A SHORT HISTORY OF JESSIE BECK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Jessie Beck Elementary School opened its doors with 271 students, 12 teachers and Principal James (Bud) Puryear on September 10, 1958. There were only two classroom buildings, A and B and the school office was located where the ESL classroom is now.
In 1961, the third classroom building, C, was added and in 1963, the multi-purpose room and main office building were added. In early years, Jessie Beck School met the needs of the exceptional child with two classrooms for handicapped children – two teachers with sixteen children ranging in age from 6-17. The children were victims of polio, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and spinal bifida and could not get along in a regular classroom.
In 1961, the third classroom building, C, was added and in 1963, the multi-purpose room and main office building were added. In early years, Jessie Beck School met the needs of the exceptional child with two classrooms for handicapped children – two teachers with sixteen children ranging in age from 6-17. The children were victims of polio, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and spinal bifida and could not get along in a regular classroom.
Who is Miss Jessie Beck?
Miss Jessie Parker Beck
Born in Reno February 23, 1879. She was the daughter of the late H.H. and Merren Parker Beck, who were married in Washoe City. Her father came to Reno in 1860 and in 1863 was elected a county commissioner of Washoe County. He was then elected a member of the territorial legislature and the first state legislature.
Miss Beck was graduated from Reno High School in 1895 and the Nevada State Normal School at the University of Nevada in 1897. For 34 years she taught first grade, 29 years in the same room in Southside School.
Some of Reno’s most prominent citizens sat at a desk before Miss Beck in the first grade at the old school. Among them are Sidney Robinson, Miles Pike, Sam Francovich, Dr, Dwight Hood, Dr. H.E. Cafferata, Rep. Walter Baring and Edward L. Pine.
She was a charter member of the National Retired Teachers Association. She also held a life membership certificate in the National Congress of Parents and Teachers, granted by the PTA, November 14, 1959 through the Jessie Beck School PTA.
Miss Beck was a student of Charles Fillmore’s Unity School of Christianity in Kansas City, Missouri and later joined the Unity Church in Reno when it was established.
Miss Beck began her teaching career in Lovelock when she was 18 years old. After teaching in Lovelock three years, she taught a class in the original Reno school, then known as the Riverside School at First and Sierra streets. She was transferred to the new school building at Southside School when it was built and she remained there for 37 years, until her retirement in June 1941. “In fact,” she said, “I guess some of my students must have secretly thought the school belonged to me. I spent 29 years teaching first grade in one room.”
In 1958, Washoe County School Trustees honored Miss Beck by naming a new elementary school for her, The Jessie Beck School on the corner of Sharon Way and Plumb Lane.
One of Miss Beck’s greatest joys, she once said, was to watch her students grow up, progress in the world and add to the growth of the state. In 1958, the spry 79 year old teacher visited the building site of the school named in her honor. As she watched the Hardesty and Son Construction Co. crew working on the forms for the reinforced concrete foundation, she said, “I’m overcome. It certainly is a wonderful feeling to be alive to appreciate the gesture. In fact, I feel like going right back into the classroom again to teach first grade.”
On December 10, 1958, the Jessie Beck Parent-Teacher Association held its first “Jessie Beck Night”. She received the first PTA membership card for the new school.
Miss Jessie Beck died Sunday, January 8, 1961 at the age of 81 in a Reno Hospital.
Born in Reno February 23, 1879. She was the daughter of the late H.H. and Merren Parker Beck, who were married in Washoe City. Her father came to Reno in 1860 and in 1863 was elected a county commissioner of Washoe County. He was then elected a member of the territorial legislature and the first state legislature.
Miss Beck was graduated from Reno High School in 1895 and the Nevada State Normal School at the University of Nevada in 1897. For 34 years she taught first grade, 29 years in the same room in Southside School.
Some of Reno’s most prominent citizens sat at a desk before Miss Beck in the first grade at the old school. Among them are Sidney Robinson, Miles Pike, Sam Francovich, Dr, Dwight Hood, Dr. H.E. Cafferata, Rep. Walter Baring and Edward L. Pine.
She was a charter member of the National Retired Teachers Association. She also held a life membership certificate in the National Congress of Parents and Teachers, granted by the PTA, November 14, 1959 through the Jessie Beck School PTA.
Miss Beck was a student of Charles Fillmore’s Unity School of Christianity in Kansas City, Missouri and later joined the Unity Church in Reno when it was established.
Miss Beck began her teaching career in Lovelock when she was 18 years old. After teaching in Lovelock three years, she taught a class in the original Reno school, then known as the Riverside School at First and Sierra streets. She was transferred to the new school building at Southside School when it was built and she remained there for 37 years, until her retirement in June 1941. “In fact,” she said, “I guess some of my students must have secretly thought the school belonged to me. I spent 29 years teaching first grade in one room.”
In 1958, Washoe County School Trustees honored Miss Beck by naming a new elementary school for her, The Jessie Beck School on the corner of Sharon Way and Plumb Lane.
One of Miss Beck’s greatest joys, she once said, was to watch her students grow up, progress in the world and add to the growth of the state. In 1958, the spry 79 year old teacher visited the building site of the school named in her honor. As she watched the Hardesty and Son Construction Co. crew working on the forms for the reinforced concrete foundation, she said, “I’m overcome. It certainly is a wonderful feeling to be alive to appreciate the gesture. In fact, I feel like going right back into the classroom again to teach first grade.”
On December 10, 1958, the Jessie Beck Parent-Teacher Association held its first “Jessie Beck Night”. She received the first PTA membership card for the new school.
Miss Jessie Beck died Sunday, January 8, 1961 at the age of 81 in a Reno Hospital.
This letter was written in the late 1990’s by Mrs. Kenneth (Lucille) Darrah when her great-great grandson was attending Jessie Beck. Many people have driven by the house that Mrs. Darrah lived in for many years. It is the two story white house, with green shutters, that is located on W. Plumb Lane close to St. John’s Church:
Jessie Beck School is built on the former site of a small 15 acre ranch – The Melillo Ranch – owned in 1942 by Mrs. J.E. Horgan, owner of the Commercial Hardware. This was a rural area, “way out in the sticks”, and Plumb Lane was a two-lane oiled road, which started at Arlington Ave. and went west to about ¾ of a mile west of Hunter Lake Drive.
We lived on this ranch from 1942-1045. There was a broom ranch house, am old barn, a small new barn, a tack room, a chicken house, and one or two other small buildings. Most of the ranch was in pasture. There was a small orchard, large garden area – very fertile and large cottonwood trees to shade the house.
We had three milk cows, chickens, a horse, and two Shetland ponies for our children. And a BIG garden.
Plumb Lane was named for the Plumb Family who had a ranch in the area of what is now Hunter Lake Drive and W. Plumb Lane.
By the time the school was built the area was changing, and there were a number of homes along Plumb Lane and surrounding areas.
Of the 9 original houses on Plumb Lane in 1942, 7 are still there. Five of them are built of native field stone.
We lived on this ranch from 1942-1045. There was a broom ranch house, am old barn, a small new barn, a tack room, a chicken house, and one or two other small buildings. Most of the ranch was in pasture. There was a small orchard, large garden area – very fertile and large cottonwood trees to shade the house.
We had three milk cows, chickens, a horse, and two Shetland ponies for our children. And a BIG garden.
Plumb Lane was named for the Plumb Family who had a ranch in the area of what is now Hunter Lake Drive and W. Plumb Lane.
By the time the school was built the area was changing, and there were a number of homes along Plumb Lane and surrounding areas.
Of the 9 original houses on Plumb Lane in 1942, 7 are still there. Five of them are built of native field stone.