Preston School of Industry's Ward Index 1894-1904

In the years that I have been researching and writing about the history of the Preston School of Industry, I have had the opportunity to compile a complete ward list from the years 1894-1914.  I went through a lengthy database of wards in the CYA Archives, which was originally combined with three schools: The Whittier School, Preston School of Industry and The Ventura Reform School. After sifting through each list from A to Z, I was able to filter out the names, year of admission, school and ward I.D. number in order to accurately list the wards chronologically as they entered the school. As a result, you see this list which goes from ward # 1 to ward # 2692.

State Archives database records via the Secretary of State were missing ward's names and I.D. numbers here and there, but this is the most accurate and most  complete list I could provide given the records available. I have not been able to go past 1914, but hopefully sometime in the future I can do more research on the ward lists and add to it. As of now, the list is complete as of the opening day of Preston in 1894 up until the closing of the year of 1914. This is the first list that runs from 1894-1904. The second list will run from 1905-1909, the third from 1910-1912 and the fourth from 1913-1914.

Several years ago I printed and shipped a copy of this index to the Preston Castle Foundation as a gift. Since it's been a few years, I felt that it would be beneficial for everyone if I made that list that I compiled available to the public via my blog, that way everyone has the chance to look into it, especially if they may be looking for a relative who may have been at Preston during those years.

PRESTON SCHOOL OF INDUSTRY 

WARD LIST  1894-1904

First List

1894

Last Name	First Name	ID#	School	Year
Carner	James E.	1	Preston	1894
Cassulo	Alexander	2	Preston	1894
Jacobs	Alfred J.	3	Preston	1894
Kavanaugh	Walter A.	4	Preston	1894
O'Donnell	James E.	5	Preston	1894
Phillips	James	6	Preston	1894
Starr	Burton	7	Preston	1894
Russell	Frank	8	Preston	1894
Kahn	Edmond C.	9	Preston	1894
Cowan	Oliver W.	10	Preston	1894
McReynolds, Jr.	James	11	Preston	1894
Ballard	William G.	12	Preston	1894
Brennan	John	13	Preston	1894
Cronin	William	14	Preston	1894
Dieter	Charles	15	Preston	1894
Rohaer	Frederick	16	Preston	1894
Schwind	Harry	17	Preston	1894
Wooldridge	Leonard	18	Preston	1894
Thompson	Frank	19	Preston	1894
Bannister	Flemming	20	Preston	1894
King	Joseph	21	Preston	1894
Laprini	Joseph	22	Preston	1894
Martinez Vogt	Frank Henry	23  24	Preston Preston	1894 1894
Young	Bruce	25	Preston	1894
O'Donnell	Hugh	26	Preston	1894
Engle	Stedman J.	27	Preston	1894
Lovett	George	28	Preston	1894
Porter	John	29	Preston	1894
Rose	Grant H. G.	30	Preston	1894
Walker, Jr.	William B.	31	Preston	1894
Walker	Grant	32	Preston	1894
Webster	Moses	33	Preston	1894
Wallace	John C.	34	Preston	1894
Secord	Victor	35	Preston	1894
Welsh	John	36	Preston	1894
Joyce	Michael	37	Preston	1894
Desmond	Andrew	38	Preston	1894
Desmond	John	39	Preston	1894
Pedaus	Joseph	40	Preston	1894
Somersett	J. C.	41	Preston	1894
Richardson	Ryland	42	Preston	1894
Blaker	James	43	Preston	1894
Baccigalupi	Joseph	44	Preston	1894
Nigro	Frank	45	Preston	1894
Beecher	Charles	46	Preston	1894
Belcher	Alfonse	47	Preston	1894
Nolan	Richard	48	Preston	1894
Pond	Rainsford	49	Preston	1894
Barclay	Edwin H.	50	Preston	1894
Bryant	Frank	51	Preston	1894
Kermode	James	52	Preston	1894
Murphy	Thomas	53	Preston	1894
Murphy	Frank	54	Preston	1894
Haydew	John	55	Preston	1894
Coffen	Ray	56	Preston	1894
Birrell	Fred	57	Preston	1894
Howard	Frank	58	Preston	1894
Johnson	William	59	Preston	1894
Sullivan	Edward A.	60	Preston	1894
Housel	Grant	61	Preston	1894
Quinn	James	62	Preston	1894
Elkus, Jr.	Louis	64	Preston	1894
Roderick	John	65	Preston	1894
Sullivan	John	66	Preston	1894
Silver	William R.	67	Preston	1894
Schroeder	Max	68	Preston	1894
Kelly	Dennis	69	Preston	1894
Nichols	William	70	Preston	1894
Cichu	Milton R.	71	Preston	1894
Lasher	Louis	72	Preston	1894
Neale	Earl	73	Preston	1894
Henry	James	74	Preston	1894
Richardson	William	75	Preston	1894
Strickland	William	76	Preston	1894
Burns	Jeremiah F.	77	Preston	1894
Baccigalupi	Charles	78	Preston	1894
Cohen	Nathan	79	Preston	1894
Martinelli	William	81	Preston	1894
Rossi	Joseph	82	Preston	1894
Mulligan	James	83	Preston	1894
Soreutini	Daniel	84	Preston	1894
Shiflett	Frank	85	Preston	1894
Preudergast	Albert	86	Preston	1894
Feiley	Gearge	87	Preston	1894
Murphy	John	88	Preston	1894
Bradshaw	John	89	Preston	1894
Little	Charles	90	Preston	1894
Melay	Valentine	91	Preston	1894
Williams	Harry	92	Preston	1894
Bassett	Frank	93	Preston	1894
Conway	Thomas	94	Preston	1894
Martin	Frank	95	Preston	1894
Harvey	Edward	96	Preston	1894
McCann	James	97	Preston	1894
Wilson	Clarence	98	Preston	1894
Wilson	Harry	99	Preston	1894
Lawrence	Frank	100	Preston	1894
Davis	Bertram	101	Preston	1894
Murphy	Joseph	102	Preston	1894
Nicolini	David	103	Preston	1894

