Lowell High School - Red and White Yearbook (San Francisco, CA)

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ames Russell Lowell Lowell High School is proud to be named after such a distinguished American poet, educator, and diplomat as james Russell Lowell, Lowell was born in Cambridge Massachusetts in 1819 the descendant of a lon line 1 i , 8 of notable ancestors, and he was reared in surroundings favorable to the development of his gifts of intellectual power and high ideals of manhood. Lowell spent his childhood on his father's country estate, Elmwood on the Charles River. He attended Harvard University and Harvard Law School and was admitted to the bar at the age of 21. After the death of his wife in 1853, Lowell became professor of literature and modern languages at Harvard and held this position for over 20 years. During this time he was editor of the Allantir Monthly and joint editor of the North American Review. In 1875 Lowell resigned from Harvard to accept the position of Minister to Spain and in 1880 was transferred to London. He held this position until 1885. Through his poems and prose, especially the Bigelow papers, Lowell exerted a tre- mendous influence against the evils of slavery and as a literary critic he had few equals. Lowell died in 1891 at the age of 73.

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J. E. WALLACE STERLING Graduates of Lowell High School have a fine record of achievement at Stanford University, and I am happy to have this opportunity to extend greetings to the student body and to alumni and other friends of the school. At the present time there are 70 undergraduate students enrolled at Stanford from Lowell, which has ranked among the principal con- tributors to Stanford's freshman classes over the years. The student body and faculty of Stanford University join me in extending Stanford's best wishes to Lowell High School on its 'hundredth anniversary. j. E. WALLACE STERLING Prerident, Stanford U fziveryity Congratulations to Lowell High School From 1 Stanford University and the University of California Lowell High School is not only the oldest high school on the Pacific Coast. It is also among the oldest of educational institutions of all types in the area, including colleges. Even more important, it has over the years judging by the record of its graduates at the University of California, done a consistently good job of teaching and guidance for young people. For example, only four high schools in the State have, since 1950, sent more graduates to the University of California, and the record of these students, in spite of their number, has been markedly above the average for all high school matriculants. This is a record which is worthy of centennial congratulations, and of which the students as well as the teaching staff and administration of Lowell High School may well be proud. ROBERT G. SPROUL Prefidefzt, U fziverfity of California ROBERT G. SPROUL

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THE FIRST GRADUATING CLASS OF THE SAN FRANCISCO HIGH SCHOOL Top row: John Carrol, David R. McKee, James R. Estill, Robert Wilson, Frederick Elliott, Henry Gibbons, Jr., Patrick O. Bary. Botlom Row: Emma J. Swasey, Virginia Rosa Rabe, Adelia B, Kimbal, Mary A. Casebolt. The Histor of Lowell High School-1856-1956 The San Francisco of 1847, following the Mexican War which saw 'California transferred from Mexican rule to American control, was a tiny village with an official population of 458. However, forces were al- ready at work to provide an education for the hand- ful of children in this community which had just changed its name from Yerba Buena to the more im- posing t-itle of San Francisco. Samuel Brannan, owner of the San Francisco Slat, published an editorial noting that the village contained 56 children between the ages of five and fifteen who should be receiving some schooling. His advice was heeded, on April 3, 1848, the first public elementary school opened its doors. Thus began the story of public education in San Fran- cisco. Another event took place in 1848 which was to change the destiny of the entire West as well as San Francisco-the discovery of gold by james Marshall in January of that year. During the next few years the population of San Francisco was to take tremendous upward jumps so that by 1852 the population had passed the 56,000 mark. San Francisco had become a great city, growing so fast that it hardly had time to stop and catch its breath. San Francisco was also a city of many problems. People from all of the states of the Union and all of the countries of the world were descending upon this city which had become the gateway to the gold fields. This polyglot of humanity ran the gamut from edu- cators, clergymen, doctors, lawyers, and skilled crafts- men-who came to settle and grow with the west- to criminals, vagabonds, and other unprincipled ad- venturers whose only interest was to get their hands on some of the newly discovered gold, Even with all of the problems confronting the city, the educational movement continued to go forward. In 1851 the city elected its first superintendent of schools, Colonel Thomas J. Nevins, and before the end of the year had established three free public schools. In the following year four more schools were placed in operation. These educational steps had been taken in spite of the fact that many of the new arrivals were from coun- tries whose traditions regarded free public schools as charityi' schools, progress was made in spite of the fact that the city was swept by six major fires during this period, with one fire destroying 1500 buildings and doing more than 310,000,000 worth of damage, progress was made even though the criminal elements had seized control of the city government and it was necessary for the Vigilance Committee of 1851 to forcefully evict certain officials and restore law and order to the community. Yes, even in spite of the fact that San Francisco had barely enough funds to keep the wheels of government in motion, the campaign for better educational facilities went forward. In 1853 Superintendent Nevins made the bold sug- gestion that the time had arrived to consider the estab- lishment of a high school for boys and a seminary for girls. Those in opposition to the plan pointed out that even in the old established cities of the East, the free public high school was not an established institution.