Palma Ceia Elementary School & Neighborhood (part 2)

The Palma Ceia Village News:

Take note of the "Official Publication of the Palma Ceia Village Home Association (left)." Many homeowner associations have published news and information for their residents over the years. I found this to be an incredibly detailed account of current events to be found in and around the village of Palma Ceia. This example is from the first year of publication. Volume 1 tells us this. This is the fifth publishing of the news- thus the number 5.

Notice the calendar for May in the lower left corner of the first page. Many community events involving local schools are listed.

Turn the page and you'll find the community members that put this publication to press. The village news had an editorial staff and the homeowners association had officers in charge of its operation. These positions are listed in the rectangular box in the upper left corner of page 2. Also on page two, you'll find an article titled "Do You Read Me?" This explains the "what, why, who, and how" the village news comes to be created. If any young readers of this project have worked in the journalism classes at their junior or high schools, you will be familiar with the work and personnel it takes to put this type of information to print.

Next turn to page 3. Notice at the bottom of the page, left corner, the "permanent" address of the Palma Ceia Village Home Association: P. O. Box 75, Mt. Eden, CA. At the time of this publication, you could mail news to the home association for possible publication in the village news. As you turn the pages of the newsletter you can read all the interesting current news that was added to the publication.

Finally, please turn to page 7. In the upper right corner notice the article entitled "Palma Ceia School Has Supervised Recreation." A game named "sacket" is explained, and at the time could be played Fridays and Saturdays. Supervised by an onsite adult playground supervisor, this adult provided guidance and equipment for playing the game. Also on this page is an ongoing series of articles titled " Inside Mt. Eden…" This article and ones to follow explain to neighborhood community members the function of a school and its role in the neighborhood/community.

An Aerial View of Palma Ceia School and the "Village"

This view of Palma Ceia School is from the south looking northeast. Palma Ceia School is located in the lower left corner of the picture. It is surrounded by homes and directly to the northwest and adjoining the school boundary space that would become Palma Ceia Park.

In the extreme lower left corner of the photograph is a parcel, which became Mt. Eden High School.

In the middle of the photograph is what is referred to as a cloverleaf exchange. This is an onramp/offramp structure drivers use to enter and exit the freeway. The wide road running vertically (southeast and northwest) is freeway 880. It is also sometimes called the Nimitz Freeway. The street located at the cloverleaf explained earlier and running west and east bound is Tennyson Road.

The large parcel located adjacent (northwest) of the cloverleaf is the present site of St. Rose hospital. Continuing north on freeway 880 you'll view the next "cloverleaf." On the photograph this is seen at the top slightly left of center. This is the entrance and exit for Jackson Boulevard.

Heading east on Tennyson midway between the cloverleaf and the right edge of the photograph is a wide street that heads northwest. It actually intersects Tennyson Avenue. This street is Patrick Avenue. Heading northwest on this street you'll find Weekes Park and the Weekes branch of the Hayward library. These are both located to your right hand side. Continuing northwest on Patrick and just above the strip of houses reaching to the east on the photograph is St. Bede's Catholic Church and school.

Keep looking and you'll find other landmarks past and present. Enjoy!

Palma Ceia School Classroom:

These four pictures of a classroom from Palma Ceia are circa December 1968. As a current teacher at the site and after looking carefully at this photograph I believe this to be the library. Obviously over the span of nearly forty years many teachers and classrooms change their function and form. This room, if the library and the original would be currently numbered room 31. The suggestion to me that this is room 31 and the library are the built in bookshelves that exist to this very day. The drapes above the shelves also suggest the correct position for this setting as the library. The door to classroom would be to your right. Looking at the photo, the last girl to your right would have her back close to the door.

Notice the record player positioned underneath the bulletin board. It is between the teacher and the student reading with the book upright in their hands. The bulletin board has the following printed on it: Palma Ceia Presents: "The Wide Wonderful World of Books."

The teachers name is unknown at this time, however should you come across the name please advise H.A.H.S. In the photographs the instructor is interacting in multiple ways. In photo a, he is checking work at his seat. In photo b he quickly scans students work for accuracy. He is checking to see that they understand the lesson. Photo c shows the teacher reviewing the lesson with an individual student. Finally, photo d depicts the instructor either ending or beginning the next steps in the current lesson.