1895

Coleman	Frederick	104	Preston	1895
Jackson	Harry	105	Preston	1895
Bankhead	Alexander	106	Preston	1895
Romaine	George	107	Preston	1895
Plunkett	Nathan P.	108	Preston	1895
Antron	Adolph	109	Preston	1895
Eden	William	110	Preston	1895
Fisher	Benjamin	111	Preston	1895
Hart	Eugene	112	Preston	1895
Madison	Arthur	113	Preston	1895
Troy	Harry	114	Preston	1895
Nealon	John	115	Preston	1895
Hunter	Ralph	116	Preston	1895
Biddle	Palmer	117	Preston	1895
Lordeu	Harry	118	Preston	1895
McSherry	Lawrence	119	Preston	1895
Cronin	Joseph	120	Preston	1895
Roop	Hiram M.	121	Preston	1895
Morrissey	John	122	Preston	1895
Dougherty	Lawrence	123	Preston	1895
McLaughlin	William	124	Preston	1895
Zevicoler	George	125	Preston	1895
Craig	Arthur	126	Preston	1895
Cocke	Frederic C.	127	Preston	1895
Spangle	Eugene	128	Preston	1895
Colson	William F.	129	Preston	1895
Killett	Lid	130	Preston	1895
Lavagnius	Andrew	131	Preston	1895
Jones	Thomas	132	Preston	1895
Abbott	Frank J.	133	Preston	1895
Hunter	William	134	Preston	1895
Ferrera	Louis	135	Preston	1895
Quinn	John	136	Preston	1895
Evans	Hilton S.	137	Preston	1895
Warner	Clarence	138	Preston	1895
O'Toole	Patrick	139	Preston	1895
Graham	Charles H.	140	Preston	1895
O'Donnell	John	141	Preston	1895
Ghiorso	Antonio	142	Preston	1895
Eber	Milton	143	Preston	1895
McShae	John	144	Preston	1895
Lawler	Edward	145	Preston	1895
Taylor	Frank	146	Preston	1895
English	Edward	147	Preston	1895
Lowe	Frank	148	Preston	1895
Halliman	Herbert	149	Preston	1895
Hennessey	William	150	Preston	1895
Cummius	Harold	152	Preston	1895
Shea	John	153	Preston	1895
Martines	John	154	Preston	1895
McComb	Carroll L.	155	Preston	1895
Martini	Joseph D.	156	Preston	1895
Ewing	Carroll	157	Preston	1895
Douty	Ed	158	Preston	1895
Kramer	Harry	159	Preston	1895
Banning	Willie	160	Preston	1895
Tucker	George	161	Preston	1895
Lavich	Charles	162	Preston	1895
Ricks	Frank F.	163	Preston	1895
Pohley	William	164	Preston	1895
Koch	August	165	Preston	1895
Walsh	William	166	Preston	1895
Bond	Fred	167	Preston	1895
Hall	George J.	168	Preston	1895
English	William	169	Preston	1895
Hamilton	Nicholas	170	Preston	1895
Mayer	George H.	171	Preston	1895
Perata	Peter	172	Preston	1895
Henshaw	Frank	173	Preston	1895
Miranda	Tomas	174	Preston	1895
Goward	Charles H.	175	Preston	1895
Williams	William C.	176	Preston	1895
Magoffin	Eben	177	Preston	1895
Ehring	William	178	Preston	1895
Hale	Curtis H.	179	Preston	1895
Ford	Robert E.	180	Preston	1895
Schuh	Fred	181	Preston	1895
Giguire	Noe	182	Preston	1895
McQuade	Edward	183	Preston	1895
Korse	Charles	184	Preston	1895
Solomonson	Harlan	185	Preston	1895
Zubler	Ernest	186	Preston	1895
Milne	Walter	187	Preston	1895
Weinman	Frank	188	Preston	1895
Gwyn	James	189	Preston	1895
Johnson	William	190	Preston	1895
Barrett	Oscar	191	Preston	1895
Taylor	Robert	192	Preston	1895
Cohn	George C.	193	Preston	1895

1896

McSwain	Herbert E.	194	Preston	1896
Menda	Mark	195	Preston	1896
Powers	Willie	196	Preston	1896
Jingel	Albert	197	Preston	1896
McCrea	Samuel	198	Preston	1896
Fitzgibbons	Thomas	199	Preston	1896
Hall	Arthur	200	Preston	1896
Inch	Thomas	201	Preston	1896
Moore	John C.	202	Preston	1896
Sullivan	George	203	Preston	1896
Shea	Edward	204	Preston	1896
Carter	Harry	205	Preston	1896
Stockman	John F.	206	Preston	1896
Brittan	Francis	207	Preston	1896
Cruz	Alfred	208	Preston	1896
Field	Walter	209	Preston	1896
Granger	Claude	210	Preston	1896
Schenk	Arthur	211	Preston	1896
Mendes	Manuel	212	Preston	1896
Dolan	Edward	213	Preston	1896
Conway	Thomas	214	Preston	1896
Santry	John	215	Preston	1896
Curtain	Anthony	216	Preston	1896
Stier	Harry	217	Preston	1896
Fitzgibbons	Thomas	218	Preston	1896
Brown	Walter	219	Preston	1896
Quackenbush	George	220	Preston	1896
Quackenbush	Bert	221	Preston	1896
Macomber	Frank	222	Preston	1896
Anthony	Henry	223	Preston	1896
Hayes	George	224	Preston	1896
Russell	Bertie	225	Preston	1896
Wilson	Frank	226	Preston	1896
Eckman	William	227	Preston	1896
Sanborn	Joseph	228	Preston	1896
Prundage	Charles	229	Preston	1896
Dunbar	W.	230	Preston	1896
McHugh	Robert	231	Preston	1896
Moy	William	232	Preston	1896
Sellenscheidt	William	233	Preston	1896
Tucker	George	234	Preston	1896
Bowen	Arthur	235	Preston	1896
Murphy	Joseph	236	Preston	1896
Brunser	W. R.	237	Preston	1896
Clark	Garfield	238	Preston	1896
Botelier	Abel	239	Preston	1896
Feliz	Nesto	240	Preston	1896
Smith	Willie	241	Preston	1896
Polglase	Benjamin	242	Preston	1896
Kramer	Fred	243	Preston	1896
Pierson	Elbert	244	Preston	1896
Jeffries	William	245	Preston	1896
Sullivan	Guy	246	Preston	1896
Beaver	Theodore	247	Preston	1896
Brewar	John T.	248	Preston	1896
Sullivan	Daniel A.	249	Preston	1896
Bernstein	Sydney P.	250	Preston	1896
Savegrello	George	251	Preston	1896
Weller	George T.	252	Preston	1896
Lasado	Agripeau	253	Preston	1896
Bloomberg	Lazarus	254	Preston	1896
Garcia	Jesus C.	255	Preston	1896
Allbach	Louis	256	Preston	1896
Bell	Charles J.	257	Preston	1896
Trost	Harry	258	Preston	1896
Kelly	Thomas	259	Preston	1896
Green	George	260	Preston	1896
Starkey	Charles	261	Preston	1896
Smith	George A	262	Preston	1896
Porter	John	263	Preston	1896
Sparman	Ard	264	Preston	1896
McReynolds	James	265	Preston	1896
Foreman	Calvin	266	Preston	1896
Green	Jerome J.	267	Preston	1896
Dunn	Ernest	268	Preston	1896
Lovett	George H.	269	Preston	1896
Biddle	Palmer	270	Preston	1896
Ancencio	Aug.	271	Preston	1896
Groth	George	272	Preston	1896
Richardson	Albert	273	Preston	1896
Sorentini	Nick	274	Preston	1896
Wulbern	Martin e.	275	Preston	1896
Davis	Charles	276	Preston	1896
Maskal	Charles	277	Preston	1896

