Oakland School Journeys from 1931 to Today

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Oakland schools are back in session and we’re looking forward to a year of helping teachers and students with their research. Students are probably looking forward to some of the most exciting days of the school year: the field trips!  

Two teachers guiding a line of small children onto a school bus.
Melrose School excursion to Sequoia Park, 1st and 2nd grade children entering bus for return to school. Oakland Public School Negatives Collection, O-493. Courtesy Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Center.

I recently came across the book Some Oakland School Journeys and What Came of Them in our school archives. It’s a collection of reports from Oakland teachers in 1931, describing their favorite field trips and how they tied them to their lesson plans. 

Woman showing an object to a group of children in a replica of a colonial American kitchen.
Mrs. Crase's class from Edison School on an excursion to the Oakland Museum. Curator Miss Mott explains the Colonial exhibit. Oakland Public School Negatives Collection, O-629. Courtesy Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Center.

Oakland school kids in 1931 were going everywhere from the neighborhood grocery store, the nearby park, the fire station, the airport, the shredded wheat factory, the museum, the railroad tracks, Joaquin Miller’s house, the Tribune Tower, and more. 

One teacher wrote about taking 25 trips around the neighborhood of Manzanita School in one semester – doing things like looking at buildings under construction, talking about where the water from the sidewalk water fountain comes from, and visiting pets who lived in the neighborhood. 

Group of children in a neighborhood store
Miss Power's high 1st grade class from Sequoia School visiting a neighborhood grocery store. Oakland Public School Negatives Collection, O-230. Courtesy Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Center.

When this book was published it was intended as a handbook for teachers, a source of ideas of where to take their classes. Today it’s not only an interesting look back at educational methods of almost 100 years ago, but also an interesting tour of the bygone city.

Five children seated on the shoreline looking toward large fishing boats with tall masts.
Cleveland School excursion to sketch the boats of the Alaska Packers Association. Oakland Public School Negatives Collection, O-613. Courtesy Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Center.

Our Oakland Public Schools photo collection includes many of the original photographs that were included in this volume, as well as some photographs of school excursions from the same era that didn’t make it into print. All of the photos included here are from 1930 and 1931. 

Teacher and students standing at the propeller of a small airplane.
Miss Mosgrove's class from Cleveland School on a special art class excursion to San Francisco Bay Aerodrome. Oakland Public School Negatives Collection, O-657. Courtesy Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Center.

Many classes visit their local libraries to hear stories, sign up for library cards, and check out books. But did you know that the Oakland History Center also offers class visits for students from elementary through post-graduate levels? If you’re a teacher you can contact us (at least 2 weeks in advance) to arrange a time and discuss your goals for the visit. We may be able to show your students things like "the biggest book you've ever seen" and "photos of kids who went to your school in the 1910s," or we can pull things that more specifically relate to research for class projects. You can reach us at ohc@oaklandlibrary.org or 510-238-3222.

Group of Chinese children, teenagers, and young adults waving as they stand on and in front of a passenger train car.
Mrs. Merrill's ungraded Chinese class from Lincoln School on an excursion to the round house, acting the part of departing travelers and waving from the observation platform of a passenger train. Oakland Public School Negatives Collection, O-668. Courtesy Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Center.

Group of students and school bus in front of a large domed observatory.
Miss Lassen's class from Claremont School on a science group excursion to Chabot Observatory. Oakland Public School Negatives Collection, O-669. Courtesy Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Center.

Group of students looking out over a lake.
Mrs. Long's class from John Swett School on a sketching excursion to Lake Aliso at Mills College. Oakland Public School Negatives Collection, O-652a. Courtesy Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Center.

Group of students onboard a ship, gathered around the helm.
Miss Dunn's class from Dewey School on an excursion to the Cutter Bear. Oakland Public School Negatives Collection, O-560. Courtesy Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Center.

Children hiding behind bushes and observing birds with sketchbooks and notepads.
Miss Settles' 3rd and 4th grade Audubon Bird Club members at Montclair School. Oakland Public School Negatives Collection, O-212. Courtesy Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Center.

Group of children gathered around a chain link fence with an elephant on the other side.
1st and 2nd grade students from Melrose School looking at an elephant in Sequoia Park. Oakland Public School Negatives Collection, O-494. Courtesy Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Center.

Children standing on railroad tracks looking at a ferryboat pulling up to the slip.
Mrs. Mosgrove's class from Cleveland School on an excursion to watch the train ferry entering and leaving the slip. Oakland Public School Negatives Collection, O-654a. Courtesy Oakland Public Library, Oakland History Center.

We hope you all have a wonderful year filled with educational excursions, whether they're part of the school day or not. 

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