Re: Recollecting the March 22, 1957 5.3 Earthquake

03/12/07 - posted by Paul Rosenberg

I was into my second month at Presidio Junior High School in grade Low Seven in those days of split semesters. I had just gotten my lunch from the locker as the lunch period for seventh and low eighth grades had just begun. Following the shaking, we were all directed to the yard area along the Geary wall. There we remained until the end of the school day in those ‘in loco parentis’ days. Principal Carl Bash (Principal at the High School of Commerce when it closed in 1952) told us to press back (toward Geary) at all times, perhaps in fear that the building would collapse. I shared my lunch, as most students had not been able to get theirs. The scariest thing was when a good portion of the chimney fell almost taking Linda Newman and Edna Robinson to an early grave.