Compiled by Wayne Blanchard; last edit 3-26-2025 for upload to: http://www.usdeadlyevents.com/

–24 INS. “Death Toll Reaches 24 From School Fire…” Oxnard Daily Courier, CA. 6-6-1924, 1.

–24 Stevens. “Hope Development School Fire,” Quarterly of…NFPA, V18, N1, July 1924, p18.

Narrative Information

Stevens/NFPA: “On the evening of May 31, 1924, about 8:45 P. M., fire was discovered in the Hope Development School, at Playa Del Rey, near Venice, California. As the result of this fire the matron and twenty-three of the forty-one girls at the school lost their lives. The matron, Mrs. J. C. Thomas, gave her life attempting to save her wards. All of those rescued were led or carried to safety by the assistant matron. This was a privately operated school for subnormal girls, although county wards were inmates at the time.

“As is customary, the public in this particular section of the country is greatly excited and demanding that steps be taken immediately to pre-. Vent a re-occurrence of the tragic affair in some similar institution. It is hoped that some definite action will be taken before public sentiment wanes.

“One of the girls confined at the home has made a statement admitting that she started the fire for the purpose of getting away from the place. This may or may not be true in view of the mental condition of the girl.

“Previous to the time of the fire all of those in the building, except the assistant matron who was reading in her room upstairs, had retired, and the fire was discovered simultaneously from the outside by a disabled soldier who was a camper on the beach, and the attendant at an oil station across the street. The soldier drove to the building in his machine, gave the alarm with a police whistle, and attempted to rescue the inmates, but because of the speed with which the fire spread this was impossible, so he drove to fire headquarters, which is the nearest fire station, about two and one-half miles away, to give the alarm. In doing this he passed five fire alarm boxes, one of which is within two blocks of the school building. This building was of frame construction, about 60 by 80 feet, two stories with small basement which opened out on the beach, and was built about twenty-four years ago. It was originally planned for a hotel, but had been vacant for many years. About three years ago it was leased and the lessor established the school. The proprietor of the school was absent at the time searching for a safe place to house the girls. Housing conditions in Southern California played their part in the tragedy.

“Fire Chief Geo. A. Hubbard, of Venice, had inspected the place from time to time, realized the danger, and while he had no authority to condemn it, had personally taken fire extinguishers into the building placing them on the walls.

“The usual reports about the inmates, girls ranging in age from five to twenty-five, being locked in their rooms and strapped into their beds, were circulated. These reports have not been verified. The investigation disclosed the fact that in most cases the girls had not left their beds, this being shown by the uncharred portion of their clothing on their backs which had been protected by the bed.

“On the arrival of the first fire company the men found the entire building enveloped in flames and by the time they had taken suction the northeast and south walls, as well as the roof, were falling in. Two fire engine companies worked at the fire with four lines of 2 1/2 inch hose. The lives had been lost and the building destroyed before the arrival of the fire department. As soon as the burning ruins had cooled off so as to permit doing so, search was started for the bodies. The firemen knew there would be loss of life when they left their stations to answer this call.

“There is nothing unusual about this fire. On the contrary this is just the kind of thing that is expected to happen where people are housed in numbers in that type of building and under such conditions.

“The California state fire marshal law does not give authority to condemn buildings of this type used for such purposes. It is the hope of the fire chiefs of the state who sponsored. The law a year ago that this may be taken care of when the Legislature convenes next January.” (Stevens. “Hope Development School Fire,” Quarterly of the National Fire Protection Association, V18, N1, July 1924, pp. 18-19.)

Newspapers

May 31, AP: “(By The Associated Press) Los Angeles, May 31. – Fifteen girl inmates are dead, five missing and 19 girls and six firemen were injured in a fire tonight which destroyed the Hope Development School for Subnormal Girls at Playa Del Rey, on the coast 18 miles west of here.

“When the blaze was discovered, inmates of the school had been in their beds in the dormitory only a short time. Many jumped from the windows at the first alarm.

“The building, old and of frame construction, was burning fiercely soon after the fire was discovered. The school was located on the lagoon in an isolated section about three miles distant from the nearest fire station. Origin of the blaze and not been determined up to a late hour tonight.”

(Associated Press. “Fifteen Dead in Girls’ Home Fire. Five Also Missing and 25 Hurt in Playa del Rey Holocaust.” Bakersfield Morning Echo, CA. 6-1-1924, p. 1.)

June 2: “Venice, Cal., June 2. – A gas jet, over which Mrs. J. C. Thomas, the matron who perished, was heating a curling iron, was today credited as a probable cause of the blaze which Saturday night destroyed the Hope Development home for girls, with a toll of twenty-two lives.

….

