AV Union High School District dormitories

The Antelope Valley Union High School is unique in the extent of the territory it once covered. At one time, this institution was the only high school between San Fernando and Bakersfield. For a while, there was also an AV-HS branch in Randsburg (68 miles away) with 59 pupils and three teachers. In 1925, the district’s boundaries extended from northern Los Angeles County to include 1,000 square miles of Kern County.

Even though the AVUHSD implemented school bus transportation in 1919, many families living in the outlying areas did not want their children spending so much time on buses traveling to and from school. As a result, AV-HS became the first school in California to adopt the dormitory system in 1915.

The first year the dormitory was in operation, it was co-ed. There was no charge for the rooms and food costs were pro-rated. A matron (sometimes the home economics instructor) was in charge. Eventually, separate dormitories (sometimes not on campus) were built and enlarged.

Information regarding the dorms was always included in the school’s yearbook, the “Yucca,” which was named after a large Joshua tree in front

of the school. Here is what was partially reported in the 1922 annual:

The number of girls wishing to stay at the dormitory increases every year. At the beginning of the school year there were 40, making it necessary to establish an annex.

The household duties of the dormitory are divided into six groups with two to four girls doing each duty, a week at a time. A rule of the Dormitory, that seems to be without exception, is that an inmate never loses in weight. Whether it is due to the cooks or just what has not been decided. And, “doubling up” is good fun, yet we all sincerely hope that we will have our new “home” ready to come back to next fall.

Across town from the high school, stands a low-rambling building called the “Girls’ Annex Dormitory,” or the “Kelley House.” Here resides

the overflow from the main dormitory. At the beginning of the year there were 15 of us, but as the year progressed the number gradually dwindled until at the present there are only 10. For the first month and a half the girls from both dormitories had their meals at the high school. However, this plan proved unsatisfactory and we were soon doing our own cooking at the “Kelley House.” In the meantime there arrived a new matron, bringing her two small boys, who were christened the “Dorm Mascots.”

By this time life had settled down to a regular routine, so as to break the monotony we decided to have a “Jink’s Day.” So, one glorious morning we decked ourselves in brilliant colors and with fantastically arranged hair tripped gaily to school. However, as our appearance was not greeted with enthusiastic approval by some members of the faculty, we returned at noon to change our gay apparel for that of a more somber hue.

As the year wore on and it was nearing Christmas time, the girls planned a party and invited the boys’ dormitory and a few outside students. Everyone enjoyed dancing, games, refreshments such as popping popcorn and making candy and when the evening drew to a close, everyone agreed that it was a great success.

For several years, the boys’ dorm was off site in a nearby private residence, but in 1923, new comfortable quarters for the boys was constructed on campus. Some of the boys came from Randsburg and San Bernardino. Just like the girls, the boys also had to perform housekeeping duties; everyone shared equally. Although there were fun times as well as a pleasant family atmosphere in the dormitories — one time there was a “strike” against having applesauce served too frequently — the dorms were described as “executing domestic science principles.”

We also have a nice recollection from busy dormitory matron Edna Cockrell: “I came to Lancaster in 1920. I came to teach Home Economics, but incidentally was also matron of the girls’ dormitory. There are many stories tucked away in my memory. One is about a music teacher, who, at graduation time, had her hair bobbed the last day of school. I well remember her conducting the orchestra wearing a hat! She was afraid that Mr. Warren, the principal, would ask for her resignation or prevent her from conducting the music program.”

During the weekends and vacation periods the dorm students would return to their homes. Eventually, the dorms closed in 1933 due to lack of sufficient patronage, better roads and school bus transportation.