St Marys College High School - Peraltan Yearbook (Berkeley, CA)

Page 10 text:

The cornerstone was laid by Archbishop Riordan of San Francisco, successor to Archbishop Alemany, in 1887, and the construction was finished two years later. The school was actually one structure, a large, five story, brick building, later nicknamed The Brickpile . It was dedicated before an audience of six to ten thousand, with registration of students beginning the next week. Brother Bettelin was succeeded as principal by a number of Brothers who worked to expand the reputation of Saint Mary's. Brother Erminold Walter was serving in the post when disaster struck the school in 1894. He returned one day from a speaking engagement to find the school engulfed in flames. The city fire department was inadequately equipped to fight the fire, and the hydrants simply did not deliver enough water. When it was all over, the interior of the building was completely gutted, save some books and scientific equipment. News of the disaster quickly reached Brother Bettelin in New York, who returned to oversee the reconstruction process and face the subsequent financial problems: negligence during his administration had left Saint Mary's with no money. Archbishop Riordan remitted the 32500 debt Saint Mary's owed the diocese and set up a collection in the parish churches. Many businesses also made generous donations. The reconstruction was slow and filled with many complications, including a cold and wet winter. The building reopened a year later. The next few years brought about an expanded curriculum and classes in the higher mathematics and science. Saint Mary's was exclusively a boarding school. A fee of thirty-two dollars a month covered board, tuition, books, medical expenses, and other necessities. All incoming mail, ex- cept that from parents or guardians was subject to censorship, and parents were permitted to make monthly visits as long as it didn't interfere with study. At the turn of the century, the faculty consisted of sixteen Brothers and nine laymen. The first official publication by and for the students was not produced until 1904. For forty years before that, several newsletters had come and gone, but this was the first with the principal's approval. Appropriately named The Collegian, it was started by two Freshmen and became very pop- ular despite the hefty price of fifteen cents. As a monthly magazine, it contained short stories, essays, and school and sports news. Misfortune struck Saint Mary's again in 1918. On a Tuesday afternoon in May, a fire suddenly started in the northwest corner of the school. In what must have seemed like a deja vu, the fire department was poorly equipped to fight the fire, and the hydrants had insufficient pressure to spray water to the roof. Ironically enough, much of the contents of the building, such as books, were not lost because of the fire, but from water damage. However, as the staff and students proudly recalled, they had overcome disaster before, and they would do it again. Repairs were completed in time for the next school year at the end of that summer. But a second problem, also experienced before, was develop- ing at Saint Mary's. The curriculum had again expanded, includ- ing the establishment of a law program which became very reputable. The increase in students was more than the Broadway campus could handle. So in 1926, the high school department split from the college, moved to their new 3300,000 campus at Peralta Park, and adopted the name Saint Mary's College High School . The word College was retained in the name to signify its historical origins. rigbtfhelow right: The Brickpilef' lhe five .rtofy Oakland building of St. Mary? College. below: the building in flamer. ,,,, ,gli gzy -rygwg ft ,,.. 1 , Q-gg, H M ' i:', L if - 1 iii' 1 il- S A riirr' - ' J 1 y lfss trl g n rx at in 2 .. ,mu K .M W, K . - W E S my L , h g 5 9 px Nl 'ssh 1 . . X it 1 vs, --- X . Q -2. - M- . . . .

Page 9 text:

ANDOVER AV. I I I I agfim CD l xx villlfvw WW' fn NX I wc 1 .P WEST vasw AV G 2 4 J X' C 1 zh ldS :MU S F puJ.Nzrh bllbp fzh zz If

Page 11 text:

Y 'J' 5' XR V' ' 0 fa- la- e , e 5 9 ' l '55 ' ' . ' ST 9 39 A ,wi ' XXBER aff 5955 Q WMO . . .Q X inx' Av ner-I ' E ' WWE 'se ' A ' revs -Q JJ- -:X 'f if H K 1' e 4200 ' Q' ' . 'M -4 , ' . 4 'W m 'Q 59 NR 9-S - E s 5 22 ,, 221 e R fiom eeewa iik ' . S S 'QR ' af: 1' 1-Br gf RW' K ' fififv' FM A 25 QQ Ag, ., 2 The Oakland eampux wax located on Broadway, between Piedmont and 30tb Streetx. below lej9 G right: the current location of tlye old earnpuf