“Mrs. A. Taughter, head nurse at the hospital, said today that she had visited the school many times and found it in deplorable condition. She commended Mrs. Mark K. Jacobs, the proprietor, however, stating that Mrs. Jacobs had often complained about the unsanitary and unsafe condition of the three-story frame structure, and had searched for months in vain for a more suitable location for her mind-diseased charges.

“Mrs. Anna Rodemaker, one of the matrons, is positive the blaze was of incendiary origin. Within the past four weeks, three fires have been discovered at the school, she told authorities. Little piles of refuse and shavings were found blazing in corners of the building, she said. As a result of the investigation of the former attempts to burn the home, three girl inmates were severely reprimanded, Mrs. Rodemaker said. Two of the three were victims of Saturday night’s catastrophe.

“While the charred bodies of the victims, all but one of them children, lay in an almost unidentifiable group in a local undertaking parlor today, county authorities from four offices started a probe of the mystery surrounding the fire….

“Twenty of the victims were pupils in the school, according to a check today, believed correct. The other two were one of the matrons and the small adopted son of the proprietress. The school enrollment included 38 girls, 18 of whom were saved.

“Inquest over the bodies will be held tomorrow. There will be brought out what has already been disclosed – that the school building was an antiquated structure, without fire escapes, so unsuitable for the purpose for which it was used that, according to the local agents of the state board of charities and corrections, it had been refused a state license.

Doors, Windows Locked

“Mrs. Anna Rodemaker, one of the matrons of the home, said she had securely locked all the doors and windows, as was her custom, to prevent any of her under-developed charges from escaping in the night. This precaution undoubtedly increased the death toll, for the flames swept through the structure so rapidly, it was impossible to open but one door and a single window, through which the eighteen children that were rescued were either thrown or leaped to the ground.

….

Saves Many Lives

“Mrs. J. C. Thomas, the matron who died for her young charges, was credited with saving the lives of many of the eighteen who escaped. She rushed through the halls, calling the children to her, and tossed several of them out of the window before the suffocating flames reached her. Searchers found her body close beside a bed which held the charred flesh of five young girls, bent and hands uplifted in supplication.

“All of the victims, except Mrs. Jacobs’ son, were girls, ranging in ages from 3 years to 19.” (Santa Ana Register, CA. “Launch Sweeping Probe of Venice Fire. 22 Bodies Found in Debris.” 6-2-1924, pp. 1 and 2.)

June 3: “Venice, Calif., June 3. – With responsibility for the blaze which took a toll of twenty-three lives when the Hope Development home burned Saturday night still unplaced, coroner’s inquest over the blackened bodies of the child victims was to be held here today….

“The ashes of the home were again thoroughly sifted today, following discovery of another body yesterday buried under a pile of debris. It is believed that there is still another charred bit of flesh which was once a mind-clouded girl, somewhere beneath the burned timbers.

“It was intimated by District Attorney Keyes that orders for a thorough probe of all charity homes and schools in the county may be asked of the county grand jury as an aftermath of the Hope school tragedy, it is believed there may be other similar structures which are dangerous.” (Santa Ana Register, CA. “Hold Inquests Over Victims of Disaster.” 6-3-1924, p. 1.)

June 6: “(By International News Service) Los Angeles, June 6. – The toll of death in Southern California’s greatest holocaust stood at 24 today, following the finding of another body in the ruins of the Hope Development school near Venice. The charred remains are those of a girl it was said, burned beyond all recognition….” (INS. “Death Toll Reaches 24 From School Fire…” Oxnard Daily Courier, CA. 6-6-1924, p.1.)

Sources

Associated Press. “Fifteen Dead in Girls’ Home Fire. Five Also Missing and 25 Hurt in Playa del Rey Holocaust.” Bakersfield Morning Echo, CA. 6-1-1924, p. 1. Accessed 3-26-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/bakersfield-morning-echo-jun-01-1924-p-1/

INS (International News Service). “Death Toll Reaches 24 From School Fire’ Rioting at Funeral.” Oxnard Daily Courier, CA. 6-6-1924, p. 1. Accessed 3-26-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/oxnard-daily-courier-jun-06-1924-p-1/

Santa Ana Register, CA. “Hold Inquests Over Victims of Disaster.” 6-3-1924, p. 1. Accessed 3-26-2025 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/santa-ana-register-jun-03-1924-p-1/

Santa Ana Register, CA. “Launch Sweeping Probe of Venice Fire. 22 Bodies Found in Debris.” 6-2-1924, p. 1. Accessed 3-26-2025 at:

https://newspaperarchive.com/santa-ana-register-jun-02-1924-p-1/

Stevens, J.W. “Hope Development School Fire,” Quarterly of the National Fire Protection Association, Vol. 18, No. 1, July 1924, pp. 18-19.

1924 — May 31, fire, Hope Development girl’s school, Playa Del Rey, near Venice CA — 24