Last one-room schoolhouse temporarily safe

• Tweet

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 17 (UPI) -- California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has agreed to keep what is called the last one-room U.S. schoolhouse open for one more school year.

While Schwarzenegger did agree to state Sen. Dennis Hollingsworth's bill for funding for San Diego County's Palomar Mountain School, the governor's office said the funding would only be a one-time subsidy, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported Wednesday.

Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District Superintendent Lou Obermeyer said Tuesday that closing the K-8 school had been considered due to a budget shortfall.

The district superintendent added that if the one-room school remains open next year, three students are expected to attend.

While the state subsidy is only a temporary measure for the school, Hollingsworth told the newspaper that the funds represented additional time to help save the historic site.

"I'm thrilled we were able to get these much-needed funds to Palomar Mountain School," Hollingsworth said. "It plays such a critical role in the Palomar Mountain community, and I am happy to support it in any way possible. We will continue to work to keep the school open and solve the problem for the long term."