School names say a lot about Pleasanton School names say a lot about Pleasanton (July 27, 2001)

Some of the origins of the names of Pleasanton schools are self-evident - Foothill High, Amador Valley High, Valley View Elementary, and Pleasanton Middle School. Here are the rest of the Pleasanton schools and the meanings behind their names:

Alisal Elementary - "Alisal" is an Indian word meaning "cotton tree." Cottonwoods were once abundant along the creek sides of Pleasanton. The town of Pleasanton was originally called Alisal.

Donlon Elementary - Thomas Donlon was a young Irish construction worker who was killed in 1859 when he fell from the roof of Old St. Raymond's Catholic Church in Dublin while helping with its construction.

Fairlands Elementary - Fairlands was intended to be the name of the housing development near the school, which was later changed to Pleasanton Meadows. Now Fairlands is reflective of the fair lands upon which the school stands and of the Alameda County Fair.

Hearst Elementary - Phoebe Apperson Hearst was a Pleasanton resident, a benefactress of education and libraries, and one of the founders of the PTA.

Mohr Elementary - Henry P. Mohr was a charter member of the Board of Trustees for the Amador Valley Joint Union High School District. Mohr was influential in the social and economical evolution of early Pleasanton.

Vintage Hills Elementary - The school overlooks land that was planted in vineyards in the late 1800s. "Vintage" refers either to the time of harvesting the grapes or to a season's yield of grapes from a vineyard in a particular year.

Walnut Grove Elementary - Walnut orchards were planted in the area in the 1900s. Pleasanton students would skip school to harvest walnut crops, but they were easily spotted by the brownish-black stain of the dye on their fingers.

Hart Middle School - Tom Hart was a beloved teacher, principal, director of personnel and assistant superintendent for Amador-Pleasanton Public Schools between 1950-1975 - the growth years of Pleasanton's population.

Harvest Park Middle School - The school is located in the middle of what used to be agricultural fields which yielded abundant harvests of alfalfa, tomatoes, cucumbers, corn and sugar beets.

From "Echoes of School Bells: A History of Amador-Pleasanton Public Schools," by Jerri Long