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History of Palmdale School DistrictPalmdale School District was first formed in 1888. A small frame building was erected on the site now occupied by the Bank of America parking lot. Since enrollement of the school was very small, Palmdale District underwent her first Unification Experience in 1892. Harold District was formed from parts of Lancaster, Palmdale, and Soldedad Districts. The old school was moved to Palmdale Boulevard and Eighth Street East where it still stands as part of the real estate office. However, as a few new families took up their residence at Palmdale, it was decided to move the school back to Palmdale. On a petition to change the name back to "Palmdale School District". A two story brick building which stood on Palmdale Boulevard and Fifth Street East was purchased. Miss Clara Johnson was principal of this school. In 1917 this school building was condemned as unsafe for school use. It was sold to be used as a private residence. A deed to the land between Tenth and Eleventh Streets East and between Palmdale Boulevard and Avenue Q-12, dated June 29, 1917, gave Palmdale School District title to the land now occupied by Maryott School, the District Office, and Courson Park. The cost -- $10.00. Palmdale Land Company, seller, was represented by Donald Barker and C.F. Smith. the new school was built at once of bricks. It consisted of the central structure now occupied by the administrative offices, the two small conference rooms, and a classroom at each end, now occupied by rooms number 8 and 9. The central area was the auditorium. The present supply room was the stage. A balcony was built over the area now used as a front hall. This room served as a community center where all public meetings were held. At this time Palmdale consisted of one brick store, the railroad station, and the school, with a few houses. Most of the pupils came from the surrounding ranches. The road which served as a link between Palmdale and Los Angeles was a trail through the sand and sage only wide enough for one vehicle. The opening of the Mint Canyon Highway in 1921 gave Palmdale its first access to the Los Angles markets. Two more classrooms, number 10 and number 7, were built of brick at that time - also a small library room to house county books. In 1933 a severe earthquake was felt in Palmdale. The brick schoolhouse was condemned. W.P.A. labor was provided to raze the building and build a stucco schoolhouse on the same floors. The towers were not replaced. In 1940, room number 11 and the auditorium were added. Two bungalows were built at right angles to the auditorium. This auditorium had huge floor-to-ceiling windows on the sides. Heavy lined draperies were used to darken the room. A projection booth was built high in the back of the auditorium. Wolcott and Smith rented this auditorium in the evenings to use for a movie theater. Mr. Marty Monia managed this theater until the Palm Theater was built by this same Mr. Frank Smith. Enrollment of Palmdale School was 185 students at that time. Mr. Monia and Mr. Earl Carter took scraps of lumber left from building this addition and built the present shop where buses are serviced. In 1949 the bathrooms at the south end of the hall and the two classrooms and bathrooms at the north end of the building were constructed. The old auditorium was made into the administrative offices as we now know them. Mr. Willoughby was the first superintendent to use these offices. Room number 15 was the cafeteria with a small kitchen where the furnace now stands. Hot lunches were a "sometime thing". Some years the Board would vote to have lunches served, and some years the cafeteria would be closed. At one time Mrs. Wykoff and Mrs. Temple leased the small conference room, converted it into a kitchen, and sold lunches to the children who carried their trays to their rooms to eat their food. About 4:00 a.m., November 9, 1950, fire was discovered in the Palmdale School. The fire totally destroyed the beautiful auditorium. Cause of the fire was never determined. The insurance company that financed the rebuilding ruled against the big windows and other "frills" which had been incorporated in the first auditorium. Cost of rebuilding was $52,347. In 1951, the kindergarten building and the primary wing were added to Palmdale School at a cost of $99,500. During that year, enrollment grew from 363 to 580 children. In 1953 enrollment was 665 and all children were on half day sessions. In 1955 with the opening of Sage School the two bungalows were sold and moved to Leona Valley where they are now used as a community center. In 1957, construction of the south wing was accomplished at a cost of $107,088. Final addition to the Palmdale School was made in 1958-59. This was the construction of a kitchen and accessory facilities, conversion of the auditorium into a multi-use room, and making the old cafeteria into a classroom. Cost of this work was $97,400. Land now occupied by Maryott School is 9.2 acres; the total building area is 17,740 feet. In the spring of 1960, Palmdale School was renamed Roy R. Maryott School. Tumbleweed and Maryott remained one school until February 2, 1965, when Tumbleweed became a separate school. Enrollment at Maryott is 360. In 1942, Palmdale School District purchased a bus. Mr. Earl Carter, the custodian, drove the bus. When he was busy, the part-time school clerk assisted with this chore. On some occasions the teaching principal, Mrs. Cook, drove the bus. When Mr. Ralph Thompson joined the Palmdale faculty, his first assignment was to teach a combination sixth and seventh grade class in one of the bungalows and make the noon run with the bus. Reports are that during the hour Mr. Thompson was out with the bus, his class sat in disciplined silence so that one passing the classroom could not know whether "the teacher" was in or out. Mr. Carter planted the Arizona Cypress trees around the Palmdale
School grounds. He also purchased seeds and raised flower borders
along walks and drives. This was done in the evenings and on week-
ends. ![]() |
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