1897

Wilson	William	278	Preston	1897
Watson	Walter	279	Preston	1897
Sharpe	Arthur	280	Preston	1897
Baumgartner	Morris	281	Preston	1897
McNeil	John	282	Preston	1897
Stover	Winfred L.	283	Preston	1897
Donnelly	Rolla	284	Preston	1897
Sandley	Henry	285	Preston	1897
Campagno	Salvador	286	Preston	1897
O'Donnell	Hugh	287	Preston	1897
Cornish	Joseph	288	Preston	1897
Cranby	Frank	289	Preston	1897
Hickling	William	290	Preston	1897
Morley, Jr.	Louis	291	Preston	1897
Torsburg	Otto H.	292	Preston	1897
Strobel	Nicholas	293	Preston	1897
Downing	William	294	Preston	1897
Griggs	Steward	295	Preston	1897
Elkus, Jr.	Louis	296	Preston	1897
Fortier	Lawrence L.	297	Preston	1897
Spawn	George	298	Preston	1897
Griffin	John	299	Preston	1897
Sargardia	Alphonso R.	300	Preston	1897
Otts	Arthur E.	301	Preston	1897
Rivera	Michael	302	Preston	1897
Wheeler	Arthur	303	Preston	1897
Parker	Lewis	304	Preston	1897
Dormedont	Frank	305	Preston	1897
Hynes	Joseph	306	Preston	1897
Ward	Frank	307	Preston	1897
Haney	William F.	308	Preston	1897
Gilson	Lewis	309	Preston	1897
Baccigalupi	Charles	310	Preston	1897
Washington	George	311	Preston	1897
Scanlon	William	312	Preston	1897
Hart	Rowland D.	313	Preston	1897
Williamson	Gordon A.	314	Preston	1897
Bernstein	Benjamin	315	Preston	1897
Ring	Marrianna	316	Preston	1897
Frimell	John	317	Preston	1897
Morgan	Thomas C.	318	Preston	1897
Ruiz	Jose	319	Preston	1897
Ellis	John	320	Preston	1897
Holthe	John	321	Preston	1897
Brisino	Frank	322	Preston	1897
Hamilton	William	323	Preston	1897
Murphy	Charles	324	Preston	1897
Conor	Emile	325	Preston	1897
Durbin	Frank	326	Preston	1897
Rochrig	Bernard T.	327	Preston	1897
Lastora	Joe	328	Preston	1897
Roberts	Rosco	329	Preston	1897
Martin	Henry	330	Preston	1897
Lynn	James	331	Preston	1897
Starkey	Albert	332	Preston	1897
Dougherty	Peter	333	Preston	1897

1898

Monterichards	J.	334	Preston	1898
Drisdon	Roy	335	Preston	1898
Mathey	Henry	336	Preston	1898
Baker	Louis	337	Preston	1898
McAlister	Frank	338	Preston	1898
McLain	George	339	Preston	1898
Jones	Arthur	340	Preston	1898
Frankini	Andrew	341	Preston	1898
Peirson	Albert	342	Preston	1898
Collins	Ralf	343	Preston	1898
Belknap	Frank	344	Preston	1898
Wilder	Frank	345	Preston	1898
Alexander	William	346	Preston	1898
Shaw	Arthur	347	Preston	1898
Matley	Fred	348	Preston	1898
Sharp	Clarence	349	Preston	1898
Hamlin	Claud	350	Preston	1898
Brown	George	351	Preston	1898
Ridge	Samuel	352	Preston	1898
Rosenthal	Julian	353	Preston	1898
Sprague	Hubert	354	Preston	1898
Woods	J. J.	355	Preston	1898
Pike	Robert E.	356	Preston	1898
Soberanes	Albey	357	Preston	1898
Murphy	Charles	358	Preston	1898
Silven	Louis	359	Preston	1898
Kelly	Charles	360	Preston	1898
Simon	Henry	361	Preston	1898
Ash	Robert	362	Preston	1898
Gimmel	James	363	Preston	1898
Peyton	Jacob	364	Preston	1898
Hixson	Clarence	365	Preston	1898
Stokes	Mark	366	Preston	1898

1899

McDonald	Frank	367	Preston	1899
Elliott	John P.	368	Preston	1899
Osburn	Robert	369	Preston	1899
Coker	Charles	370	Preston	1899
Castillo	Juan	371	Preston	1899
Burk	John	372	Preston	1899
Walker	Edward	373	Preston	1899
Perry	Frank	374	Preston	1899
Grigs	Arthur O.	375	Preston	1899
Measure	Daniel P.	376	Preston	1899
Duntley	Silas	377	Preston	1899
Richards	Thomas	378	Preston	1899
Packer	Martin	379	Preston	1899
Doffner	Joseph	380	Preston	1899
McKay	Willie	381	Preston	1899
Sowash	William	382	Preston	1899
Lawrence	George W.	383	Preston	1899
Atwater	Adolph	384	Preston	1899
Fitzgerald	John	385	Preston	1899
Williams	Wallace	386	Preston	1899
Beckinth	Leslie	387	Preston	1899
Ortega	Pat	388	Preston	1899
Eickstaedt	John	389	Preston	1899
Pffirman	Frank	390	Preston	1899
Bright	Elbridge	391	Preston	1899
Timm	Otto	392	Preston	1899
Siminoff	Louis	393	Preston	1899
Lukim	Stephen	394	Preston	1899
Predeaux	Albert	395	Preston	1899
Marshal	Frank	396	Preston	1899
Moran	James	397	Preston	1899
Stone	John	398	Preston	1899
Morgan	Joseph	399	Preston	1899
Masias	Alejo	400	Preston	1899
Maxwell	Marshal	401	Preston	1899
Smith	William	402	Preston	1899
Buchanan	George	403	Preston	1899
Tolles	Charles	404	Preston	1899
Causse	Marice	405	Preston	1899
Bayly	William	406	Preston	1899
Williams	Neil	407	Preston	1899
Babcock	Lynn E.	408	Preston	1899
Grove	William E.	409	Preston	1899
Meyers	Charles J.	410	Preston	1899
Barry	Robert	411	Preston	1899
Fitzgerald	Henry	412	Preston	1899
Mack	Charles	413	Preston	1899

