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BELLEVUE SCHOOLS TIMELINE
1883-Present Early pioneers claimed land and began homesteading in the area between 1863 and 1883.The land was given to the homesteaders by the U.S. government as long as they agreed to live on it and improve it. Property that was one-half mile from the lakeshore was considered choice property. Waterfront tracts, which were to be sold and money used for schools, were called “school section lands.”
During this same time, an informal post office was established and the pioneers named the area “Bellevue”, meaning “beautiful view”. 1883 The first public school was built in Killarney on the west side of 108th Avenue S.E., just north of S.E. 25 th Street.
This 10x12 log cabin school was built by Albert Burrows and George Miller. Miss Calanthia Burrows (“Tunie”), Albert’s daughter, was the first teacher for the 7 students. She was paid $40.00 for a three month term. The 7 students included two younger Burrrows children and 5 Miller children. 1884 A shanty on Mercer Island was used as a school. H.E. Kelsey was the teacher for 9 students. (Kelsey Creek is named for him)
1885 Mrs. Houghton was the next teacher.
School District #49 was formed November 10, 1885. It took in T25N R4E Sections 25, 36, T25N R5E, Sections 30, 31 22, 33, and half of Sections 28, and 29. It comprised what would today be Beaux Arts, and nearly all the area of Bellevue including the Killarney area. (Source: Boundary Books Puget Sound Regional Archives)
(School District #28 was formed February 8, 1879 and took in T24N R4E Sections 11, 12, and 13, and T24N R5E Section 18 and part of 17. Essentially this is the upper 1/3 of Mercer Island only and the eastern boundary was the middle of the East Channel. Source: Boundary Books Puget Sound Regional Archives)
1886 A small shack in a berry field, owned by Noe Lanier, was the next school. It was located north of where the old Sacred Heart Catholic Church on Main Street was later built. H.C. Jeffrey, a lawyer, was the teacher. The shack was in an open field where they sometimes did their studies.
1887 A new 14x20 foot one-room cabin on Main Street was built on property Donated by John R. Kinnear and his wife Rebecca. The 200 foot wide x 200 foot deep property was given to the school district on May 13, 1887 with the provision that “when the property should cease to be used in good faith for public school purposes, it at once reverts to grantors, their heirs, executors or assigns.”
Miss Florence Stowell was the teacher for eight students, five from the Bechtel Family. 1889 Carrie B. Lake took over for Miss Stowell as teacher because she was only 16 years old Bellevue Schools Timeline
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and a new territorial law would not allow anyone under 18 to teach.
WASHINGTON STATEHOOD November 11, 1889
SEATTLE FIRE 1889
1890 The first Wilburton School was opened on S. E. 4th Street (originally called Prospect Street). It was a one-room school for six students. It closed in 1919 The building was used for a community hall and a storage warehouse for Bellevue School District. In the late 40’s and early 50’s, the building was rented by the state highway department.
Highland School - Two months before Washington became a state, A. B. Huxford obtained property from the U. S. government for his homestead. After several months, he offered an acre of the land to the Highland School District #57, with the provision that it be used as a school for ten consecutive years. The original part of the building, constructed in 1890 by the old Highland School District, was located on the south side of N. E. 124th near 140 th N. E. The building was enlarged in 1912 and was topped with a large bell.
1891 Northup School opened. It was known first as School District 96 when it was first organized on April 11, 1891. An acre of land was purchased from Rosco Dunn to build the school on. The Northup name was derived from the James Northup family, who settled not far from Yarrow Bay in 1877. In 1940, Stanton and Esther Gandrud purchased the property, removed the bell tower, built a fireplace and turned the building, located at 2650 116th Ave. N. E., into a home. They owned it until The Little School purchased it in 1985. It is the oldest schoolhouse building still standing on its original site.
1892 The two-room Main Street School with a bell tower is built on the S. E. corner of 100th and Main Street. It was built with Bellevue’s first bond issue after Washington became a state. It cost $1500.00 and Bechtel, Burrows, Meyers, Sturtevant and Downey helped build it. Adelaide Frances Mickels was the teacher. 1893 Mercer Slough/Phantom Lake School opened in an abandoned bachelor’s cabin. Around 1911, it was enlarged. It closed in 1917 when a new school was built.
