Founding and Early Years (1916–1940s)
Linwood E. Howe Elementary School traces its origins to the Culver City Grammar School, which opened in 1916 as the fledgling city’s first school . At the time, Culver City had just been plotted out and had “no school” within its initial boundaries . Voters approved a $55,000 bond (by a 34–4 vote) to fund a six-classroom grammar school on Irving Place . The school’s original purpose was to provide basic education (grades 1–8, or “grammar” grades) for local children, who previously had to attend schools in neighboring communities. A parent–teacher association formed immediately – the Culver City Grammar School PTA – indicating strong community involvement from the start (Mrs. Dan Coombs served as the first PTA president in 1916) .
Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the school grew along with Culver City. In 1920, the Los Angeles County Supervisors officially renamed the local district from “Palms” to Culver School District, serving about 700 residents in 3.2 square miles . A second campus, Washington School, was built in 1925 to accommodate growth on the city’s east side . During this era, the Irving Place campus was commonly called Culver City Grammar School (later simply Culver City Elementary). It became a central institution in the young city – many early civic leaders and families had ties to the school. For example, Olive “Ollie” Nevada Wise Catlin moved to Culver City in 1923, became a teacher and eventually principal of the grammar school, and after retiring in 1953 even served on the Culver City Board of Education . Under dedicated early leaders like Catlin, the school established a reputation as the cornerstone of Culver City’s public education.
Post-War Growth and the Howe Era (1940s–1960s)
By the late 1940s, Culver City’s school system was expanding rapidly. In 1949, two years after Culver City became a charter city, the separate elementary and high school districts unified into the Culver City Unified School District (CCUSD), offering K–12 education under one administration . During the post–World War II baby boom, CCUSD opened several new elementary schools (eventually operating eight elementaries at peak enrollment) . The original Culver City Grammar School – serving the downtown area – remained a key campus and underwent changes to meet modern needs. By the early 1960s it was simply known as Culver City Elementary School, and the district appointed Linwood E. Howe as principal in 1962 with a special mandate: to oversee a complete rebuilding of the aging school . Under Superintendent Dr. Elvin “Jack” Patton’s direction, Howe led the project to construct a new facility on the same site. Notably, the campus was reconfigured – the original school building sat on one side of Braddock Drive and the playground on the other, so during reconstruction the school was “flipped” onto the former playground area and Braddock Drive was rerouted/closed through campus . This allowed a larger, modern two-story school building to be completed in the mid-1960s, replacing the old 1916 structure.
Principal Linwood E. Howe became beloved for his personal dedication – he was known as “a man who identified himself with children” and brought “enthusiasm, vitality, and purposefulness” to the school (as inscribed on a plaque at the school) . Tragically, Howe died in February 1969 of a sudden heart attack in his office, just a few years after the new school was finished . In recognition of his impactful tenure and legacy, the school was renamed Linwood E. Howe Elementary School shortly thereafter . A memorial plaque dedicated on June 8, 1969, honors Howe’s contributions as principal from 1962–1969 . Thus, the “Culver City” elementary school took on the personal name of a revered leader, cementing his memory into the identity of the institution.
Innovation and Community in the 1970s–1980s
In the decades following its renaming, Linwood E. Howe Elementary continued to play a prominent role in local education – and even gained national attention for innovation. In 1971, Culver City Unified launched the nation’s first Spanish immersion language program, starting with a single kindergarten class at Linwood E. Howe . This pioneering bilingual education program – conceived by UCLA linguist Russell Campbell – proved highly successful. Students like Michelle Barmazel, who began immersion in 1971 at Linwood Howe, recalled becoming fully fluent in Spanish by third grade . The pilot immersion program at Linwood Howe was the first of its kind in the United States, making CCUSD a model district for language immersion . (After 1973, the expanding Spanish immersion program moved to other campuses, eventually becoming the district’s well-known magnet program at El Marino Language School and later at El Rincon .) Linwood Howe’s early role in this educational experiment is a point of pride in the school’s history, reflecting a forward-looking approach to learning.
