The Helendale School District is one of the oldest Districts in the Victor Valley area.
The District was first formed on Feb. 4, 1877 under the name of "Mojave School
District".
This one room school building was the first school building. It is well preserved and
is now being used for a tool shed on the The Berge Ranch on Lord's Road.
In 1911 on Feb. 7 The New School District was formed. It is believed Mr. Pete Herlich
donated the land between the railroad tracks and the Triangle Dairy Ranch and the number
two school was built.
On April 21, 1913 the new Mojave School was suspended and re- established again on
September 15, 1913. The school was again suspended on Aug. 3, 1915 and re-established
Sept. 21, 1915.
In 1922 School number three was built. It was built of concrete blocks. It had one
large classroom, a large cloak room with large closets, also a kitchen. The restrooms also
of concrete blocks were in a separate building in the rear.
About 1930 School number two was sold to Mr. Hubert A. Miller. He moved it to his
ranch, remodeling it for a residence. This is now known as the West Ranch. Transportation
was furnished by the District for the first time in 1936. Mrs. Fred Orebaugh contracted
with the school board on a mileage basis to furnish transportation for the pupils. She
drove their large sedan and furnished transportation for five or six pupils.
For the school year of 1937-1938 the school purchased an old Ford school bus that the
Victor Valley School District had turned in on a new bus. Mrs. Warren Smithson was hired
to drive the bus. When the spring flood started the river bridge crossings at Helendale
and Wild washed out. Mrs. Smithson lived on the other side of the river and the majority
of the children to be transported lived on this side of the river. Because of this
condition Mrs. Smithson resigned and Ernest Layfield was hired the first of March 1938 to
drive the school bus. He drove the bus until June 1942. July 1, 1942 Mr. Calvin Herbold
Sr. was hired as custodian bus driver and held this job for twenty years.
Helendale belonged in the Barstow Union High School District until 1944 when the people
voted to join the Victor Valley Union High School District. Every year about March we
would have a flood and the river crossings would be out for two to six weeks. The children
on the far side of the river could not get to Barstow to school. They could get to
Victorville via the back road to Adelanto. This also was the year the school board decided
to send the 7th and 8th grades to Victorville. By popular vote the school joined Victor
Valley School District.
School number three was condemned and school number four was built on the present site
in 1950. Due to the terrific interference of the trains passing at the rate of one every
fifteen minutes it was decided to locate further from the railroad. The old school number
three and the grounds were traded for the ground school number four was built on. The
multi-purpose room was built in 1956.
Mr. Herbold resigned from custodian bus driver June 30, 1962. We have had several bus
drivers until Mr. Lonnie Cook was hired as custodian bus driver beginning Sept. 1973 and
is still with the school. Some of the teachers who have lived in the community, some of
you may remember, are Mrs. Ethel Rikalo who now resides in Paradise, Calif.; Mrs. Jo Ann
Carter who is now a teacher at Victorville Jr. High; Mrs. Bonnie Gonzales who is now Vice
Principal at Apple Valley School and Mrs. Mary Starbuck.
For the school year 1962-1963, Mr. C. Marshall Renno was hired as principal.
I think Mr. Renno. Mr. Herbold and Mr. Fred Orebaugh are the only three life
memberships in the P.T.A. to be given in this District.
The staff now consists of Mr. Lloyd Lewke who started Sept. 1975, is to be the new
principal. Mrs. Melba White is the primary teacher. Mrs. Mary Fretter is the instructional
aide for the school. Mr. Lonnie Cook is custodian bus driver. During Mr. Renno's time with
the school the school board members who have served are: Mrs. Mary Starbuck, Mr. Bob
Schockley, Mrs. Dorothy Layfield, Mr. Sarn Lewis, Mr. Bob Nelson, Mr. A.C. Frisbee.
Present board members are Mr. Mirl Orebaugh, Mr. Franklin Starbuck, Mrs. Ellen Ellis.
ORO GRANDE- Helendale School District, which encompasses 96 square miles with a student
enrollment of 42 in 1959-1960, is the oldest of 10 school districts in and around the
Victor Valley area. Included in the thesis written for his master's degree this summer,
Wesley Marenzcuk, principal of Oro Grande Elementary School, said that the Helendale
District was formed 83 years ago in 1878. Oro Grande District (one school) and Victor
School District (four schools) have been in operation for 74 years, since 1887.
DISTRICTS COMPARED
Victor School District in the 1959-60 period surveyed. covered 200.5 square miles with
enrollment of 1,507 students. Oro Grande included 72.5 square miles with enrollment of 183
students for the same period.
Listed below are other area school districts, student enrollment in 1959-60, square
miles encompassed in the district and the year they were formed.
Hesperia School District, 473, 75 square miles 1890
Lucerne Valley District, 212, 358 square miles 1906
Apple Valley District ( two schools) 58, 1133 square miles, l908
Adelanto School District (two schools) 726, 314 square miles, 1912
Phelan District, 38, 132.5 square miles 1915
Wrightwood District, 67, 35.5 square miles, 1930
Los Flores School District, 20, 56.5 square miles l932
STARTS IN 1952
Marenczuk first joined the Oro Grande School District as a teacher in 1952 and was
appointed principal in 1954. His thesis, "An Investigation of the In-Service Training
Programs in the Schools of Victor Valley (Elementary)", is the result of four years
work. He completed requirements for his thesis this summer at the University of Redlands
but will not receive his thesis says that Helendale area is oldest of 10 school districts
studied.
