The History of Calvin Christian School
“Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6
Guided by that verse and a strong commitment to Christian education, members of the Christian Reformed Church of Escondido formed a Christian school society in the late 1950’s. As a result of their prayers and persistence, definite plans began to take shape. In August of 1960, the society voted to approve plans for a school building. As 1961 began, so did construction. Everyone did what they could to help. Men showed up regularly with their hammers and nail bags to donate hours of labor. Ladies in the already active “Mothers’ Club” held fundraisers. After much hard work and personal sacrifice, Calvin Christian School opened its doors on September 5, 1961.
The original school building consisted of 2 classrooms, restrooms, an office/teachers’ lounge, and the janitors closet. A modest array of playground equipment stood ready and waiting as well. Calvin Christian’s early curriculum stressed the fundamentals of education and Bible teaching. Music and Athletics made up part of the school day as well. From the beginning, students received a well-rounded, quality education.
Calvin Christian High School began the school year on September 8, 1980 and was officially dedicated on October 10.
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What’s The Story Behind The Name?
John Calvin, along with Martin Luther, was a leader of the 16th century movement that became known as the Protestant Reformation. These men and others called the church back to biblical Christianity and an understanding of salvation in Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone. John Calvin was a young law student in France when he heard the message that Luther had proclaimed. His conversion led him to the life of a pastor and scholar in the French-speaking city of Geneva in Switzerland until his death in 1564.
John Calvin was also a school builder. He founded an academy in Geneva for the education of the young, realizing that Christians ought to be able to read and understand the Bible for themselves. He also believed that people should be educated broadly and that in addition to the Bible, they should understand the world around them. Calvin himself was educated in the best traditions of the day on the Latin classics, Greek and Hebrew, rhetoric, in short, the humanities. He believed that Christians should be excellently educated so that they could serve God in whatever calling was theirs. Not surprisingly, wherever the Reformation spread, literacy expanded to people of all classes.
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