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Schools

The Bell Returns to Loma Linda's Mission School

Steelworkers raised the old Mission School Bell to its new home on Monday.

The Bell is back.

Steelworkers raised the old Mission School Bell to its new home on Monday.  Redlands Unified School District Superintendent Lori Rhodes, the School Board, representatives of the Loma Linda Historical Commission, Mission School Principal Tim Hoch, and other school employees watched with pride as the old bell was raised by crane to its position atop the new administration building of the school.

The bell was removed from the old bell tower to prevent theft or vandalism while the school was closed and boarded up. Monday’s bell-raising was symbolic of the renewal of Mission School.

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The Van Leuvens and their neighbors built the first school building in the Mission Road area in 1853, with Anson and Elizabeth’s son, Pulver Van Leuven serving as the first teacher. The building we know as Mission School is actually the fifth building to serve the community under that name.

Classes will resume this August in the renovated Heisner building, originally built as a school for physically-handicapped students, and now under reconstruction as the first phase of the Mission School project.

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Bryn Mawr Principal Jim O’Neill brought as his guest to the bell-raising Aleena Siritanapivat, a fourth-grader who will attend Mission School in August as a member of the first class to restore the Mission School tradition of ringing the bell.  Mission alumna Betty Stark told Aleena about how meaningful it was for the graduating students to each ring the school bell on their last day at Mission School. Aleena, who has rung the bell at the Asistencia,  seemed excited at the prospect of getting her turn to ring the historic bell next year.

The proceedings were halted temporarily as Jon Stinzel, project coordinator for the steel contractor, discovered that the clapper mechanism had been turned 90 degrees, preventing the clapper from functioning when the bell was rotated.  The bell came back to earth for a few minutes while workers loosened the bolts holding the clapper together and turning it. After a couple of practice rings, the bell was hoisted again, and bolted to the steel assembly that will pay homage to the original bell tower when it is finished.

Incoming principal Hoch is anxious to collect pictures, documents, stories and anything related to Mission School. Please contact him at mission@redlands.k12.ca.us or call him at 909-307-5300, extension 65101. You may also mail items to Tim Hoch, Mission Elementary Schoool, 20 W. Lugonia Ave., Redlands, CA  92374. The address is Tim’s home until the first phase is completed this summer.

A major celebration is planned for the fall of 2012, when the second phase of construction is completed. The Redlands Unified School District will join the Loma Linda Historical Commission in planning a History Fair and Mission Homecoming.  You may contact Jim Shipp, chairman of the commission to offer information or to help with the planning.  You may contact Jim at jimmyshipp@aol.com or 909-796-9622.

Mission School, once a California Demonstration School, home of “Social Studies” as a curriculum, is also significant for its part in ending school segregation in the Redlands area. The historical community is excited about its rebirth!  Go Mission Mustangs!

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