1900

Caming	Fred	414	Preston	1900
Depew	Ernest	415	Preston	1900
Byrd	Robert E.	416	Preston	1900
Joy	Joseph	417	Preston	1900
Carley	Henry S.	418	Preston	1900
Hooper	John A.	419	Preston	1900
Begley	Charles H.	420	Preston	1900
Hope	Bert	421	Preston	1900
Radtke	Henry	422	Preston	1900
O'Brien	Thomas	423	Preston	1900
Fargo	James	424	Preston	1900
Beuks	Frank	425	Preston	1900
Roan	Richard	426	Preston	1900
Rohrer	Grove	427	Preston	1900
Yet	Cheu	428	Preston	1900
Whitehead	Louis	429	Preston	1900
Cahoon	James M.	430	Preston	1900
O'Brien	William P.	431	Preston	1900
Seith	Charles	432	Preston	1900
Pitcher	Philip	433	Preston	1900
Mack	John A.	434	Preston	1900
Mathews	Manuel	435	Preston	1900
Butler	Joe	436	Preston	1900
Rhodes	Paul	437	Preston	1900
Warren	Thomas	438	Preston	1900
Lawre	John	439	Preston	1900

1901

Edds	Harry J.	440	Preston	1901
Gimmil	Henry	441	Preston	1901
Riley	Victor	442	Preston	1901
Reid	Charles	443	Preston	1901
Save	Louis	444	Preston	1901
Arnold	Frank	445	Preston	1901
Hunter	William	446	Preston	1901
Carrerro	Marion	447	Preston	1901
Castro	Jose	448	Preston	1901
Parnell	Franklin	449	Preston	1901
Stern	George	450	Preston	1901
Allison	Frank	451	Preston	1901
Darcy	Jerry J.	452	Preston	1901
Hawkins	Samuel	453	Preston	1901
McDougal	George	454	Preston	1901
Hafner	George	455	Preston	1901
Smith	David C.	456	Preston	1901
Cunningham	George A.	457	Preston	1901
Raymer	Leon	458	Preston	1901
Finnerty	J. Harry	459	Preston	1901
Davis	George H.	460	Preston	1901
Bowers	Grover	461	Preston	1901
Scott	John	462	Preston	1901
Bitterly	Joseph	463	Preston	1901
Knoblock	Howard	464	Preston	1901
Garlinghouse	Cyril	465	Preston	1901
Binford	Estis	466	Preston	1901
McKinley	Willard	467	Preston	1901
Crabb	Loren B.	468	Preston	1901
McBride	Albert	469	Preston	1901
Moore	Kent	470	Preston	1901
Masadonia	Nick	471	Preston	1901
Hasilbusch	Walter T.	472	Preston	1901
Pickle	Leroy	473	Preston	1901
Linchner	David	474	Preston	1901
Gordon	Walter	475	Preston	1901
Williams	Abraham	476	Preston	1901
Tibbetts	Edwin	477	Preston	1901

1902

Brush	Lewis	478	Preston	1902
Sherman	Erle	479	Preston	1902
Robinson	George W.	480	Preston	1902
Carrigg	Thomas B.	481	Preston	1902
Friel	Edward	482	Preston	1902
Basso	Emil	483	Preston	1902
Brandon	Milton	484	Preston	1902
Swanson	John	485	Preston	1902
Lavezgne	Ed	486	Preston	1902
Rowe	Edward	487	Preston	1902
Ernst	Henry	488	Preston	1902
Lewis	Alva	489	Preston	1902
Roan	George	490	Preston	1902
Santos	Manuel	491	Preston	1902
Day	James	492	Preston	1902
Aigner	Alivis	493	Preston	1902
Overand	Edward	494	Preston	1902
Holdan	Theodore	495	Preston	1902
Turll	Ircle	496	Preston	1902
Jones	George H.	497	Preston	1902
McKinnon	Addison	498	Preston	1902
Millhouse	Gustavus	499	Preston	1902
Brazil	John	500	Preston	1902
Jasperson	Leonel	501	Preston	1902
McDowell	John	502	Preston	1902
Young	Thomas	503	Preston	1902
Gillard	Charles	504	Preston	1902
Edgar	Louis	505	Preston	1902
Chase	Adolph	506	Preston	1902
Capurro	Frank J.	507	Preston	1902
Poore	W. C.	508	Preston	1902
May	Delmar	509	Preston	1902
Clark	James H.	510	Preston	1902
Hales	John	511	Preston	1902
Turner	Joseph	512	Preston	1902
Linde	Oscar	513	Preston	1902
Castro	Frank	514	Preston	1902
Scholl	William	515	Preston	1902
Tannehill	William	516	Preston	1902
Stouts	Leo	517	Preston	1902
Peterson	Louis	518	Preston	1902
Sligar	Orray	519	Preston	1902
Silva	William	520	Preston	1902
Yancy	George	521	Preston	1902
Bradley	Walter	522	Preston	1902
Heins	Henry	523	Preston	1902
Moody	Oliver L.	524	Preston	1902
Bonilla	Edward	525	Preston	1902
Cook	William	526	Preston	1902
Casey	Frank	527	Preston	1902
Gingg	William C.	528	Preston	1902
Calabro	Tony	529	Preston	1902
Sanchez	Joe	530	Preston	1902
Osborn	Elmo C.	531	Preston	1902
Taboni	George	532	Preston	1902
Coberly	Enoch	533	Preston	1902

