LIVE OAK UNION HIGH SCHOOL
After considerable effort on the part of several
public-spirited citizens, the Like Oak Union high school opened at
Morgan Hill in September, 1904, with a small enrollment.
Montgonery Hall was used to house the pupils for the first term, for
although bonds had been voted, the construction of thehigh school
buioding now known as the administration buidling of the present group,
was not completed until 1905. Professor Petitt had charge of the
first term of school, and he was succeeded by Prof. Franklin H.
Talbert, who remained with the school until 1910. He was followed by
Prof. C. C. Childress, and three years later, in 1913, Prof. Lewis H. Britton took
the principalship,and with the exception of the years, 1915-1916
and 1917-1918, has been in charge of this growing educational
institution and the leading figure in the marvelous deelopment in the
Morgan Hill schools. In 1915-1916, Professor Abbott, now dean of
the College of the Pacific, succeeded Mr. Britoon temporarily, and in
1917-1918, H C. Tillman, now fo the faculty of the San Jose
highg school, occupiedthis responsible post. On both occassions
Mr. britton was called into the military service of his county, and
gladly gave up his chosen vocation to accompany teh U. S> Army to
Mexico, as a first lieutenant under General Funston, later being
promoted to captain and seeing over two years' service overseas during
the Worl War. Needless to say, he received a warm welcome on his
return, borth from his pupils and thepatrons of the school.
At the organization fo the Live Oak Union high school, the following
rural districts were included: Highland, Burnett, San Martin,
Machado and Morgan Hil, and in August, 1921, the additin of the Coyote,
Llagas and Uvas distrits added greatly to the enrollment. In
April, 1921, the $45, 000 bond issue carried , this sum to be used for
the construction of three additional buildings, making a fine group,
and alsof the purchase of ten acres in the town of Morgan Hill.
The departments of chemistry, science, home economics and physical
training are now well cared for, with modern equipkment throughout the
entire courses, and the machine shop and woodworking deparment deserves
special mention. The Smith-Hughes agricultural work is carried on
under the close supervision of Prof. S. H. Davvidson and has been given
high and well-deserved commendaetion by the federal inspectors.
The fact that a great number of the students who attend the high school
live at some distance from Morgan Hill made the problem of
transportation quite a difficult one to cope with, but a fleet of motor
busses are now operated by the school, and so far this has proved very
successful. In 1921 the first kndergarten was establihsed and this was
temporarily housed at the high school on account of the congestion in
the grammar school The trustees are Robert Britton, president; C.
D. Robertson, clerk; Mrs. A. F. Cochrane, E. E. Worcester, and Charles
Kellogg, and the high school faculty consists of Lewis H. Britton,
principal; Sidney H. Davidson, vice-principal; Mrs. B. G. Bevier,
Authur G. Van Gorder, Will Jessup, Miss Florence I. Yesberg, Miss Agnes
Corcoran, Charles A. Pihl, Miss Genevieve Barlow, and Miss Myrtle L.
Shafer. The district is very fortunate in having the
representative board of trustees and a splendid spirit of cooperation
exists between them and the faculty and studen body, this harmonious
relatonship being manifested in the activity and progress of the pupils.
Transcribed by Carolyn Feroben, from Eugene T. Sawyers' History of Santa Clara County,California, published by Historic Record Co. , 1922, page 1318