In 1893, Frank Cramer founded Manzanita Hall, an all-male boarding and day preparatory school, established to prepare boys to enter Stanford University. We can assume that the school was originally opened for primary, junior and secondary boys because a 1900 school brochure says, "the primary school was discontinued to make room for the advanced department," which is subsequently defined as the last four years before college. However, sometime between 1900 and 1909 a primary school was again added. Although day students were also admitted, we believe most students were boarders who lived in a dormitory with the principal and the teachers. Initially the school was located in the home of Rev. W.D. Bishop at University and Waverley Streets in Palo Alto; in 1895 it was relocated to what was known as the Alba Park area of Palo Alto. The first buildings were erected in 1895. Three years later an additional building was erected, and occupied in September 1898. A 1909 brochure says "that the property had 3 buildings: Fenno Lodge, Torosa Lodge and a 3rd building that held a gymnasium, manual training shop and a physics laboratory." A 1913 newspaper, The San Francisco Call, gave this description of the school: "The school is located on the outskirts of Palo Alto, within walking distance of Stanford University, and is in easy reach of San Francisco, combining the advantages of country life with accessibility. Ample athletic grounds surround the school. Saloons are prohibited from the neighborhood by state law." Frank Cramer sold Manzanita Hall to Leroy Dixon in 1902. Dixon sold the school to William Shedd in 1909, but later bought it back from him. Shedd remained as headmaster through at least 1918, presumably until Dixon sold the school to Colonel Richard P. Kelly in 1919.