Surprise School reunion Sept. 9

On Saturday, Sept. 9, from 10 a.m. to noon an informal gathering will be held for all students who attended Surprise School.

Anyone that attended the social gatherings held at Surprise School are also welcome.

The reunion will take place inside Surprise School at the Tulare County Museum in Mooney Grove Park in Visalia. The museum is excited to host this reunion of local residents that are a major part of Tulare County history.

Anyone that attends is encouraged to bring any photos or memorabilia to share with your fellow students and the museum. The museum will have its collection of class photographs available for viewing. Light refreshments will be served.

The museum entrance is free, however, there is a charge of $6 per car at the front gate to enter Mooney Grove Park. Seniors can enter for free.

Next year Surprise School will celebrate its 110th anniversary, as it was built in 1908 southeast of Tulare near Woodville. This school was typical of the schools of this period with a belfry and housed eight grades. A large potbellied stove stood near the back of the room and the teacher’s desk was on a raised platform at the front of the room between the two doors.

Another room was added in 1921 and the inside of the school was remodeled in 1948. It was still in use until 1962, when the school was annexed to the Tulare City School System. Some of the pupil desks that are in the school currently belonged to Surprise School.

This school was moved to the Tulare County Museum in October of 1963, where it has been receiving visitors and many of those visitors are folks that have attended Surprise School.