1903

Gingg	Roy W.	534	Preston	1903
Rincon	Frank	535	Preston	1903
Llewelyn	Laurence	536	Preston	1903
Lester	George	537	Preston	1903
Silva	Willie	538	Preston	1903
Ashley	Walter	539	Preston	1903
Sideman	Joseph	540	Preston	1903
Byers	Willie	541	Preston	1903
Ensign	Ralph E.	542	Preston	1903
Silva	Joseph	543	Preston	1903
McKenzie	William	544	Preston	1903
Savage	Frank M.	545	Preston	1903
Bowman	Thomas	546	Preston	1903
Cherelli	Antoni	547	Preston	1903
Gillette	Dan	548	Preston	1903
Buttervick	Alvin	549	Preston	1903
Curreau	Oscar	550	Preston	1903
Nelson	Frank	551	Preston	1903
Marden	Arthur	552	Preston	1903
Leflar	Robert	553	Preston	1903
Shoemaker	Gus	554	Preston	1903
Mello	George	555	Preston	1903
Lester	Phillip	556	Preston	1903
Small	Lee	557	Preston	1903
Pico	Albert	558	Preston	1903
Perey	Joe	559	Preston	1903
Heliele	William	560	Preston	1903
Hanson	Robert	561	Preston	1903
Markwood	Clarence	562	Preston	1903
Reyes	Zacharias	563	Preston	1903
Callais	Albert	564	Preston	1903
Holtz	Albert	565	Preston	1903
Borsuglico	Joe	566	Preston	1903
Clark	John	567	Preston	1903
Everding	John	568	Preston	1903
Howard	Joe	569	Preston	1903
Fritz	George	570	Preston	1903
Legett	Louis	571	Preston	1903
Schei	Charles	572	Preston	1903

1904

Grant	Fred	573	Preston	1904
Condon	William O.	574	Preston	1904
Whitney	John	575	Preston	1904
Davis	Edward	576	Preston	1904
DeVeincinzi	Louis	577	Preston	1904
Bergonite	Bastista	578	Preston	1904
Wallace	Vincent	579	Preston	1904
Fezvell	Fred	580	Preston	1904
Gott	Frank	581	Preston	1904
Hendren	R. L.	582	Preston	1904
Tyler	Walter	583	Preston	1904
Townsend	Arthur	584	Preston	1904
Collins	Fred J.	585	Preston	1904
Chilson	Van R.	586	Preston	1904
Schmidt	Walter	587	Preston	1904
Krieger	Arthur	588	Preston	1904
Irving	Charles	589	Preston	1904
Bearse	Willie	590	Preston	1904
Healy	Charles	591	Preston	1904
Blackman	Charles	592	Preston	1904
Lopez	Albert	593	Preston	1904
McGilvery	Milton	594	Preston	1904
Finkin	Albert	595	Preston	1904
Lodge	G. I.	596	Preston	1904
Marks	Willie	597	Preston	1904
Woosnumo	Clarence	598	Preston	1904
Mills	Claude	599	Preston	1904
Mullaney	Willie	600	Preston	1904
Briggs	Herman	601	Preston	1904
Heap	William	602	Preston	1904
Stewart	Frank	603	Preston	1904
Bigelow	Daniel	604	Preston	1904
Coward	Charles	605	Preston	1904
Moran	John S.	606	Preston	1904
Ingram	Elbert	607	Preston	1904
Burton	Archie	608	Preston	1904
Brotherton	John	609	Preston	1904
Driscoll	Joseph	610	Preston	1904
Tyler	Bert	611	Preston	1904
Brown	Charles	612	Preston	1904
Morris	Manuel	613	Preston	1904
Franchesa	Aquille S.	614	Preston	1904
Sheridan	James	615	Preston	1904
Wadham	Roy	616	Preston	1904
Bratemos	Stello	617	Preston	1904
Parrison	Sam	618	Preston	1904
McCarty	Frank	619	Preston	1904
Lewis	Charles	620	Preston	1904
Kelly	Fred	621	Preston	1904
Linteo	John	622	Preston	1904
Grimley	Frank	623	Preston	1904
Jacobs	Williams	624	Preston	1904
Carey	Alvin	625	Preston	1904
Bradley	Clifford	626	Preston	1904
Stroep	Herman	627	Preston	1904
Heller	Adrian	628	Preston	1904
Johns	Charles	629	Preston	1904
Carter	Frank	630	Preston	1904
Gargilo	Tony	631	Preston	1904
Pacheco	Antone	632	Preston	1904
Nelson	Willert	633	Preston	1904
Schulz	Ernest	634	Preston	1904
Merithew	Herbert	635	Preston	1904
Canepa	Ernest	636	Preston	1904
McLaughlin	Frank	637	Preston	1904
DeSoto	Charles	638	Preston	1904
Cooper	William	639	Preston	1904
Henerson	George	640	Preston	1904
Corman	Frank	641	Preston	1904
Oaks	William	642	Preston	1904
Martinez	Frank	643	Preston	1904
Linard	Walter	644	Preston	1904

TO SEE NEXT LIST -- PRESTON WARDS 1905-1909

(copyright 2013 - J'aime Rubio)
compiled by J'aime Rubio,
from California Youth Authority archived records, State of California. 

"My Arrival At Preston" -- Guest Contributor's Very Own Preston Story

I want to announce a first for this blog, a post from a guest contributor who goes by the name "Alan CYA- # 65085" who I have been in contact with a couple of years now. I first came across his posts on a site called "Solitary Watch," where he chronicled many experiences he had during his time in the California Youth Authority system, at the Preston School of Industry.

 Although my book, "Behind The Walls," goes into the history of the school from its beginnings up to the time the Castle's Administration building closed, I am still very much interested in all things "Preston" related, so I was very enthusiastic to hear about his personal experiences while incarcerated at PSI, along with his thoughts on the youth authority correctional system itself based on his years of reflection and research.

It has taken some time for me to get back to writing and posting on this blog so I am thrilled to be sharing this now.  As my first post in a long time, I am excited to finally be publishing part of his experience at Preston and his personal reflections here in this special blog post, in his own words. 

(Photo Credit: Bill Thiry, c/o Alan)

The watchtower can be seen between the trees on the right of the Castle.

My Arrival at Preston  -- by Alan CYA #65085

"That toil of growing up;

The ignominy of boyhood; the distress

Of Boyhood changing into man;
 The unfinished man and his pain."--

The Dialogue of Self and Soul, William Butler Yeats 1865-1939

From the first day it opened on July 1, 1894, until the day it closed on June 2, 2011, Preston was known as a place that you didn't want to go. Our bus had arrived at the Preston School of Industry in Ione, California, on November 12, 1968. Nearly a half century later, I can still remember my escort taking me down the hill to my new residence in Sequoia Lodge, which was located a good distance away from all the other lodges in the far left hand corner of the institution from the main gate. Preston’s topography of gently rolling hills had two noteworthy landmarks, the first was an extremely high watchtower, and the other was Preston Castle with its ominous facade. The Romanesque Revival architecture of Preston Castle is both eerie and spectacular. Inmates were housed in this intimidating decaying structure until 1960, when the new facilities were completed.

