Allensworth School

USA / California / Alpaugh / Douglas Avenue

School house built in 1912 and one of the three original Allensworth buildings still standing.
An essential public in the new community was the Allensworth School District.
The first classes had been held in the home of Mr. Hackett as early as 1909.
In 1910 the people of Allensworth secured a county school through a Mr. Walker of Visalia, the County Superintendent of Schools, and in that same year, the first small school was built.
The school was a regular county school with one teacher. The colony chose a Black teacher, Mr. William Payne. Mr. Oscar Overr donated the lumber for the building and the Alpaugh School District supplied money for the teacher's salary.
The size of the classes soon made it necessary for people to build a larger school, the former school building became the “Mary Dickerson Memorial Library” and reading room.
The Allensworth School District was organized on 8 February 1912, the new Board of Trustees consisting of Josephine Allensworth, W. H. Hall, and Cora Overr.
The new one-room frame schoolhouse, with partitions to divide the large area into two classrooms, was constructed in 1912. There were five defined spaces in the school building: Two classrooms, two dressing rooms, and one stage area.
This building's function as a public school came to an end in 1972.
Since then it has been restored to it's general appearance as of 1915.
Activities at this site have included meetings of the Allensworth Progressive Association, the Women’s Improvement League, the Debating Society, the Theater Club, and the Glee Club.
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   35°51'46"N   119°23'32"W
This article was last modified 17 years ago