Victory Elementary School, oldest in Stockton, turns 100
STOCKTON - The oldest active elementary school in Stockton turns the big 100!
Tens of thousands of students have passed through its classrooms since the school opened back in 1923.
Students are now teachers themselves, and one former student, the oldest living victory Viking still remembers this place like it was yesterday.
"This is home," Bill Simoni said. "I was born about six blocks from here."
Simoni doesn't act 96, and his memory sure doesn't either.
"It was 89 and a half years ago, I enrolled in the first grade, at this school here," he said.
He still remembers his time as a student Viking in the 1930s. He even remembers the names of his classmates and teachers.
"When I was in the 8th grade, I became the president of the school, and Loy Ellis was the vice president and Carol Handshaw was the secretary treasurer," he said.
None of his former classmates are alive today.
"I'm the only one left in my class which was seven boys and 11 girls," he said.
Like Simoni, other Victory students were able to leave their mark on this school.
"Anybody know what this is?" Principal Jennifer O'Neill asked, to which students responded, "A book."
"No, it's a special kind of book," O'Neill said. "It's a TV guide!"
A 25-year-old time capsule was opened at the ceremony. Inside was a look back, including photos from past classes and VHS tapes.
"This is how we used to watch movies," O'Neill said.
Now, this generation of students was able to leave their mark. Inside the capsule they put reminders of what they went through.
"There is a child-size face mask," one student said. "This is something we don't ever want to have to go through ever again."
Students also put things they love to play with.
"It's the Minecraft game," another student said.
Some administrators say they want to put some footage of the school into the time capsule too.