Memories of life in a one-room schoolhouse are preserved on video to provide a firsthand glimpse into the past. Ten longtime community members who attended one-room schoolhouses in Far East County shared stories of friendship, learning, and strict discipline of the teacher.
Co-produced by Doreen Forlow and Justin Burkeen for the East Contra Costa Historical Society, the half hour video features stories that capture a simpler, slower time when fourteen one-room schoolhouses dotted the area. Each school was an individual district with a Board of Trustees who were residents of the area served. Through the course of time, these individual districts combined to form the current Brentwood, Byron, Knightsen, and Oakley Union School Districts. The Liberty Union High School District formed in 1902 which allowed students to attend high school locally without having to travel to Martinez.
Persons interviewed:
Lone Tree School – Dewey DeMartini, Joe McFarlan, John Slatten, May (DeMartini) Shrader, Gene Stonebarger
Bradford Island School – Mary (Jardine) Armstrong, Linda (Rogers) Gregory
Liberty School (on Marsh Creek Road) – Verna (Cakebread) Kruse, Norma (Ghiozzi) Lewis, Barbara (Cakebread) Van Buren
Thank you for putting this together. It is very interesting!
My mother, Frances (Stornetta) Welch, went to school at Excelsior school and Liberty Union HS. Her life long friends Verna and Norma are in this video. My Mom is now 98. The baby (toddler) ‘walker’ is in your museum. I have been told. I am so happy to see this video. Thank you so very much!!!