YCHS: Spring Lake School House

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History of Spring Lake School House*

Spring Lake Schoolhouse is a real one room country schoolhouse that was built in 1869, a mile east of the Yolo County Fairgrounds. The parents who farmed near Gibson Road and Country Road 101 wanted their children to learn to read and write, so they worked together to build this school themselves with donated lumber and materials. The Schoolhouse has been moved two times when it finally landed in 1889 at present day 1585 East Gibson Road, the location of Willow Spring School (abandoned now).

In 1950 the Yolo County Historical Society campaigned to raise $350 to buy the building and move it to the Yolo County Fairgrounds, where you see it today.

In the first seventeen years of the school history, there were fifteen different teachers, four of them men. The teacher often lived with a student’s family, sometimes moving from one family to another during the year.

The Spring Lake Schoolhouse Museum is a Yolo County historical resource owned and operated by the Yolo County Historical Society. It is open during the Yolo County Fair held every year from Wednesday evening through Saturday in August.

During the fall and spring the schoolhouse hosts third grade classes from throughout the county for a living history experience. Over 20 retired teachers, both male and female, staff the schoolhouse using the curriculum from 1890 researched by Mrs. Marilyn Kraegel. Over 600 students visit the schoolhouse every year.

Schoolmarms and Schoolmasters

The following is a list of the retired teachers who have volunteered to become schoolmarms and schoolmasters for the Spring Lake Schoolhouse. These retired teachers have undergone a two day observation to prepare themselves for the experience. They then are paired with an experienced schoolmarm/master.

These are the individuals who make our living history program happen: Martha Brashear, Marilyn Scholz, Joyce Sahara, Germaine Hupe, Frank Blakeman, Virginia Salley, Jackie Scott, Barbara Anderson, Donna Jaques, Cathy Fleming, Enid Williams, Pat Turner, Karen Lafferty, Donna Peoples, Peg Monley, Margaret Leahy, Kathy Cobb, Kathy Harryman, Karen Mercante, Connie Crandall, and Patty Honbo.

We are always looking for more teachers to complement our list. If you would like to be part of this vibrant group, please call Marilyn Sholz at 530-662-0671.

*Information taken from YCHS brochure “Spring Lake School Historic One Room Country Schoolhouse”