1897 KLONDIKE GOLD RUSH
1901 Factoria School opened creating Factoria School District #134.
1906 Wilburton School Property was acquired on October 4th by old school District #49 from Mary M. Gruber for $250.00.
1907-1909 FIRST AUTOMOBILES ON THE EASTSIDE
Bellevue Schools Timeline
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1909 Hunts Point School, a one-room schoolhouse opens. Miss Maude Bechtel was the first teacher. (8 grades in one room)
Miss Jepson, Mr. Einer Mr. Fretheim and Rudolph Elmer were principals. By 1917, another room had been added. Through the years, more additions and remodeling were done. Later the school was called Bay School and joined with Medina to be the Bay/Medina School. The school burned down in 1950. 1910 The first Medina School opened as its own little school district #17. Another building was built in 1925. It had four classrooms. Sixteen classrooms were added in 1956.
1912 Beaux Arts School property was obtained from several different Individuals for the sum of $1,000.00.
The Highland School Building is enlarged and topped with a large bell. (The bell is now mounted at Stevenson Elementary)
The Main Street School was established as a two-year secondary school in District #49 The entire high school and eighth grade shared a single room in the Main Street School. Frances Gordon and Norma Morgan were the first graduates.
1913 FERRYBOATS REPLACE STEAMERS FOR OVERLAKE. In December, the ferry, Leschi, was launched and with it came a major change in the transportation system. People could take their motor vehicles with them to Seattle and to the Eastside.
1916 196 students enrolled in the schools.
Bussing begins. Sam Sharpe was hired by the school district to use his own 1914 Studebaker as a bus for Wilburton students. His 14 year old son, Andy, drove the bus.
1918 M. Frank Odle takes the job in Bellevue as Superintendent, High School Principal (only 9th and 10 th grades), Teacher and coach.
A new Phantom Lake School opened. Located at 14821 S. E. 16 th St. It closed in 1942. The building was later sold and used as a home until it was purchased by the Knights of Columbus in 1974. The building still exists on its original site and is now called Cantrill Hall.
Enrollment: 160
1919 School Board decided the bussing operation was too expensive, so they closed the Wilburton School to save money. The money saved was used to buy coal for the Main Street School.
1920 The census of 1920 showed approximately 1,500 residents in the greater Bellevue area.
Bellevue Schools Timeline
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Miss LaMond organized the first debate team at the high school, which scored first place in the S.V.I.A League
In January, three elm trees were planted by the Bellevue Minute Women, in front of the grade school in memory of tree Bellevue Men who lost their lives in World War I. Victor Freed, Victor Hanson, and Oscar Johnson. (The elm trees are still standing, but the area is now part of the Downtown Park. In 2007, one elm tree was cut down due to wind storm damage and health of the tree. Another tree replaces it and the wood from the original tree will be made into a bench.
1922 A new grade school, on the east side of 102nd Avenue W.E. and N.E. 4th Street, opened when the Main Street School became too small to handle the increase of students. This building was two stories with 10 rooms for grades 1-8.
1923 Union S School District was organized. The Main Street School became a four-year accredited high school.
Leonora Brys, Paul Hunter, and Lillian Peterson were the first graduates of the new four-year accredited high school.
The first Bellevue High School Annual is produced as part of the REFLECTOR.
1925 Mr. Odle organized the Bellevue High School Honor Society.
The Bellevue High School annual was produced by the students and was named the BEACON. Alice Shiach served as the editor.
The four-room Medina School was opened with Sheldon Brooks as the first principal. Their first year in the league, the boys’ basketball team came in first.
1926 The first Bellevue High School student newspaper was produced and named the BARQUE. It began as a weekly publication and then was published monthly.
The boys’ baseball team were league champs, after only one previous year in the league. On Armistice Day, a stone monument was dedicated (served as a flagpole base) in memory of the three Bellevue men who died in the war. It was located near the front of the grade school building with the three elm trees that were planted in 1920. Today the school and flagpole are gone, but the memorial tablet and elm trees remain in the Downtown Park. (“1914-1918 Lest We Forget” is written on the monument along with the three men’s names.)
1928 The high school graduated 18 students.
The Bellevue High School orchestra and glee clubs were started.
Bellevue Schools Timeline
1922 A new grade school, on the east side of 102nd Avenue W.E. and N.E. 4th Street, opened when the Main Street School became too small to handle the increase of students. This building was two stories with 10 rooms for grades 1-8.
