Imperial Valley press., 1923-01-09
SCHOOL GROWTH
OF CALIPAT RIA.
VALLEY MARVEL
Splendid New High School
to Be Finished by
Spring

Calipatria is proud of its school
! system which has grown in seven
| years from a one room, ungraded
| school to a total of II rooms and 20
| teachers. There are more teachers
in the school now than there were
pupils in the spring OF 1919. The
| Fremont school which is the main
| elementary school, is a modern, plas-
tered structure i'll the graceful mis-
sion style of architecture, IN which
there is full provision for depart
mental work from the fifth to the
eighth grades. Provision for domes-
tie science classes, taking in sewing
and cooking for the girls with man
ual training and shop work for the
boys and music forfboth is given by
specialists with high school eertifi-
Gates.
There is physical training in all
the mpper grades, given by special
lists. \ further accommodation is
| the establishment of special school
in east Galipatria for the Mexican
and negro children for the first five
grades, in which they may receive
| instruction from teachers who have
| specialized in that class of work.
I This school has IA five and one-half
acre playground. with modern plas
tered building of the same type of
| construction as the Fremont school.
| II has four class rooms, office and
rest rooms aud is so constructed that
1 it can easily be added To when the
need arises. 1T has four teachers
| aud has an enrolment of 20l pupils
with an average attendance of l2l.
Enforce Compulsory Attendance
The school board has consistently
enforced the compulsory attendance
law and the record of the Bonita
schoeI attendance has largely been
due tu that, fact. This has been of
benefit to the children in more than
ONE way. They have not only re-
ceived ordinary school instruction,
but they have been taught the prin-
ciples of personal cleanliness. When
found to be hungry, they were given
free lunches from the soup kitchen
maintained by the Fremont SCHOOL.
No effort has been spared in the
work of Americanization of these
future citizens. In serving free
lunches the school has had the CO.
operation of the woman's club and
the Calipatria branch of the autir
tuberculosis society.
High School Since 1919
The high school was organized by
the vote of the people III 1919, in
GLIDING Calipatria and the north end
district. II was housed in the Ere
mont school building, and accom-
odaied by. partitioning off a portion
of the auditorium and using the
small library room and office as
class rooms.
The attendance, evcu the first
year, was so great that it caused the
people to vote school bonds TO the
extent of $l50,000 in 1920 for the
erection and equipment of modern
school building Owing to the de
preston in the bond market at that
time and the wise refusal of the
board of trustees to take less than
par, the bonds were not sold until
1921. Early in 1922 the contract was
let for the building to cost approx
imatcly 100000, of reinforced con
crete construction and up to date in
every particular. This bnildmg will
be completed this spring, and while
not one of the largest III thc, state,
il will be one of the finest in Cali
fornia.
Attendance Growing
The first year the high schools
average daily attendance, l9l9-2O,
was - pupils; in l920.2l it was 46;
in 1927 - it was 50; and so far in
the school year of l922-23 1t has
been 6S.
The average daily attendance in
the elementary school was l91J-lG,
IS; 1867, II; 19l7-lS, l44; 1913
10, 1853; 1920, oil; a920-2l, 272;
1927 90, 262; while the year l922-23
has averaged 2Sj, being only in the
third month.
A night school both in Spanish
! and English classes has been inaug-
urated Three classes in English for
| foreigners have been established in
| the Bonita school with Il total en-
rollment of 90, composed entirely
Of Mcxcans who want to learn TO
read and write the English lang
| uagc.
A class in shop work has been
formed with q registration Of 10,
which is all fhat can be accomodat-
ed, and there is a waiting list. The
class in spanish has n registration
Of 40, which gives five night classes
Compliments Principal
But i'll spite Of the handicap Of