"The Long Beach School District prior to 1911 was part of the Oceanside School District. In 1913 Long Beach became an Incorporated Village which included the first 50 homes and fulltime residents. The first school was a one room school room in the Nassau Hotel where a teacher gave instructions to the students who attended. The need to expand the schools because the residents living here year round instead of just summer residency which, increased the need to build a school which was a storefront on Park Street and Magnolia Blvd. The Long Beach School District officially began on September 5, 1915.
Magnolia School opened in 1922 with 6 classrooms, 3 teachers and a principal. In 1925 the property for the next school to be built was in the West End at 91 Maryland Avenue. The first Superintendent of schools for Long Beach was Walter Schwalje from 1924- 1942. Superintendent Schwalje in 1926 had Central School expanded the main building by adding 2 wings, which included a gym. In 1930 there were 1410 students in the district and the plans for a new school on Lindell blvd and the bay site was prepared in 1934. The Lindell School opened in 1940. Richard Maher was Principal in 1929 until 1942 when he became the 2nd Superintendent of schools for Long Beach School District.
The independent Long Beach Union Free School District was formed in 1924, and in 1951 it became a City School District."
Scope of Collection
The Long Beach Public Schools Collection contains photographs from 1914-1930’s.
