Sarah Edwards ' eighth-grade history class is in session at Isbell Middle School in Santa Paula. Her classroom looks typical, except for one thing. It has a fireplace. It’s one of the campus's unique historical features, and the school is celebrating a major anniversary.
"It's a 100-year celebration of the school, and we are looking forward to showing a lot of the memories of this campus," said Ralph Reyes, Outreach Coordinator for Isbell. He said one of the special things about the campus is that some of its rooms still have fireplaces, dating back to when they were needed to heat the building in the 1920’s.
"There are 12 fireplaces in the school," said Reyes. They aren’t usable, but remain as a reminder of the school’s history.
The school is named after Olive Mann Isbell, credited as the first American teacher in the state. After she retired, she lived in Santa Paula until her death.
"She came from Ohio during the horse and buggy days. They settled at Mission Santa Cruz. The Mexican-American War was going on at the time. A lot of the men went off to war, and the women and children stayed back," said Reyes. "Since she (Isbell) was a teacher, she had to figure out a way to calm the kids down, because they could hear gunfire. So, she decided to start her own school."
Reyes said that without proper school supplies, Isbell was very creative.
"She had no papers or pens or pencils. She had no classroom, so she cleared out an old barn, and had children sit on benches. Since she didn't have anything to write with, they used charcoal and wrote on their hands. They would go through the alphabet letters on their hands, and would do math problems on their hands."
It’s a miracle the school even exists. In 1928, the St. Francis Dam outside of Santa Clarita burst. It sent a 120-foot-high wall of water down the Santa Clara River Valley. More than 430 people died. Hundreds of homes were destroyed in Santa Paula. But the school survived, and they used it as a temporary morgue. Julissa Carrillo, with the Santa Paula Unified School District, said it’s led to stories over the years about the campus being haunted. She told one of those stories.
"The entire school had a fire drill," said Carrillo. "The school was supposed to be out on the field. The office heard noise coming from one of the classrooms, and they thought it was weird, because everyone was supposed to be out on the field. They went over to see what was going on. They walked into the classroom, and the desks were moved around; there was a mud handprint on one of the tables, and I think that ties in with the fact that the school was used as a morgue."
But, for most people, the Isbell campus is a place where good memories are made. Reyes is on the faculty now, but he grew up in Santa Paula and was once one of the kids walking down these hallways. He was a student from 1988 to 1990.
"It's pretty much the same, the laughing, and the rush to get out to break to get your snack," said Reyes as he watched dozens of students walk down a hallway between classes. "Sometimes, I have to pinch myself to know that I'm back at a school I was at almost 40 years ago."
What do current students think about the school’s history?
"My parents like that this is the school my family went to, and it's kind of special for them to see that I'm going here too," said Olivia Nata.
While the school may be old, its offerings are modern. Its full name now is Isbell Middle School Academy of College and Careers. It reflects a goal of preparing students for college or vocational training.
The campus is set to undergo a $45 million renovation project. But the idea is to preserve its history, like the 1926 plaque at the school’s entrance commemorating its namesake, Olive Mann Isabel.
And two of the 12 still-existing fireplaces will be saved to help honor the building’s history.
The school is opening its doors to the public Thursday night to celebrate its 100th anniversary. The event is from 5-7 p.m. Live music, food, and a photo and memorabilia exhibit will be available.
And, perhaps most importantly, generations of Isbell students can come together and share their memories.
