Edison School District History

slideshow
Previous Next

The Edison School District was organized on January 9, 1911.  Its territory was taken from the Fairfax and Rockpile School Districts.  There had been a school district known by the name of Lakeview serving the area from 1896 to 1903, but it lapsed. The Edison School District took its name form the Southern California Edison Company, which at the time was developing power projects in the mountain areas above Edison.

The school served 12 students its first year and remained quite small until the mid-1930’s. In one year the school population nearly doubled, jumping from an average daily attendance of 79 in 1936-37 to 140 in 1937-38.  These depression years, when migrant workers were flocking into the Kern County areas, brought spurts of growth.

In the mid 1950’s, the district growth was substantial due to the extension of Bakersfield subdivisions into the Edison area.  The average daily attendance of the district jumped from 225 in the 1954-55 to 505 in 1955-56.  To serve additional students, the Orangewood School was built.  Orangewood Elementary School is located near the boundary line separating the Edison School District from the Bakersfield City School District. Orangewood School first opened its doors in 1955.

The Edison School District comprises about 48 square miles, largely agricultural and oil land, and has considerable potential for housing developments. Growth is being enhanced by commercial and industrial developments in the area.



[ Print This Page ]   [ Email This Page ]