100 YEARS OF VAN NUYS HIGH SCHOOL - ROTC 1937

BUILDING A GREAT MUSEUM FOR THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY

Van Nuys High School was only 23 years old when Earl March was a student in the Reserve Officers Training Corps. He was a part of a plan put into place during the Civil War by President Abraham Lincoln in 1862, to get American colleges to produce officers for the Union Army. Federal monies would be provided to colleges and high schools from that time to this.

1937 ROTC documents from Van Nuys High School - Gift to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley from  Tammy and Jim Bain of Ridgway, Colorado - 2014
 (click on images to enlarge them.)

RIVERSIDE DRIVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL 1937

BUILDING A GREAT MUSEUM FOR THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY

"I transferred to Riverside Drive Elementary in the third or fourth grade, the school consisted of wooden bungalows with a boardwalk down the center and a large dirt playground. ... In sixth grade, if you had a good attendance record and you were a good student you could be selected to be a 'crossing guard' ... a rare privilege ... with a badge for your arm and a hand held Stop sign. The crossing guard would walk kids that live on the south side of Riverside Dr., safely across the street right in front of the school. Remember, there was very little traffic back then and top speed by now was up to 30 miles an hour. Crossing guard kids were highly respected and very responsible. I wanted to be one so badly but I was not chosen for the job."

Excerpt from autobiographical notes of Joanne Krekorian - 

Mrs. Gauls 5th grade class at Riverside Drive Elementary School 1937 - photocopy - Gift to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley from Joann Krekorian 2014. (click on image to enlarge it.) "Buck Henry, actor - producer - is in the bottom row, 3rd from the right. We called him Buzzy then."

BOB'S BIG BOY BECAME A NATIONAL ICON

BUILDING A GREAT MUSEUM FOR THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY

Two years before the establishment of the Little Brown Church in Studio City, Bob Wian owner of Bob's Pantry in Glendale created a new hamburger sandwich that changed the eating preferences of an entire generation of Americans....... it was the Bob's Big Boy! So symbolic of being a California teenager,  that the image of the chubby Big Boy became an national icon.

Today, Bob's Big Boy memorabilia are highly collected treasures, This shelf that I saw in a recent visit to a Lake Balboa home is but one example.

HARVARD WESTLAKE SCHOOL IN 1937

CHERISHING OUR VALLEY                      2013

     One of the most prestigious schools in California is Harvard - Westlake School in Studio City. Harvard School was founded as a boys' military academy in 1900 by Glenville C. Emery in what is now downtown Los Angeles.

Grenville C. Emery - Founder of the Harvard School.  

Excerpt from the Sentinel yearbook produced in 1937 - Gift to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley from Gary Fredburg in 2013. (click on image to enlarge it.)

      Harvard School was opened in 1900 near the corner of Venice Boulevard and Western Avenue. In 1911 the school was affiliated with the Episcopal Church. In 1937, the school was relocated to property once owned by the defunct Hollywood Country Club in Studio City. The headmaster was the Right Reverend Robert Gooden.

Robert B. Gooden, Episcopal Bishop, Headmaster of Harvard School (1912 - 1930 / 1934 - 1949)

H. Peter Gantz - Senior Harvard School 1937

(I thought it might be interesting to include the yearbook biography of one of the graduating students  from the Harvard School.)

     H. Peter Gantz "Pete", was born in Fullerton California August 19, 1919. His father is Harry Gantz, well-known oil man. His mother's maiden name was Beatrice Miller she is now married to Elmer J. Boeseke Jr. the  international polo player, and he is now a Pete's guardian. A step-sister Gertrude completes the family.

     Pete entered Harvard school in 1934 as a sophomore coming to Los Angeles from La Cumbra School in Santa Barbara he is a member of the Red Club and the forum Club.

     Pete has always been an enthusiastic sportsman although his thoughts are more with polo than in any other sport. He is an excellent player and we hope he will follow in the footsteps of his illustrious guardian. However Pete has always taken an active part in other sports, playing on the B football team in 1934 and in 1935, and taking his place as a regular on the 1935 - 1936 baseball teams.

     He was appointed a Private, 1st class in the 1935 and later in the same year won his promotion to corporal. In his senior year he was appointed second lieutenant and was assigned to Company D. He has won his Marksman Badge.

     Pete lists his hobbies as horses, polo and the fairer sex.  He has signified his intention of matriculating at Stanford to prepare himself for a career as a petroleum engineer

    His  permanent address is 375 San Leandro Alejandro Lane in Montecito California. 

 Harvard School Track Team - 1937 (click on image to enlarge it.)

Advertisement in the 1937 Sentinel yearbook of Harvard School.

(click on image to enlarge it.)

RADIO WAS BIG AT VAN NUYS HIGH IN 1937

 CHERISHING OUR VALLEY                         2013

The prologue for the 1937 "Crimson and Gray" Van Nuys High School year states: "In chosing a theme for our 1937 Year Book, we searched for a subject close to the hearts of all students. What is there in the world of today with a more universal appear than Radio? We dedicated this Annual to that amazing invention; it is still young; it has great potentialities; it is the symbol of that spirit of progress of which we are all a part. We have endeavored to present it as it is, not solely as an entertainer, but an educator, a source of aid in disaster, a bond of fellowship between the nations." 