C. Burton Thrall Telephone 6511
COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO Mirl Orebaugh
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS Star Route Box 135
5441 Sierra Way, P. O. DRAWER 1201 Helendale, CA 92342
SAN BERNARDINO, CALIFORNIA
March 19, 1957
Mrs. H. A. Miller
3719 June Street
San Bernardino, California
Dear Mrs. Miller:
The following is information relative to the formation of the Helendale Sehool
Distriet: The district was first formed on February 4, 1877 under the name of Mojave
School District. In 1911, on February 7, the New Mojave School District was formed.
On April 21, 1914 the Mojave (New Mojave School District was suspended and was
re-established September 15, 1913. Once again the school was suspended on August 3, 1915
and re-established September 21, 1915.
The name of the district was changed to Helendale School District December 15, 1930.
The records as to school buildings and teachers are locked up in the vaults over at the
Courthouse so I was unable to get this information for you. However you may be able to
secure additional information by writing to Mr. George Carter, Principal Helendale School,
Helendale, California.
Very truly yours;
(Mrs.) Carole S. 0vermyer
Superintendent's Secretary
TEACHERS OF HELENDALE SCHOOL
-1892 - Rose Wilson
1927-1928 Ethel Marshall
1928-1929 Mary Farnum
1929-1930 Mary Farnum
1930-1931 May F. Krause
1931-1932 Opal Mitchell
1932-1933 Opal Mitchell
1922-1934 Opal Mitchell
1934-1935 Clare Clark
1935-1936 Clare Clark
1936-1937 Beryl Calderhead
1937-1938 Beryl Calderhead
1938-1939 Beryl Calderhead
1939-1940 Beryl Holcomb
1940-1941 Hazel A. Smith
1941-1942 Mary Givens
1942-1943 Mary Givens
1943-1944 Ethel Rikalo
1944-1945 Ethel Rikalo
1945-1946 Mary Helen Blaylock
1947-1948 Mary Helen Blaylock
1948-1949 Mary Sue Pevebaugh
1949-19S0 J.H.Cooper, Principal; Gudrun Daud, Primary room
1950-1951 Velma Daniels
1951-1952 Velma Daniels, Principal; Ralph Bullock, Primary
room
1952-1953 Velma Daniels, Principal; Ralph Bullock, Primary
room
1953-1954 Isabelle Hill, Principal; Louis L. Beck, Upper room
1954-1955 Mrs. Adelle Beck, Lower room; Louis J. Beck, Upper
room
1955-1956 Louis J. Beck, Principal; Mrs. Miriam Collier, Lower
room Wanna Irvin and Helen Williams finished the lower room
1956-1957 George Carter, Principal; JoAnn Carter, Lower room;
Carolyne Dianne Babeng, teacher; Mary Starbuck finished 9th and
10th month of 1958
1958-1959 Robert Montroy, Principal; Teachers: Carolyn Babeng
and Bonnie R. Gonzales
1959-1960 Robert T. Montroy, Principal: Gertrude Policano, Lower room
1960-1961 Rosalie Cempura, Principal; Eleanor Miller, Lower room
1961-1962 Eleanor Miller (deceased Nov. 61) Mildred Brodokin finished term Rosalie Cempura
started, resigned Dec.; Donald Britt finished
1962-1963 Mr. C. Marshall Renno, Principal; Mrs. Rudelle Parrish, Primary
1963-1964 Mr. C. Marshall Renno, Principal; Mrs. Rudelle Parrish, Primary
1964-1965 Mr. C. Marshall Renno, Principal; Mrs. Muriel Schultz, Primary
1965-1966 Mr. C. Marshall Renno, Principal; Teachers; Martha Murphy, Nina L. Gregg, Flora
Brodoch
1966-1967 Mr. C. Marshall Renno, Principal; Mary C. Dawson two months, Nina Gregg finished
the year.
1967-1968 Mr. C. Marshall Renno, Principal; Mrs. Carol Schriber four months, Nina Gregg
finished year.
1968-1969 Mr. C. Marshall Renno, Principal; Jo Ann Tatrow, Primary
1969-1970 Mr. C. Marshall Renno, Principal; Carol Holden, Primary
1970-1971 Mr. C. Marshall Renno, Principal: Mrs. Melva White, Primary
1971-1972 Mr. C. Marshall Renno, Principal: Mrs. Melva White, Primary
1972-1973 Mr. C. Marshall Renno, Principal; Mrs. Burell, Primary
1973-1974 Mr. C. Marshall Renno, Principal; Mrs. Melva White, Primary
1971-1975 Mr. C. Marshall Renno, Principal: Mrs. Melva White, Primary
1975-1976 Mr. C. Marshall Renno, Principal: retired Oct. l, 1976
BUS DRIVERS FOR HELENDALE SCHOOL
1936-1937 Mrs. Fred Orebaugh on a contract basis.
1937-1938 Mrs. Warren Smithson; March 1, 1938 she left due to flood conditions in the
river.
March 1, 1939 - June 1942 Ernest Layfield
Julv 1, 1942 - June 30, 1962 Calvin Herbold Sr.
1962-1963 Mrs. Escovedo
1963-1964 Mr. Dave Gaumitz
1964-1965 Mr. Bill Robertson who moved Christmas 1964. Mr. Joe Ogden took over until in
the spring of 1965. He moved, Mr. John Herdt took over Spring 1965 - June 1971
1971-1972 Mr. Robert Hasley
1972-1973 Mr. William Darrah. he moved Christmas 1972, Mr. Don Burton took over until
June 1973
Sept. 1973 --- Lonnie Cook
