Cajon Valley Union School District history

As enrollment grew, it is believed that the school probably met in two other houses before a regular school building was constructed in 1878-89.

The J. P. R. Hall family came to El Cajon Valley in 1886 and developed a forty acre ranch along Madison Avenue between the present.

In August 1888, B. B. Warren was employed to teach for eight months beginning with September 10, 1888 at a salary of $70 per month but his service terminated in December 1888 and T. A. Ross was again employed to teach for the remaining seventeen weeks at salary of $70 per month.

Hillsdale School was built on Jamacha road in 1894.

Excerpt from "Once-A-Week"~ February 23, 1899 reads: "The Meridian High School celebrated Washington's birthday with a picnic at old Mission Dam."

The El Cajon Union High School was held in the upstairs of the Meridian School until 1908, at which time a high school building was constructed at Third and Broadway--"just up the road from the Meridian School."

In 1913, Miss Mary Jane Kennedy started teaching at the El Cajon School with 4 teachers and 200 students.

1920- In June of 1920, the Grossmont Union High School District was formed.

The work was to begin July 1, 1921, and to be completed in twelve months.

The following is a copy of page 5 in Grossmont Union High School's annual "El Recuerdo" - Volume 3 - 1923.

On June 28, 1926, the voters of the District approved the issuance of bonds in the amount of $16,000.

She began this service in the old El Cajon School on East Main Street in the year 1928.

Construction of this building began in the spring of 1937 and was completed in time for the opening of school in September of the same year.

The maximum tax rate was used in 1940-41 to raise the necessary funds required.

By 1941, the student enrollment had well outgrown the buildings on the El Cajon School yard.

Cuyamaca School was built in 1948.

By 1950, the attendance had grown to better than 2,000 children.

1952- Helix High School was built in La Mesa at 7323 University Avenue with Mr.

1953- John Ballantyne School . When the El Cajon junior high school opened, the buildings of the old El Cajon School on East Main Street were remodeled, eliminating the use of the front buildings as classrooms since that portion had been declared unsafe for classroom use.

1956- The Crest School was built up on the hill at Suncrest to serve the La Cresta and Suncrest area.

1958- Emerald Junior High School -(7th and 8th grades) opened in February of 1958 with Mr.

1959- El Capitan High School was constructed in Lakeside at 10410 Ashwood (formerly part of San Diego River) with Mr.

1961- Monte Vista High School was also built in Spring Valley at 3230 Sweetwater Road with Mr.

She served as principal until she retired in June, 1965 after 37 years of service to the district as teacher, vice principal, Director of Library Services (when the district pulled away from the County Services to form their own library), and principal.

Irene Vita was the first Principal. It was from this school that she retired in June, 1966 after having served the district for 28 years- three years as a teacher in El Cajon School, 16 years as principal of the Bostonia School, and 9 years as principal of Lexington School.

J. P. R. Hall wrote from Laguna Beach, California (September 25, 1967) that he was one of the students in that little one room Meridian School.