During the late 1970s and early 1980s, demographic shifts caused a sharp drop in local school enrollment countywide. While CCUSD unfortunately closed four elementary schools in the 1980s due to declining enrollment (Betsy Ross, El Marino, Linda Vista, and Washington School) , Linwood E. Howe Elementary remained open and continued to serve as the primary neighborhood school for downtown Culver City. The school absorbed some students from the closed campuses and maintained its comprehensive K–5 program. Linwood Howe’s survival through that contraction period underscored its importance to the community – it was centrally located and deeply rooted, with an active PTA and community support helping it thrive when other sites went dark. By the late 1980s, CCUSD’s enrollment stabilized, and Linwood Howe carried on as one of the district’s five remaining elementaries, continuing traditions like its annual Fall Festival and student “Sea Dragon” spirit (the school mascot) that further cemented its family-oriented reputation.
Recent Developments and Legacy (1990s–Present)
In the past few decades, Linwood E. Howe Elementary has continually upgraded its facilities and earned recognition for academic excellence, solidifying a positive reputation in Culver City. The campus itself saw significant renovations and expansions funded by local bond measures in the 2000s–2010s. For example, a district facilities plan in the mid-2010s delivered a new grass and synthetic-turf playfield with a jogging track, new playground equipment and rubber safety surfacing, upgraded HVAC and energy-efficient lighting, a digital marquee, and other modern amenities for the school . These improvements – most completed by 2017–2018 – enhanced both student safety and the learning environment, all while retaining the school’s historic core building from the 1960s. The campus also partners with the City to serve the community; notably, the school’s outdoor play areas are open to the public on weekends through a joint-use agreement, effectively doubling as a downtown park space .
Academically, Linwood E. Howe Elementary has been widely recognized as one of the top performing schools in the area. It earned a Title I Academic Achievement Award in 2014, being one of just 106 schools in California to receive that honor for successfully closing achievement gaps in a Title I (high-need) student population . “This award is a testament to the hard work of our entire Linwood Viking team – our teachers, administrators, students and their parents,” remarked CCUSD’s superintendent, noting “the entire community rallies around the needs, goals and dreams of the whole child” at Linwood Howe . In other words, strong parent engagement and community partnerships have been key to the school’s success. Most recently, in 2024–25 Linwood E. Howe was named a California Distinguished School, the state’s top honor for public schools, recognized by State Superintendent Tony Thurmond for its exceptional student outcomes . This accolade – alongside similar awards won by the school over the years – solidifies Linwood Howe’s reputation as an exemplary neighborhood school.
From its humble beginnings as a six-room “grammar school” in 1916 to its current status as a modern, award-winning K–5 school, Linwood E. Howe Elementary has maintained a special role within Culver City. It was the city’s first educational institution and remains deeply woven into the community’s fabric after more than a century. Generations of Culver City residents have passed through its halls – including children of early film studio workers in the 1920s, Baby Boomers of the post-war era, and the diverse student body of today. The school has adapted to changing times (through rebuilds, curriculum innovations like language immersion, and technology upgrades) while preserving a tradition of strong community involvement and educational excellence. As Culver City’s downtown elementary school, Linwood E. Howe Elementary continues to honor its rich history – from its founding purpose of serving local families to its namesake’s legacy of caring leadership – and looks toward the future with the same spirit of enthusiasm and inclusiveness that has characterized its development over the last 100+ years.
Sources:
- Culver City Historical Society – Culver City Timeline: A Work in Progress (entry for 1916)
- Julie Lugo Cerra, Culver City Historian – “Our Schools – the Beginning!” (CCUSD history article, 2011)
- Culver City Crossroads (local news site) – “Visiting Linwood E. Howe with Linwood A. Howe – Looking in on Local History” by Judith Martin-Straw (Feb. 4, 2022)
- Plaque text in Linwood E. Howe Elementary School (image of memorial plaque)
- Los Angeles Times – “In Any Language, This Program Is Intense” by Bernice Hirabayashi (Aug. 16, 1992)
- Culver City Historical Society – Culver City timeline (1980s school closures)
- Culver City Unified School District – CCUSD Newsletters and Reports: Culver City in Print (2014) ; CCUSD Measure CC Bond project summaries (Linwood Howe upgrades)
- Culver City Crossroads – “La Ballona and Lin Howe Win State Distinguished School Honors” (Apr. 2, 2025)
- Nevada Women’s History Project – Biography of Olive “Ollie” Wise Catlin (suffragist and former Culver City principal) .