Kern County CA Archives History - Books .....Early Churches And Schools 1934 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 20, 2006, 2:20 am Book Title: Where Rolls The Kern CHAPTER XVI. Early Churches and Schools. IT APPEARS that in the days of the earliest mining towns there were no places of public worship within the confines of what is now Kern County; Keysville, Quartzburg and Kernville evidently having been churchless in the early years of their existence. According to the best information obtainable, Havilah was the first point in Kern County to be visited by the Catholic clergy from Visalia. The Visalia priest continued to visit Havilah and hold services up to the time of the removal of the county seat to Bakersfield, when a small mission was established at the latter place. Regular visits continued to be made to Bakersfield until 1884, when the parish was established, and Father P. M. Bannon placed in charge of the parish, which included Kern, Inyo and the extreme Northern portion of Los Angeles Counties. Meanwhile other denominations became established both in Bakersfield and in the newer towns of the County, until 1890. when we find the Baptists, the Methodists, the Episcopalians and the Catholics all supporting houses of worship in the county seat. However, it is a notable fact that organized Christianity was not accorded whole-hearted support in the early days. As late as 1891 Angell remarks: "The Baptists have a neat church edifice. The Methodist and Episcopal Churches have large memberships, and are in prosperous condition. There has not been the interest manifested in erecting attractive buildings for worship as in some other towns." That attitude has all changed in more recent years, however, and the growth of religious influence has kept pace with the marvellous growth of the County, practically all denominations being represented in all the more populous towns of the County, and having edifices that would do full credit to any community. Reference has been made in preceding chapters to the earlier efforts at providing public educational facilities for the young, coincident with the founding of the various towns and settlements. The first official public supervision of educational efforts came with the founding of the County, the task of directing public school affairs being delegated to the County Superintendent of Schools. However, it appears that the early incumbents of the office, though undoubtedly conscientious, were none to methodical, and not until the year 1886 do we find the County school system operating on a fully efficient and progressive basis. In that year, Alfred Harrell became County Superintendent of Schools, and commenced laying the foundation for the marvellous public educational system of which Kern County is so justly proud today. Incidentally, Mr. Harrell is still one of Kern County's most prominent citizens, being the publisher of The Cailfornian, [sic] the County's leading newspaper. In 1880 there were only twenty schools in the entire County, the school census revealing 1,036 children of school age. In 1885, the year prior to that in which Mr. Harrell took office, the number of children had jumped to 1,264, and the number of schools to thirty-three. In 1891, less than five years after Mr. Harrell had taken office, Myron Angell prepared an excellent pen picture of the school system of that day, and it is herewith presented in full: The public schools of the County are under the efficient management of County School Superintendent Alfred Harrell, Esq.; the number of school districts in 1891 were forty-six, and others were being formed so that during the year the total number would probably reach fifty. Number of school buildings in the county, forty-six. Number of teachers fifty-five, of these fourteen are males, and forty-one females. Male teachers receive #80 per month; females #70. Average length of schools are eight months. Mr. Harrell was first elected to the office of County School Superintendent in 1886, and has been re-elected ever since. On assuming the duties of the office in 1886 he found little of record by his predecessors to guide him as to the future necessities, judging by past emergencies and how they had been met and disposed of. He had in a measure to begin anew. He had the ability and the will, and with him to will was to do. and he delayed not as to action; and his watchword all along the line was "Forward;" and today the grand results, rapid growth and efficiency of the schools in the county commend the management much more than can words. In 1880 there were 1,036 census children in the County, and there were then twenty schools. In 1885 there were 1,264 children and thirty-three schools. In 1890 ther were 1,997 children in the County between the ages of five and seventeen years. Schools are now graded. Each teacher at the close of the school term is required to furnish to the County Superintendent of Schools a report showing the progress made by each pupil and their rating at close of school. This method enables the teacher on beginning a school to place each pupil where he properly belongs without a course of examination, as by application to the County Superintendent the report of the teacher who had taught the school last would be furnished. The city schools are under the same management as those of the county. Bakersfield has now the best school building in the county, costing $12,000. Delano has the second best, costing $10,000. Bonds have been voted to build an elegant as well as spacious school edifice in Bakersfield, to cost $30,000. The plans indicate a building which will be an ornament to the City and do credit to the County. Mr. Harrell is confident as to the advance that will be made in the educational interests of the County within a few years, and his aim is to bring his County up to the standard of the best in the State. He has the educational interests of his people at heart, is capable and energetic, and success will crown his efforts if sustained by the citizens, which they certainly will do. Kern County citizens are awake to the great possibilities of this section of the State, and will not permit any other people to surpass them in anything. Contrast the above with the following, written in 1932 and published in a piece of literature issued by the Kern County Chamber of Commerce, and you will at least have a faint idea of the growth in educational facilities that has taken place in the intervening two-score years: The total registration of the schools in Kern County for the term 1931-32 shows 25,375 pupils, a substantial gain over the 1922-23 term, when the total registration was 17,427. There are employed to instruct these students in all the schools of the County 992 teachers. The Junior College, located in Bakersfield, had 481 students registered for the 1931-32 term, taking their first two years' college training in the local institution. The Agricultural Department of the Kern County Union High School is one of the largest and most complete of any school in the West. The boys in this department win many first and second awards for their livestock exhibits at State and County fairs annually. Additional Comments: Extracted from: Where Rolls the Kern A History of Kern County, California By Herbert G. Comfort MOORPARK, CALIFORNIA: The ENTERPRISE Press 1934 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/kern/history/1934/whererol/earlychu282nms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cafiles/ File size: 7.8 Kb