Guide to the 1955 School Photos Collection (1955)

Edwards Photography: Edwards Publishing Co. was incorporated April 5, 1893. Frank G. Edwards, President, was of San Francisco. He was born on the 26th of April, 1822. He died May sixth, 1900. Edwards took pictures of the Santa Cruz Mountains resorts between 1893 and 1900. The original directors of the company were: Directors, Frank G. Edwards, Ellen J. Edwards, Emily Carter, F. Ernest Edwards and Charles H. Forbes.

Branchiforte School: Was the main school in the Branchiforte area prior to Gault School being built in 1888. Was originally on the hill where Santa Cruz Hospital later occupied.

Gault School: Was originally opened in 1888. It was named for the respected Calvin Gault, who owned the land the school was constructed on. Prior to the school being built, many of the children of the area attended Branchiforte School. The school expanded in size over time, adding small buildings, and at one point (1914) teaching from tents as the school was too crowded. The school was officially expanded in the late 1920s in a project that rebuilt two other area schools.

Grant School: Was a hub for the community. Though it no longer exists, in its time, it was a location for voting in local elections and had a highly active baseball team.

Laurel School: The original Laurel School was erected in 1894 on the site of the original Flat School (that was built in 1878). A new Laurel School was built in the same place in 1930. The old school was demolished to create a larger building for the growing student population. The Parent Teachers Associate (P.T.A.) was established in 1912 and was the first unit of the P.T.A. in Santa Cruz.

Mission Hill School: The original school was built in 1876. In 1929 construction began on a new Mission Hill School in a different location. In that year three schools were rebuilt: Mission Hill, Laurel, and Gault. The cornerstone of the new Mission Hill School was a large marble block that contains all of the available data about the history of the school district and the history of the erection of the three new schools.

Series I: 1955 School Photos (March 1955), Yearbooks

Subseries 1.A:  Branciforte
Subseries 1.B:  Gault
Subseries 1.C:  Grant
Subseries 1.D:  Laurel
Subseries 1.E:  Mission Hill

SERIES I:  1955 SCHOOL PHOTOS (MARCH 1955), YEARBOOKS

One Box, five books

Series Scope and Content Summary

This collection consists of 5 yearbooks from Santa Cruz area Elementary Schools. They include: Branciforte School, Gault School, Grant School, Laurel School, and Mission Hill School. Each yearbook is approximately 8.5 by 11 inches and is bound on the left hand side. The inside cover identifies the company who took the photos and printed the yearbooks; Edwards Photography. Their slogan reads “Finest Photographic Service for Schools.” Each book contains a staff page, and pages for each grade with images of the students and teachers. A few of the books also contain pages for Hall Monitors and Traffic Patrol school groups.

This Series is divided into five (5) subseries.

Subseries 1.A:  Branciforte School Yearbook (March 1955)
Subseries 1.B:  Gault School Yearbook (March 1955)
Subseries 1.C:  Grant School Yearbook (March 1955)
Subseries 1.D:  Laurel School Yearbook (March 1955)
Subseries 1.E:  Mission Hill School Yearbook (March 1955)

Subseries 1.A: Branciforte School Yearbook (March 1955)

One (1) Book

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This yearbook shows the school pictures of the students and teachers of Branciforte School in Santa Cruz, California in March of 1955. The book includes a page with staff pictures, and pages for each grade: Mrs. Pedemonte (grade 1), Mrs. Bell (grade 1), Miss Williams (grade 2), Miss Blood (grade 2), Miss Kevil (grade 3), Miss Giffen (grade 4), Miss Parsons (grade 5), Mr. Jarrett (grade 5), Mr. Levine (grade 6), Mrs. Cave (grade 6), Mrs. Gilson (grade not listed), and Mrs. Harn (grade not listed). Between each page containing pictures, there is an identification page, only some of which are filled out, identifying the students on the opposite page.

Subseries 1.B: Gault School Yearbook (March 1955)

One (1) Book

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This yearbook shows the school pictures of the students and teachers of Gault School in Santa Cruz, California in March of 1955. The book includes a page with staff pictures, and pages for each grade and other groups: Traffic Patrol page, Mrs. Mealiffe (AM Kindergarten), Mrs. Kennedy (AM Kindergarten), Mrs, Kennedy (PM Kindergarten), Mrs. Mealiffe (PM Kindergarten), Mrs. Engstrom (grade 1), Mrs. Wilhelm (grade 1), Mrs. Goodsell (grade 2), Mrs. Chalmers (grade 2), Mrs. Lofberg (grade 3), Mrs. Parlier (grade 3), Mrs. Hiland (grade 4), Mrs. Thomas (grades 4-5), Mr. Martin (grade 5), Mr. Foster (grade 6), and Miss Watson (grade 6). Between each page containing pictures, there is an identification page, only some of which are filled out, identifying the students on the opposite page.

Subseries 1.C: Grant School Yearbook (March 1955)

One (1) Book

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This yearbook shows the school pictures of the students and teachers of Grant School in Santa Cruz, California in March of 1955. The book includes a page with staff pictures, and pages for each grade: Mrs Boyd (AM Kindergarten), Miss Stansberry (grade 1), Mrs. Fincher (grade 2), Mrs. Maddock (grade 3), Miss Miller (grade 3), and Mrs. Arneal (grade 4). Between each page containing pictures, there is an identification page, only some of which are filled out, identifying the students on the opposite page.

Subseries 1.D: Laurel School Yearbook (March 1955)

One (1) Book

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This yearbook shows the school pictures of the students and teachers of Laurel School in Santa Cruz, California in March of 1955. The book includes a page with staff pictures, and pages for each grade, and school groups: Hall Monitors page, Traffic Patrol page, Mrs. Overfelt (AM Kindergarten), Mrs. Overfelt (PM Kindergarten), Mrs. Crampton (grade 1), Miss Dickey (grade 2), Mrs. Malloch (grade 3), Miss Peirona (grade 4), Mrs. Gee (grade 5), Mrs. Macaulay and Mr. Bergazzi (grade 6). Between each page containing pictures, there is an identification page, only some of which are filled out, identifying the students on the opposite page.

Subseries 1.E: Mission Hill School Yearbook (March 1955)

One (1) Book

Subseries Scope and Content Summary

This yearbook shows the school pictures of the students and teachers of Mission Hill School in Santa Cruz, California in March of 1955. The book includes a page with staff pictures, and pages for each grade: Mrs. Benko (grade 1), Mrs. Salmon (grade 2), Mrs. Lewis (grade 3), Mrs. Hunt (grade 4), Miss Merrill (grade 5), and Miss Janes (grade 6), Between each page containing pictures, there is an identification page, only some of which are filled out, identifying the students on the opposite page.