and forth to work. No wonder that Cloverdale seem to them a most appropriate name for the little valley town. Then in 1872 came the railroad. Cloverdale was its terminus for years. This made it also the starting point for several stage lines. Traf-

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to use better methods of instruction. When the pupils started to school in the new building, they put more interest into their work, and were proud of their school. They seemed to put more vim and zeal into their tasks as a result of pleas¬ anter environments. When a child tirst starts to school he knows practically nothing concerning the world in which he is living. He soon discovers that there are many, many more children, and that he cannot always have his own way. He must give in to others and he is always under the watchful eye of the teacher so that his active mind and body are kept busy doing right and good things. As he goes on through the different grades he learns more and more about life and its puzzles. Oh, how proud he is when he receives his diploma, and realizes that his gram¬ mar school days are over and he is no longer a child. He enters high school and becomes a very proud, but a very iris ' ll ten ed Freshman. He goes more deeply into the things he needs in his course through life. He discovers the many secrets of algebra, geometry, and all the sciences he has heard so much about. What a wonderful thing a good education is, and yet so few realize it until it is too late. When he reaches the highest, and long envied position of a dignified Senior, he studies hard in order to set a good example for the younger ones. Then THE day comes. Commencement is always full of anxious waiting and expectation for all concerned. They think, after it is all over of the many happy days spent in old C. H. S., and of the times when they might have learned more than they did. After they graduate some go to College, some to Normal Schools and others to work. No matter how famous they may become, nor how many splendid cities they may see, they will never forget the little home town where they spent so many joyous days. This little town, with its loyal citizens who are all so interested in the welfare of their children, sends them away with many an aching heart, to finish their education, thinking they will never care to stay at home again. But they all come back, and they all say that there is no place like home. No matter what they do after they finish school, they are prepared and better fitted for the position by their education in the school, which iis the VERY best thing in the VERY best town of all! —Ruby.