TNN Beauty Center

Located in Central California's beautiful San Joaquin Valley, "In 1872, when bustles were still in their prime, high hats were common, and elections were serious matters, Southern Pacific Railroad Company selected the present site of Tulare as an ideal spot on which to build a town." ( quoted from the Tulare Union High School and City of Tulare Building Dedication program, 1937 ). One year later, in 1873, when the population of the town was 25 persons, a wooden two-room school building was constructed. However, by 1884, the little community realized the need of a more adequate school to serve the needs of the growing population of Tulare and its outlying areas. On May 4, 1884, it was decided by the Fitzgerald School District to adopt the new name of "Tulare School District." A brand new two-story brick structure was built with nine classrooms and offices on the same site of the first two-room school building in the 400 block of West Tulare Avenue. Central Grammar School ( also known as the Tulare Public School ) was capped with a belfry and four large clockfaces, one on each of its four sides. The original bronze bell that was rung from that belfry each school day was installed at the dedication of Alumni Court at Tulare Union High School in May 1937 and remained there until April 2008. At the behest of Tulare County Historical Society and proponents of its protection from the environment, the final resting place of the old Central School bell is now with the Historical Society Museum. In 1890, the population of the town had grown to 2, 697 and the little school district decided to utilize the upper level of the building for high school students. One year later, on September 1, 1891, Tulare High School District was officially organized and in June 1893, the new high school graduated its very first class of eleven students. Quoting from the newspapers of the day, "Our high school teachers receive in the aggregate $350 per month." The high school remained at the Central School building until 1908 when it moved into a new building constructed on property owned by D.W. Madden bordering on Tulare, O and Kern Streets and re-opened to students in the spring of 1909 on a 14-acre site. This was a three-storied brick building with a small auditorium that seated 600 and would be shared with the city of Tulare. Click here to see photos of the students from the 1907 Argus, including the last graduating class from the original Central School building. In 1920, a new 450+ square mile Tulare Joint Union High School District was formed that included 16 elementary school districts and the high school district. Even in 1920, some of those names sound familiar today: Buena Vista, Liberty, Palo Verde, Sundale, Tipton, and Waukena. In 1922, four Garford buses were purchased by the District to transport students from the outlying country districts. A decade later, the high school district had grown to include 19 elementary school districts. A catastrophic earthquake at 5: 55 p.m. on March 10, 1933 in Long Beach damaged many buildings built of unreinforced masonry resulting in over $50 million in property damage and 120 deaths. A total of 70 schools were destroyed, 120 suffered major damage and 300 received minor damage. One month later to the day, the Governor and the California Legislature passed the Field Act mandating resistant design and construction for public schools. Sadly, the beautiful auditorium and administration buildings at Tulare Union High School were thus condemned. When students arrived for school in the fall of 1935, reconstruction was already under way. The main building had been razed and 12 frame bungalows were built to house classes temporarily. The Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works was integral in the reconstruction of the high school and underwrote approximately 40% of the reconstruction costs. The first check payable to the Tulare Union High School District of $60, 338.75 arrived on November 10, 1936. Archite