The Stockton High School building was constructed in 1904, after
considerable difficulty in creating a high school district which
would include the old North District, outside the City limits. On
April 29, 1901, the Board voted to bond themselves for $150,000.00
to finance the acquisition of a site and construction of a building
suitable to hold 600 students.
Site selection became a major problem, but, finally a four block
area bounded by Harding way, Vine, San Joaquin and California Streets
was purchased from Julia Weber at a cost of $24,000.00. Approximately
10 acres were finally established by deciding the street rights-of-way
to the school district.
On September 26, 1902, the plans submitted by Stockton architect
George Rushforth were adopted.
The cornerstone was laid on April 18, 1903, by the Grand Lodge of
Masons under the direction of Grand Master Orrin S. Henderson, a
graduate of High School Instruction in 1881. Charles C. Neumiller,
a graduate of the class of 1896 accepted the structure on behalf
of the School District.
The trustees accepted the building on July 31,1904. The cost of
construction was $154,990.00, including the site and furniture.
The first floor of the school included 10 classrooms, the principal's
office, teachers' lounge, District Superintendent's office, library,
and two student cloakrooms. The second floor held classrooms, a
science lecture room and four labs, plus an assemble hall. The basement
contained store rooms, lavatory facilities, the hearing and ventilation
system and living quarters for the custodian and his family. A gym
building was built separate from the main structure.
The district made an effort to landscape the surrounding property,
engaging landscaper William Vortriede in June 1904 as the district
groundsman. A lawn, trees, shrubs and a greenhouse were added in
addition to beautiful flower beds.
At the opening ceremonies on September 12, 1904, Dr. David Starr
Jordan of Stanford University addressed the crowd.
In 1966, it was reported that the main high school building was
unsafe in the event of an earthquake. By June 1977, the campus was
finally abandoned. In February and March of 1978, the science and
commercial building was razed and the cafeteria-classroom building
followed.
On January 24,1978, a new skills school, named the Commodore Stockton
Skills School, was begun on the site of the original high school.
It opened September 5, 1978.
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Stockton,
CA 
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