A Santa Paula middle school marked a century of education on Oct. 1.
Isbell Middle School Academy of College and Careers, at 221 S. 4th St., celebrated its 100th anniversary with live music, speakers, an exhibit and a video montage.
Lucy Reyes Paez, 73, attended the school in 1967 and 1968 and returned to visit her former homeroom classroom.
“I used to sit in the front because I liked being really close to the teacher because English was my second language,” said Paez, a Santa Paula resident.
She said she learned to play softball at the school and still plays the sport in Ojai.
The school is named for Olive Mann Isbell, who is credited as the state’s first American school teacher and a Santa Paula resident, according to a news release.
Twelve original
fireplaces remain in the school’s main building from when it opened, said Julissa Carrillo, Santa Paula Unified School District spokesperson. Carrillo said the school’s actual birthday appears to have been in spring 1926, based on her research.
A video featuring Isbell alumni speaking on their time at the school is expected to be posted on the district’s YouTube page within about a week, Carrillo said.
Wes Woods II covers West County for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at wesley.woodsii@vcstar.com, 805-437-0262 or @JournoWes.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Santa Paula middle school marks 100th birthday with celebration