1923 Union S School District was organized. The Main Street School became a four-year accredited high school.
Leonora Brys, Paul Hunter, and Lillian Peterson were the first graduates of the new four-year accredited high school.
The first Bellevue High School Annual is produced as part of the REFLECTOR.
1925 Mr. Odle organized the Bellevue High School Honor Society.
The Bellevue High School annual was produced by the students and was named the BEACON. Alice Shiach served as the editor.
The four-room Medina School was opened with Sheldon Brooks as the first principal. Their first year in the league, the boys’ basketball team came in first.
1926 The first Bellevue High School student newspaper was produced and named the BARQUE. It began as a weekly publication and then was published monthly.
The boys’ baseball team were league champs, after only one previous year in the league. On Armistice Day, a stone monument was dedicated (served as a flagpole base) in memory of the three Bellevue men who died in the war. It was located near the front of the grade school building with the three elm trees that were planted in 1920. Today the school and flagpole are gone, but the memorial tablet and elm trees remain in the Downtown Park. (“1914-1918 Lest We Forget” is written on the monument along with the three men’s names.)
1928 The high school graduated 18 students.
The Bellevue High School orchestra and glee clubs were started.
Bellevue Schools Timeline
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1929 The old Factoria School burns down. A new brick school with four rooms was built and opened. The Bellevue High School’s girls’ basketball team won first place in the league and continued to win every year until 1936.
1929 13 students in grades 1-8.
1930 Union S High School was opened on 102nd Avenue N.E. between E. 1st and N.E. 4th. It was called Bellevue High School and later called Overlake High School. After the new high school on the hill was opened in 1949, the Union S. building became part of Bellevue Junior High. 22 students in grades 1-8.
1931 High School enrollment - 143 Graduates – 80
Mr. Green organized the first football team.
1932 John C. Stevenson, County Commissioner, dedicated the new athletic field. The football team placed first in the Valley Tournament.
1933 The high school student body began sponsoring a carnival to help finance sports and other school activities. The carnival continued to be very successful for many years.
1934 Bellevue’s typing team was honored with first place in the county and second in the state for speed and accuracy.
1935 The new Highland School opened. The old brick building still remains as part of Highland Middle School. Bellevue High School acquired the Bellevue Clubhouse after its reconstruction.
1936 Agriculture class and Future Farmers of America (FFA) started at Bellevue High School. First hot lunch program at Highland School started by Mrs. Ringdall. Eleanor Eitel, who entered Bellevue Grade School in the second grade and who graduated from both grade and high schools in Bellevue, returned to the high school as a home economics and art teacher. All previous records of enrollment are broken as 250 students entered at the beginning of the year.
1937 Bellevue Grade School PTA started on November 29. There were 7 Founding members.
The first football rally. Bellevue defeated Kirkland for the first time. A “Gala” football dance sponsored by the Seniors was held.
1938 Mrs. Ringdall helped start the hot lunch program at Bellevue Grade School.
1939 Bellevue Grade School PTA and WPA were serving one free hot dish to all school children.
1940 The completed Lacey V. Murrow Floating Bridge opens. This brought the end of the need for the ferry and steamer systems. School Enrollment – 803
1941 WORLD WAR II School Enrollment – 861 The Army took over the Factoria School on July 1 and used it for a barracks until January 1944. Mrs. Ringdall had helped start the hot lunch program at Bellevue High School.
1942 Three hundred local Japanese-Americans were evacuated to internment camps. School enrollment – 914 Ray Howard becomes the school superintendent Overlake Elementary was built as one of the last WPA projects in the State of Washington. In 1950, the name is changed to Bellevue Elementary. It became the school district administration office in the early 60’s. It was torn down in 1985 to make way for the Downtown park. The Overlake School District was created by consolidating the independent school districts of Factoria (#134), Hunts Point (#22), Bellevue (#49), Highland (#57), Phantom Lake (#117), Medina (#171) and Union S. High School.
The Main Street School was last used for school purposes during the Spring. The United States Army leased the property through the War Department. An active installation was maintained there at different times. Since the installation was subject to use, the War Department had to retain possession for a time.
The school district still owned a piece of property which adjoined the Kinnear property on the south. (90 ft x 215 ft,) Lake Washington Post #2995 of the VFW purchased the Bellevue Schools Timeline