Dewey Public School - Oakland

c.1916 courtesy Tim Sanchez
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The Dewey Public School (sometimes called the George Dewey School) was at 37th Avenue and East 12th Street (Merrill Avenue and Washington Street in Fruit Vale before the 1909 annexation.) It was dedicated in 1899, and named for Admiral George Dewey, who was a national hero at the time for his part in the Spanish-American War.

1898 drawing

1909 class, including Norman Houston

School Grounds and Changes

1903 Sanborn excerpt1912 Sanborn excerpt1925 Sanborn excerpt1950 Sanborn excerpt1961 Sanborn excerpt

The Sanborn maps show the progression of changes. Most notably, the 1925 Sanborn shows the addition of an annex to the east, and a school yard to the south beyond the Western Pacific tracks. There was a subway passage to allow students safe access. Finally, the 1961 Sanborn shows the original building and manual training building demolished, and the former annex was now the entire school. Also note that the former play yard was sold and two warehouses built on the property.

1920 plans ¹

In 1920, plans were drawn for a beautiful new school building at Dewey. But the next year it was announced that they would rebuild the existing school instead of building a new one. ^1,2 The subway under the railroad tracks took longer. The board approved the idea in 1921, but they weren't completed until 1923.

Dewey High School

The 5th and 6th grade classes were moved to other schools about 1954, and the 4th grade classes in 1961. In 1964, the remaining elementary classes were moved to other schools, and Dewey became a 'continuation' high school. ³ In 2001, the school district announced that Dewey High School would be moved to temporary trailers on 2nd Avenue, and the location would become an elementary school. ⁴

The East 12th Street location is now ASCEND, a TK-8 school.