Several days after my arrival I learned that Sequoia Lodge housed the most violent wards in the CYA system. Other lodges at Preston specialized in housing gang members, or drug offenders but Sequoia held the murderers, rapists, and child molesters. My parole was revoked for disturbing the peace. So when I first learned of Sequoia’s purpose, I was surprised because I had never considered myself to be a violent person. Although I had my share of fights, I had done my best to avoid them all and I never used excessive force in a fight. However the unwritten rule of incarceration is that you have but three choices you can “fornicate, fight or flee.”

The Newer Sequoia Lodge 

All photos of Sequoia Lodge were taken in February of 2017 just shy of six years after Preston’s closing.

When I entered my 6’ X 9’ cell, the door opened towards the steel bed frame that was bolted to the ground against and parallel to the left wall. The head of my bed was against the rear wall. The toilet sink combo was mounted against the right wall near the door, and a desk sat in the far right hand side next to the only window. The cells were later modified to resemble those of a supermax prison.  The cell doors were also modified at some point to be able to open them remotely and to add a slot for a food tray/cuff up access. Again, something you’d find in a supermax prison but wouldn’t expect in a juvenile rehabilitation center.

(example of Sequoia Cell)

Actual cell at Colorado's supermax prison

example of Sequoia sliding cell 

My cell faced inward towards an open grassy area which was free of obstructions that might conceal an inmate’s attempt to escape. In the distance I could see only the fifteen foot security fence which encircled the entire perimeter of Preston. The fence had the standard razor wire on top with fine wire mesh covering its chain links which reduced the visibility of objects on the other side.  

A perimeter road on the other side of the fence allowed for easy access by maintenance and security vehicles. Regular patrols monitored the condition of the fence to prevent escapes. The only time I would observe wards other than Sequoia’s was during trips up the hill to, the gym, auditorium, or clinic but no interaction of any kind took place between us. All Sequoia’s residents were isolated from the rest of the wards even in this society within a society.

Notice the new brick around the slot windows where old windows once were.

I was held at Preston for just shy of 8 months which is nothing compared to those that followed me. It is hard to see the forest for the trees when one is in such institutions, only afterward, and with a lot of research can one hope to make sense of things. 

Whether or not the violence by the wards brought about the changes to their environment one must ask if the changes only contributed to more violence? Whatever the case, Sequoia Lodge was transformed into something closer to a supermax prison pod than the juvenile rehabilitation unit that it was billed to be.   I found two reports which reflect the effects of the changes. In July of 2005, the California Department of Corrections issued a report on staff assaults.  

“DISCUSSION: Thirty-seven of fifty-four incidents involved wards with serious mental health issues. Twenty-nine of the incidents occurred in Sequoia Lodge (roughly 54% of the total)....Only 7 incidents involved wards on general program status."

 During the year 2004, twenty-seven incidents occurred in Sequoia Lodge, per the report. "These statistics support the immediate issuance of vests to officers assigned to Sequoia." 

The fact that the wards housed in Sequoia Lodge were responsible for more than half of all the assaults on staff, while those involving wards on general program status were under 13%, could be viewed as an indictment of the wards more restrictive environment. (In several states, where the use of solitary confinement was reduced, the violence level also decreased.) By 2004, Tamarack Lodge (the solitary confinement unit) below was listed as closed.    

            By 2005, Sequoia Lodge had been configured for "close" security living but was not designated as being administrative segregation housing. Sequoia had by this time staffing up to three times the number of other lodges.

          The ward population had dramatically changed at Preston by the time of this report more than 82% of the wards claimed gang affiliation. This also closely followed the trend in the CDRC population.

          Staff has used several factors to decide placement. Age, program needs and gang affiliation appear to drive the process of housing wards.

         Another classified a given ward using a security level.

         Categories 1-2 were the highest security level and included wards committing murder and serious assaults.Many of the wards that I personally knew in Sequoia Lodge fell into this category.

         The interview team conducted interviews with staff assigned to the Specialized Behavioral Treatment Program in Sequoia and found that the Specialized/Intensive Treatment programs treated the most difficult and troubled wards.

The entire report can be read here: http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Reports_Research/docs/PRESTON_Report.pdf

Tamarack Lodge, originally Company G (built 1929)

          

View from second floor of Tamarack

 Interior of a Tamarack Isolation Cell here too they replaced the bed with a concrete slab.

         After I left, the wards remained totally isolated from the rest of Preston’s population.  This is confirmed in a 1977  CYA  report which reported: 

"The Sequoia Counseling Program is an intensive counseling milieu and educational program that is designed to deal with 48 wards.... This program is primarily segregated from the other programs at Preston. The Special Unit Academic Program provides education...within the Tamarack Intractable Unit, the Sequoia Counseling Program, and the Ironwood Protective Custody Program this allows the special treatment programs, to maintain their isolation where necessary.

         Tamarack Intractable lodge is a 40-bed living unit which provides a secure setting for older more sophisticated wards of the Preston population who are considered intractable. Tamarack does not contain program elements designed to deal with weak, psychotic, or suicidal wards.  Also included on Tamarack Lodge is a 21-bed Crisis Intervention Unit for use as a temporary program for other Preston lodges.”

Classroom cages, called “secure program areas”, were first introduced in 1998 in Preston and Stark both high security CYA facilities located in Ione and Chino respectfully. Caged like animals some belligerent wards began to expose themselves, make treats, or “gas” the teaching staff (dousing them with urine).

These 21 beds in Tamarack were used as Solitary Confinement.  I wrote about my Tamarack experience on Solitary Watch which took place during Christmas Day 1968.  That experience can be read here:  http://solitarywatch.com/2011/12/17/voices-from-solitary-christmas-in-the-hole-1968/

          The suicidal young boy in my story needed expert help which the report above admits was lacking. During my nearly eight months at Preston’s Sequoia Lodge, no staff members were attacked and the only disturbance in our classroom was a fight between me and another ward for which I spent two weeks in Tamarack’s solitary confinement unit. It is notable however, that after our altercation all our cells were searched and numerous weapons were found mostly in my opponent’s cell room. He was asked why he had so many weapons, he replied that he planned to kill me and then attack the staff.  I received no counseling or medications during my stay, leaving me to believe more than the architecture of Sequoia Lodge changed after my release.

Such rage against the system that had begun during the 1960’s, was by 1970, frequently leading to violent confrontations with the men running these prisons. With so many losing hope of ever reentering civil society, the number of violent incidents increased dramatically in the 1970’s leading to ever more draconian measures being deployed against inmates.

