1 68 HISTORY OF PASADENA. 



DIVISION THREE — BRAINS. 

 CHAPTER IX. 



Annals of the Schooi^s. — First schoolteacher and first pupils. — School buildings from 

 1874 to 1894. — Successive teachers for twenty years. — Successive trustees for twenty 

 years. — The central school lot's public sale, 1886. — Graduates of High School. — 

 Tables of School statistics. 



Our Colleges, etc. — Sierra Madre College. — Pasadena Academy. — Throop Polytechnic In- 

 stitute. — Father Throop Day. — Classical Schools. — Business College. 



List of Pasadena Graduates or Stndents at State Normal School, State University, Stan- 

 ford University, and Pomona College. 



ANNALS OF THE SCHOOLS. 



The colony settlers of Pasadena were of that class of people who regard 

 puplic schools not as a mere ornamental appendage, but as one of the prime 

 necessities of a civilized community. They were connected with San Gabriel 

 for school purposes ; but measures were taken at once to have a new school 

 district, to be called San Pasqual, created by the County Board of Super- 

 visors. This was effected in August, 1874, and J. Banbury and H. G. Ben- 

 nett were appointed as the first trustees of the new district, and Thos. F. 

 Croft as school census marshal. They held their first meeting August 27, 

 1874, and organized for business by making J. Banbury chairman, and H. G. 

 Bennett clerk. On September 7, they met again and employed Miss Jennie H. 

 Clapp to teach a school for one month. On Saturday, September 12, 1874, 

 the first school election was held, at which Col. J. Banbury, H. G. Bennett 

 and Dr. W. W. Edwards, received each ten votes — all that were cast — and 

 thus the people had a full board of school trustees of their own choosing. 

 Meanwhile, on September 10, the first school in Pasadena had commenced 

 its work, with only two pupils the first day, Jennie and Jessie, the twin 

 daughters of Col. J. Banbury ; but in about a week the attendance had in- 

 creased to sixteen. This first school was held in the house of Wm. T. Clapp, 

 on Orange Grove Avenue near California street, being taught by bis 

 daughter Jennie — now Mrs. Rev. F. J. Culver. At the end of the month 

 the school had grown so large as to require more room, and in October it 

 was closed to wait until a school-house could be erected. A rough board 

 structure was built at a cost of about $300, on the west side of Orange Grove 

 Avenue a few rods below California street, where Mrs. Sarah Ware's resi- 

 dence now stands. Thos. F. Croft with his historic mules donated the haul- 

 ing of the lumber. The house stood by a great spreading live-oak tree 

 which was afterward unwisely grubbed up by the roots to "clear the land." 

 Miss Clapp re-opened the school in this rough pioneer building on January 

 28, 1875, and continued it through that school year. The pupils of that 

 first school were : Jennie Mosher, Charlie Mosher, lyavinia Mosher, Olive 