Van Nuys High School 1937 - Yearbook - Gift to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley from Tammy Bain, Littleton, Colorado 2013 - (click on image to enlarge it.) Once owned by Robert Marsh.

Donate tax-deductible yearbooks to your Museum today.

The Museum of the San Fernando Valley

Acquisitions Committee
21031 Ventura Blvd., Suite 419
Woodland Hills, CA 91364-2230

THE MUSEUM’S TELEPHONE
1 (818) 347-9665

THE MUSEUM'S EMAILS
gerald.fecht@TheMuseumSFV.org
info@TheMuseumSFV.org

THE MUSEUM’S BLOG

www.museumsanfernandovalley.blogspot.com

THE MUSEUM’S WEBSITE

www.TheMuseumSFV.org

GARY FREDBURG CHAIRS MUSEUM'S ACQUISITIONS COMMITTEE

CHERISHING OUR VALLEY       2012

Charged with acquiring and verifying The Museum's growing collections of San Fernando Valley history and culture, is Gary Fredburg of Burbank. Long before he became a member of The Museum's Board of Directors, Mr. Fredburg has been involved in the buying and selling of paper memorabilia. One look at this blog of The Museum and the viewer will see the significant number of artifacts that he has donated to The Museum's ever growing archives. As Vice President of The Museum, Gary is a member of the organization's Executive Committee.

Typical of the treasures Gary Fredburg has contributed for the education and enjoyment of San Fernando Valley residents, and those who follow The Museum on line is this June 24, 1937 program from North Hollywood High School.

AMELIA EARHART PLANS FLIGHT AT BURBANK's UNION AIR TERMINAL - 1937

2010  THE YEAR OF VALLEY ADVENTURES
           The handsome statue of Amelia Earhart that stands in North Hollywood Park rightfully points to what is now known as Bob Hope Airport. Almost inevitably when Richard Hilton or Bronwyn Ralph invite their historic walking tour visitors to the statue an aircraft will lift over the Valley and Amelia's tribute. But, the aircraft will also be crossing over the Portal of the Folded Wings, the splendid monument in Valhalla Park to the fallen aviators who set humankind into flight. 

 James Bassett Jr. the writer of this news clipping from the Sunday edition of the Los Angeles Times on March 7, 1937  could not have dreamed that the people he was describing would soon be forever part of San Fernando Valley, and indeed world, history.

   News paper clipping March 1937 - Gift to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley from Gary Fredburg December 2010 - (click on images to enlarge)

How different the fur draped woman in the May Company advertisment from this same March 1937 newspaper depicted the ideal woman of the era.  Amerlia Earhart's life and determination would become a role model for thousands of young women who would come after her.

RADIO DECODER BUTTONS FOUND IN BURBANK

2010  THE YEAR OF VALLEY ADVENTURES

Bronze kids' radio show decoder buttons disappeared when America found itself in a world war in 1942. Even copper pennies vanished and were replaced with steel. Fortunately, the metal detecting skills of 86 year old Porky Johnson were able to uncover this priceless bronze relics of Burbank history.

Click on this photograph to enlarge the three decoders. Note the year they were created at the top of the two Little Orphan Annie radio club decoders. The center post of the Captain Midnight Secret Squadron decoder had rotted away, so Porky used a nail to enable modern users to turn the dial. He said that if you were the kid who went to school on a Monday morning, knowing Captain Midnight's secret message, you automatically were important on the schoolyard.

Captain Midnight's last secret message read:  "Join, or have your family join, The Museum of the San Fernando Valley right away."
Your Museum cares about old time radio, decoder buttons, and life has been like for kids over the years. Call  1 (818) 347-9665

ROBERT TAYLOR FILES BEGIN MUSEUM'S SAN FERNANDO VALLEY NOTABLES PROJECT

Robert Taylor and Greta Garbo in 1937 film Camille - Gift to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley by Gerald Fecht - 2008 (click on image to enlarge)

Directed by George Cukor, the 1937 block buster film Camille helped to launch the career of a young Robert Taylor. He played the role of a handsome Frenchman, Armand along side of one of most famous women in movie history, Greta Garbo.
Robert Taylor had a ranch home in Northridge. The actress Barbara Stanwick sold her nearby ranch property to the film star Jack Oakie, when she married Robert Taylor and moved into his home.

One of the most exciting projects scheduled by The Museum of the San Fernando Valley, beginning in 2009, is our list of Valley Notables. We will be identifying the places where famous San Fernando Valley residents have lived, but collecting their biographies, photos and memorabilia about their lives and careers.
If you would like to nominate someone like Robert Taylor to the Valley Notables list, drop us an email at
jerry@anchoreducation.com
Tell us your nominee, and leave your address and telephone number at which you can be reached.

2009 - The Year of Valley History