Unknown to me at the time, the legendary George Lester Jackson, commonly referred to today as the Dragon, had been transferred from nearby San Quentin Prison to Soledad Prison in January of 1968. He would later be charged with killing a guard in retaliation for the shooting deaths of three black inmates. The inmates had been shot by a lone white guard during a brawl three days prior in what is now known as “The Soledad Incident” of January 13, 1970.  Jackson along with two “Soledad Brothers” Fleeta Drumgo, and John Clutchette, as they were called by the press at the time, would dominate the newspapers of the era.

Following the “Soledad Incident” Jackson’s revolutionary, ideology took hold on both sides of the prison walls and resulted in the deaths of nine more prison guards and 24 inmates over the next year earning him the rank of Field Marshal in the Black Panther Party.

On August 21, 1971, Jackson himself died a violent death in San Quentin’s Adjustment Center, reportedly during an escape attempt. Three guards and two white building tenders also died in what is now called the “Bloodiest Day” in San Quentin’s history, after being repeatedly stabbed and having their throats cut. Three other, similarly wounded, guards would recover. Jackson’s co-conspirators Hugo Pinell, Johnny Spain, Willie Tate, Luis Talamantez, David Johnson, and Soledad Brother Fleeta Drumgo were known as The San Quentin Six, and would go on to dominate the news cycle during their trials. 

            In response to this rise of institutional violence, the Control Unit was created at the United States Penitentiary in Marion, Illinois in 1973. Marion was designed as the place where prisons across the nation could send their most radicalized inmates and violent gang members.  As Marion’s Control Unit received more and more, of the worst of the worst, Marion’s security deteriorated to the point where violence became the new norm. Marion’s warden may have indeed been seeking an excuse to lock down the whole population at the institution when in October 1983, Aryan Brotherhood members Thomas Edward Silverstein and Clayton Fountain supplied him with a politically correct excuse to do so when, in two separate incidents, they brutally murdered two guards. The supermax Prison model was thus born.  As Oscar Wilde wrote in the Duchess of Padua (Act 4), “We are each our own devil, and make this world our hell.”

As the Mecca of the prison reform movement the California Department of Corrections choose not to address the prison movements concerns but instead the state took the lead and opened the countries first supermax prison in Crescent City, CA in 1989 designed especially for the isolation of troublesome inmates.

It is obvious to me that Preston’s modifications to Sequoia Lodge were inspired by, and modeled after, the CDC’s efforts to isolate those they considered disruptive regardless of its effectiveness. It is also clear to me that George Jackson’s ideology of violent resistance and a culture of gang violence that it inspired had taken hold in Preston.  Preston was finally closed after a long battle in which the public refused to be silent over the reported abuses of wards and the “increased violence” that it produced. 

Peaceful protest by the public can indeed bring about change, where as violence only begets violence.   --------- By: ALAN CYA # 65085

------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you Alan CYA # 65085 for contributing your experience at the Preston School of Industry, as well as your own thoughts on how the system has worsened over the years. And thank you to Bill Thiry for permission to publish the photos of some of the old buildings at Preston.  

Update: Per an email from Alan CYA # 65085, some of the photos of the Sequoia Lodge posted are of a different building that he states was later renamed the Sequoia Lodge. The buildings are the same, although this is not the original Sequoia Lodge, per his understanding. The photos are examples of what many of the buildings at Preston appeared to be at the time.---

Herman Huber's History Revealed

I recently received an email from one of my blog followers, Amanda Boling, in regards to Herman Huber's backstory. She had done some digging which revealed another tidbit into the life of young Mr. Huber, before he was sent to Preston on December 6, 1910.   Although she sent me some information I already had, she did point to a census record I hadn't seen, that shows Herman Huber was living with his mother Jennie, and her husband Amos Brothers (Herman's step-father) by 1910, in Alameda County. At that time Herman was 17 year old.

The other record she mentioned was another accounting for a person named Herman Huber, stationed at Yerba Buena Island in the same 1910 census, as an apprentice seaman. I had found that record before when I was researching Huber's life, but was never sure whether or not that was the right Herman Huber. After seeing the other census that Amanda pointed out, showing his mother and step-father were in fact living nearby, I think that it is safe to assume this could have been the right Herman Huber, too.

So why did I have information that Herman lived with his grandpa, William Ladd Willis in Sacramento? The story goes back to Herman's parents.  A strapping young man by the same name, Herman Huber, (born January 30,1873) at some point Herman met a young Jennie Willis (born August 4, 1873) and the two became sweethearts. By the time Herman had met Jennie, he was living with his mother, who was then a widow. A terrible accident killed his father on February 4, 1889.

Herman's father, who was also named Herman Huber, was thrown off his horse in Freeport, immediately causing death from a broken neck. He was a native of Switzerland and had been a very successful farmer in the area, leaving quite a large fortune behind. Jennie's father was William Ladd Willis, a native of New York. Willis had worked in the editorial department of the Record-Union in Sacramento for thirteen years and compiled the 'State Speller' publications for the State Board of Education. He also authored the book, The History of Sacramento. 

The Sacramento Daily Union, dated May 25, 1890, gives us a peek of the social circles the two lovebirds ran with:

"On Friday evening, at the residence of his mother, six miles south of the city, on the Freeport road, a very pleasant surprise party was tendered to Herman L. Huber, who had just returned from Hopkins' Academy at Oakland for a short vacation. The evening was spent in games, music and singing. About midnight a splendid repast was served. The guests departed at a late hour, wishing Herman a pleasant vacation. Among those present were: Misses Emma E. Foster, Mae Blodgett, Jennie Willis, Lulu Rich, Lentie and Clara Brooke, Mrs. A. J. Huber, Mrs. H.W. Watkins and Carol Watkins of Oakland."--

By March 9, 1892, Jennie Willis and Herman Huber were married, as the Sacramento Daily Union also mentions:

"Herman L. Huber and Jennie L. Willis were yesterday united in marriage by Rev. Mr. Ottmann at the residence of E.B. Willis, 616 M Street. The bride was attended by her sister, Theodora Willis and Charles Huber, brother of the groom, was groomsman. There were present at the ceremony the relatives of the bride and groom and a few intimate friends only. The presents were very handsome and tasteful. The happy couple have gone to Monterey on their wedding trip.....The groom is a well-known and prosperous young farmer of Freeport Township, and the bride is a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W.L. Willis of this city."---

By August 8, 1893, Herman Huber, Jr., was born to Jennie and Herman Huber, Sr. The marriage didn't last very long, and on July 9, 1896, the papers revealed that Jennie Huber was granted a divorce from Herman, with no mention of the grounds.

