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IT’S YOUR PAPER April 7, 2017
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Historical Society celebrates spring in a big way with annual Gardens Tour TAMARA STEINER Clayton Pioneer
JIM DIAZ
MAYOR’S CORNER
National award for finance manager The city of Clayton’s Finance Department received the prestigious Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) Award for Excellence in Financial Reporting in 2016. Finance manager Kevin Mizuno earned this national award for his professionalism in elevating the city’s financial records and disclosures to national stature. The award, a first for Clayton, was presented at the March 21 City Council meeting. The city’s CAFR is on the city’s website, ci.clayton.ca.us, under the “Finance Department” tab.
See Mayor, page 7
Photo courtesy of Linda and John Perkins
THIS DRAMATIC FRONT YARD AT JOHN AND LINDA PERKINS’ DANA HILLS home is just one of the five Clayton gardens on this year’s Historical Society Gardens Tour, May 6 and 7.Other gardens feature metal art, waterfalls, patios and outdoor kitchens. With all the rain this winter, this spring’s tour promises to be especially rewarding. See Garden tour, page 4
Clayton museum goes back to school with new exhibit DEBBIE EISTETTER Special to the Pioneer
Picture yourself as a teacher in Clayton in the late 1800s or early 1900s. Your day begins with a walk across Mitchell Creek and up the steep wagon road to the two-room schoolhouse at the top of “School Hill.” (It’s the same path children currently take to Mt. Diablo Elementary.) The first order of business is to draw a bucket of water and, if the weather is cold, start fires in the stoves at 7 a.m. to have the classrooms warm by the time the students arrived at 8. The floors are swept daily and scrubbed with hot, soapy water once a week. Your behavior and personal appearance are subject to many restrictions, and failure to follow all of them will result in immediate dismissal. “Any teacher who smokes, uses liquor in any form … or
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The drought is over, at least for this year. And, like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, lush and colorful spring gardens are the reward for the last rain-soaked, mudsplattered four months. Five beautiful Clayton gardens will be strutting their spring stuff when the Clayton Historical Society holds its annual 2017 Clayton Gardens Tour May 6 and 7. Each garden on the tour is an imaginative expression of its owner’s personality. Included on the tour is Fran and Rich Veal’s home where the backyard is all about entertaining. Paver pathways shaded by a large redwood, a waterfall cascading over a rock wall planted with succulents and flowering plants invite friends and family to linger over morning coffee or an evening glass of wine. At Larry and Denise
Photo courtesy of Clayton Historical Society
CLASS PHOTO OF MISS CONSTANCE LAKE’S CLASS at Clayton School taken circa 1921. Today Mt. Diablo Elementary is at the same location of School Hill.
gets shaved in a barber shop will give good reason to suspect his worth, intention, integrity and honesty.” If you are a male teacher, you are allowed one evening each week “for courting purposes” – or two evenings if you are a regular churchgoer. Female teachers can’t marry while under contract, and the dress code is strict: Dresses cannot be a bright color, and you have to wear at least two petticoats underneath. At the end of your 10hour school day, you return
to your room in the house of a local Clayton family and spend the rest of your evening “reading the Bible or any other good book.” If you are a woman, it’s an unspoken rule that you are available to babysit should the need arise. Learn more about the history of the local schools and teachers at the Clayton Museum’s exhibit “School Days,” running until June 21.
Clayton Cleans Up April 22 Creeks are flowing. Weeds are growing. Record rainfall brings no shortage of yard work to tackle at this year’s Clayton Cleans Up on Saturday, April 22. Rain or shine, check in at 9 a.m. at City Hall to grab a volunteer shirt and garbage bag to fill with trash and weeds from Clayton’s parks and trails. The Clean Up also celebrates Earth Day. Local clubs and organizations will share information about appreciating this corner of the planet, like creating upcycled items, continuing water-wise efforts and hiking Mount Diablo. Bring the kids, the church group, scout troops and the neighbors. Feast afterward on
barbecued hamburgers and hot dogs. This year’s earthly T-shirt design comes from Clayton artist Renaye Johnson. Johnson is a member of the Creekside Artists Guild and is the library’s art exhibit liaison. The event is from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. It is sponsored by the Clayton Pioneer and the city of Clayton, with donations from Republic Services, the Clayton Business & Community Association, Travis Credit Union, Peet’s Coffee, Diablo Lawnscape and Innovative Impressions. Download a registration form at ci.clayton.ca.us and bring it filled out to the event. For more information, call the Pioneer at 925-672-0500.
Malaria and a mission alter student’s life direction BEV BRITTON Clayton Pioneer
Collin Wenrich was recovering from yet a third bout with malaria when he was inspired to build an airstrip to bring medical supplies to a remote area of Uganda. “I had IV drips for two days. I could barely move,” says Wenrich, who grew up in Clayton. “I was extremely dehydrated, in and out of the fetal position.” A man next to him at the clinic was suffering the same The Clayton Museum is open 2- symptoms. “When I was FORMER CLAYTON RESIDENT COLLIN WENRICH works with stu4 p.m. Wednesdays and Sundays at dents in the southwestern region of Uganda. 6101 Main St. Admission is free. See Uganda, page 7
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