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This story by Enid Davis, lower school librarian, originally appeared in the November 2002 issue of Harker News.
While going through our boxes of unsorted archive treasures, San Jose State University intern Sue Smith found a band of flashcards typed on small index cards. They contain names and facts about important people in the early history of The Harker School. Here are some founding fathers and mothers of Manzanita Hall, later to be called Palo Alto Military Academy (1919-1972), The Harker Academy (1972-1992) and finally, The Harker School (1992-present).
A Baker’s Dozen: Who are These People?
1. David Starr Jordan
2. Frank Cramer
3. Rev. W.D. Bishop
4. E.L. Rich
5. Dr. Ben Thomas
6. George B. Culver
7. J. Le Roy Dixon
Answers:
1. Jordan was the first president of Stanford University. He inspired Frank Cramer and Catherine Harker to open their two schools. Jordan was a botonist and an ichthyologist.
2. Cramer was a Palo Alto town trustee, trustee of the first Palo Alto public school, and founder, owner, and first principal of Manzanita Hall.
3. Bishop’s house on Waverley Street at University Avenue in Palo Alto was the first site of Cramer’s school.
4. Rich was one of the first teachers at Cramer’s school. He was a Presbyterian minister and husband of one of the two original
teachers in the Palo Alto School District, 1893.
5. Thomas was a dentist who taught at Manzanita Hall in 1896; he graduated from Stanford in 1897.
6. Culver taught at Manzanita Hall in 1896; he was dean of men at Stanford University, 1920-1928.
7. Dixon bought out Cramer in 1902 and ran the school for 10 years. He later sold the school to W.A. Shedd who later resold it to him.
8. Shedd was headmaster of Manzanita Hall in 1909. He bought the school in 1912 from Dixon and later resold it to him.
9. Kelly was also one of four Los Angeleans who bought Manzanita Hall from Dixon in 1919.
10. Emery was also one of four Los Angeleans who bought Manzanita Hall from Dixon. He left after one year to found Seale Academy.
11. Monroe was also one of four Los Angeleans who bought Manzanita Hall from Dixon. She served as housemother and later married Dr. Emery.
12. Hanson was one of four Los Angeleans to purchase Manzanita Hall from Dixon in June 1919. They spent 32 years operating the school’s summer camp, Camp El Dorado.
13. Park was commandant of Manzanita Hall from 1922-1925. He left to start the Pacific Coast Military Academy.