It appears that was more than likely around the time that Herman went to live with his grandfather, William Ladd Willis in Sacramento. I believe his mother also temporarily moved in with her parents, until she remarried, this time to Amos Brothers on February 24, 1900.  Jennie is accounted for on the 1900 census as living with Amos Brothers and his family in Berkeley, Alameda County. It is unclear how long Herman lived with his grandparents in Sacramento, although we know for sure by 1910, he was living with his mother and step-father in Alameda County.

I have found many accounts of a "Herman Huber," who was a well known marksman in California. A sharp shooter at the top of his game, this person was winning championships and making quite the name for himself. I cannot be certain but I believe that may have been Herman Sr., being that many of the competitions took place when little Herman would have been between 10 and 14, although I guess anything is possible. Maybe he took after his father and enjoyed the sport?

One event that I noticed occurred in 1909, could have very well been Herman Jr., given he was 16 years old by that time.

"Oakland, March 14.-- Herman Huber's name was first in the list of winning marksmen at the Shell Mound ranges today, the well known competitor winning several first prizes. With a score of 605 Huber won the first prize for the best three bullseye centers during the year in the competition of the Noddeutscher schuetzen club, and also garnered the awards for the largest number of bullseyes and the best 10 shot score. Huber's score in the 10 shot match was 2, 157 shooting in the first champion class."-- San Francisco Call, March 15, 1909

SF Call 10/24/1911

Could this have been our Herman, or even perhaps his father? It is hard to tell. But the one thing that stood out when I was reading the article was another name that appeared on the long list of his competitors that I recognized right away, J. French.

That is the same first initial and last name of the man who shot Herman Huber at Preston on October 17, 1911, killing him. Is this a coincidence? Or could this be the same person?

As of right now, I have no way to tell, but that won't stop me from continuing to research it further. Ernest Reed, the eyewitness who saw J. French shoot Huber stated that he did not shoot up in the air as French had claimed, but intentionally shot Huber.  Could he have wanted to shoot Huber for some reason that was never brought up? Could there have been more to the story than just an attempted escape gone wrong? Did these two people know one another beyond the boundaries of Preston?

We still do not know why Herman Huber was sent to Preston. The newspapers claimed that because of his "waywardness" and hanging around a crowd of people his family didn't approve of is what sent him there, even the Preston ledgers at the State Archives in Sacramento only labeled his entry as "Delinquent."

Herman's father went on to move to Southern California, where he eventually passed away in 1954. He was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Los Angeles. Jennie Brothers, Herman's mother died in 1950, and is buried at Mountain View Cemetery. Just yesterday I finally found their memorials on Findagrave and linked them to their son's memorial. Although they are all buried many hundreds of miles from one another, they now can be joined together via "Find-a-Grave."

Let's keep remembering Herman Huber, and hopefully one day, we may find more evidence that can explain the real motive behind his death in 1911.

To learn the story of Herman Huber's death at the Preston School of Industry, please click on the link below:

"THE MYSTERY SURROUNDING HERMAN HUBER'S DEATH"


-- (Copyright 2016, J'aime Rubio, www.jaimerubiowriter.com )

Thank you Amanda Boling for the 1910 Census information!

A Sad Suicide

February 12, 1917--- Locked away in a dark, cold cell somewhere in solitary confinement, Frank Cardarella, a young man, suffering from epilepsy, allegedly ripped his sleeping shirt into pieces, fashioning a makeshift noose and began to fasten it to the pipes above his cell.  He had just suffered another episode again, one of many, and despite his obvious health conditions, the school did little to help ease his afflictions.

Yes, he had been in some trouble with the boys in his neighborhood, the Fillmore District in San Francisco, which led him down the wrong path. He wasn't like his older brother Michael, a conductor for one of the street cars in town who seemed able to stay busy and out of trouble.  He wasn't like his father Philip either, an Italian born immigrant who owned a small fruit store and seemed to be a hard working, reputable business man. No, Frankie got into trouble at the age of 14, landing him in court and facing time in a juvenile detention facility for burglary.  The first time he was sent to Preston he did a year.

By 1916, he was out and about again, but old habits die hard and he found himself hanging around the same ol' boys he had got into trouble with before. Shortly thereafter, he was picked up on charges again. Whether he was just guilty by association or he had been caught red handed, the papers don't say. What they do say is that he was convicted for burglary a second time and sent back to the red clay hills of Ione, California. Back to the infamous Preston Castle.

Because of being a repeat offender, this time the Superintendent made Frankie stay in solitary confinement at night, instead of sleeping in a dormitory.

It was the afternoon of February 12th when Frankie fell into convulsions, violently seizing on the floor. Instead of being treated in the school hospital to rest and recover, once his violent spasms stopped, the guards were instructed to carry him back to his cell and lock the door behind them. Hours later he was found dangling from a pipe above his cell.  According to several newspaper reports at the time, it was determined that Frankie Cardarella had apparently taken his own life.

What I found interesting is that the Biennial reports contradict themselves, as I have often found during my investigating of the Preston School's records in the past. One page mentions that during 1917, there were 2 deaths at the school. However, on another page of the same report, it shows a summary of deaths at the school, based on year from 1894-1918, and there is a complete blank for deaths during 1917.  In total, according to the report, only 21 boys died at Preston the first 14 years that the school was open and most of which occurred between 1895-1900 and 1911 to 1916. There is absolutely no record of a death, let alone a suicide, in the biennial report for 1917.

Why Frank Caldarella's death was not even noted in the biennial reports will remain a mystery, as will the reason for his death. Did Frank feel that life was so meaningless, that his suffering was so great that he could no longer carry on? I also wonder if he actually took his own life at all? Did Frank really commit suicide?

It is also interesting that there is no notations in the biennial reports of treating any wards with epilepsy, nor medications used during that time frame.  At that point in history, it is odd to think he was not being regularly treated in the infirmary or hospital with daily medications such as phenobarbital, which were readily available at the time to treat and supress his condition. If that is the case, and he was not being properly treated, that was a grave negligence on the part of the school.

Had he been treated properly with regular medication, his epileptic spells may been able to be controlled, and he would not have faced the possible bullying and ostracism that also may have very well occurred. It is sad to think what he must have faced day by day at Preston, around the other boys and the staff who might have made him feel like a freak.  A constant barrage of insults and belittling that could have pushed him over the edge and on the end of a rope. Still, we don't know exactly what happened to Frank. Did he commit suicide, or was it an act of bullying that went too far?

I will always wonder what really happened to Frank Caldarella that day in February, 1917.

(Copyright, 2016- J'aime Rubio. www.jaimerubiowriter.com)

Sacramento Union, (2/13/1917)
Los Angeles Herald, (2/12/1917)
U.S. Census Records
Biennial Report, 1918