GENEVIEVE REBBE SENDS PRE-ALEMANY HIGH SCHOOL PHOTOGRAPH

Xerox image - Collection of Genevieve Rebbe 2008 (click on image to enlarge - move cursor to examine)
World War II had barely ended when a massive population explosion began in the San Fernando Valley. Roman Catholic communities were suddenly faced with building churches and schools. In 1947 a school for girls was opened within the old Mission San Fernando. It was called Saint Ferdinand High School.
Called by most Valley residents, Mission High School, the parish school began with 9th and 10th grades, and added a class as the girls advanced.
Genevieve Rebbe of Granite Falls, Washington sent this Xerox image of the 9th and 10th grade girls from Saint Ferdinand High School. Mrs. Rebbe's note accompanying the picture stated:
"The school was too small to handle all of the kids, so the girls were sent to the old mission San Fernando. There boys were sent to a seminary somewhere. We attended Mass in the old Mission church, and ate cocoa and toast in the old mission itself after Communion, as we were fasting in those days, sitting at an old wooden table used by the monks in the old days.
I am the 7th girl on the very top row and was a 10th grader.
Sure hope some of my old classmates will see this and remember. Our teacher was Sister Alma, and we all liked her.
The first girl on the left is Rosalyn Rosten, and we both lived in Pacoima then, with our folks."

Saint Ferdinand High School was reorganized as Bishop Joseph Alemany High School as a co-educational institution. In 1956, the school was relocated to its present Rinaldi Street location