The first Adventist school in what is now the Southeastern California Conference (SECC) was built by the Johnson, Potts, and Georgeson families to educate their children. The 750-square-foot one-room school in the San Pasqual Valley opened for classes in 1889.

In 2000, the SECC worked with La Sierra University to move the wooden structure to its new location atop the university campus near the observatory, overlooking the City of Riverside.

The university hopes to reopen the schoolhouse in the next two years as a living history museum, continuing its tradition of educating young people and the teachers who teach them. Plans are being made for a grand opening celebration.

“I am excited about plans for integrating the school into the university’s academic program and location for special events,” says Lawrence T. Geraty, La Sierra University president.

The museum will preserve the history of Adventist education, expand the instruction and event spaces on campus, and offer hands-on learning experiences for future small-school teachers and administrators in the School of Education.

Estimates call for approximately $35,000 in renovations such as paint, a new porch, handicapped access, and display cases to launch it into a new era of usefulness.

The museum’s collections already include the desks and signage that arrived with the schoolhouse. Volunteers are collecting books, photos, news articles, grade cards and other memorabilia to tell the story of the school and its place in Adventist education.

Doreen Marchus Dubose, who attended the school, points out that former San Pasqual students have served around the world as teachers, missionaries, ministers, secretaries, doctors, nurses and business people. “Each was taught to love God by the Christ-centered teachers,” she comments.

“I am delighted that La Sierra University was able to work with the Southeastern California Conference to salvage the oldest continuously operated Adventist schoolhouse west of the Mississippi,” says Geraty. He himself attended several one-room schools in his childhood and later graduated from San Pasqual Academy.

The San Pasqual Schoolhouse Committee is seeking assistance from church members who can donate artifacts for the museum and help the committee contact alumni of the elementary school and academy. Contributions are also welcome. For information, call Christine Cales in the La Sierra University Office of Advancement at 951-785-2500 or e-mail her at advancement@lasierra.edu.

San Pasqual Schoolhouse History

1896—Alma Baker McKibben instructs three students in the home of Henry Johnson.

1898—One-room school built by Lawrence Johnson, William Potts and S.T. Bancroft.

Land provided by Mr. and Mrs. Peter Georgeson. Classes begin in February 1899.

1949—San Pasqual Academy built adjacent to the church school.

1960s—To prevent demolition, Mr. and Mrs. Ervin Georgeson purchase the schoolhouse. After several moves, it is donated to the San Pasqual Church as a museum.

1979—Moved to a place of honor near the entrance of SPA.

1997—San Pasqual Academy sold to the County of San Diego.

2000—Schoolhouse moved by SECC to the LSU campus.