MALGERT H. COHEN TAUGHT IN THE WEST VALLEY

CHERISHING OUR VALLEY              2013

Malgert Cohen was a teacher of art at Los Angeles Pierce College and Temple Aliyah in Woodland Hills. Here are four of her charming watercolors. 

Malgert Cohen was the daughter of the folk art sculptor Henry Halpern. Malgert died in 2007. 

                    Watercolor by Malgert Cohen 1959  (click on image to enlarge it.) 

 Self portrait - water color by Malgert Cohen

 Abstraction - mixed media by Malgert Cohen

Africans at Heathrow Airport in London - Water color by Malgert Cohen

TRI CHI FRATERNITY RESTORED AT PIERCE COLLEG Dec. 1970

DISCOVERING OUR VALLEY   2011

The following were listed in a ruined photo album of Tri Chi Fraternity of Los Angeles Pierce College – December 1970:

Restoration of the Fraternity

Restoration Class:

Marc Bassi

Terry Beaver

Eugene Calk

Demetri Corley

Bob Crowley

Dave Degener

Jim Herrmann

Joel Hudson

Jim Larrson

Lee Lazak

Mike Matteson

John Prince

Tom Royster

Kim Schulte

Bob Scott

Don Scott

Dick Sippel

Alumni Advisors

Paul Estavillo

Herb Friedman

Steve Hennes

VALLEY BOY PAUL ESTAVILLO IN US AIR FORCE 1965

DISCOVERING OUR VALLEY  2011

Paul Estavillo, a grad of Reseda High School, enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1965. These are three photographs of Paul from a family album.

 Paul Estavillo

When he completed his service in the US Air Force, Paul enrolled in Los Angeles Pierce College where he was elected president of the Associated Students.  He was also a leader of the Chi Chi Chi Fraternity.

 Paul Estavillo in his Air Force room

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20th ANNIVERSARY OF L.A. PIERCE COLLEGE - 1967 - 1968

DISCOVERING OUR VALLEY  2011

Click on this image to enlarge it.

PIERCE COLLEGE RODEOS - SIGMA DELTA FRATERNITY AT HOMECOMING

DISCOVERING OUR VALLEY          2011

This afternoon, The Museum of the San Fernando Valley received a bound archive of L.A. Pierce College "Roundup" newspapers for 1964 -1965. This great collection was presented to Clay Koerner, the college's outgoing student body president during those years,  Koerner resides now in Bakersfield, California.
The following are images from the Roundup papers.

Pierce College agriculture students held rodeo-like competitions throughout the school year.

Student Richard Milleken rides a bull at Piece College competition. 1965

Sigma Delta Fraternity built this prize winning float for the Pierce College Homecoming Parade.

THEY WERE ONCE FIERCE COMPETITORS

DISCOVERING OUR VALLEY        2011

 Once these gentlemen were fierce competitors at Los Angeles Pierce College. Today they are good friends, who take time to share Bob's Big Boy hamburgers. Paul Estavillo, who was once President of Chi Chi Chi Fraternity, invites alumni from other Pierce clubs to contact him through The Museum of the San Fernando Valley. 

 Photo in the Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley, courtesy of Paul Estavillo 2011.
(left to right)
Joe Maequett  - Sigma Delta Fraternity
Paul Estavillo – Chi Chi Chi Fraternity
Steve Smith – Chi Chi Chi Fraternity
Don Jones – Sigma Delta Fraternity
Bruce Pobjoy -  Chi Chi Chi Fraternity

REMEMBER "LIMBO" CONTESTS?

DISCOVERING OUR VALLEY     2011

 With calypso music blaring on the "record player" Pierce College students loved the challenge of the Limbo. Unknown student - Photo 2400 - gift to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley from Jerry Berns.

 

Brent Brody was the Beta Chapter of the Phi Delta Psi Fraternity'slLimbo champ in the Spring of 1961. Wonder if he could manage this 50 years later in 2011.  Photo 2401 - Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley.

MARDI GRAS AT PIERCE COLLEGE - THIS TIME IN 1971

2010  THE YEAR OF VALLEY ADVENTURES

After I published the previous posting on this blog, I received two snapshots taken at Pierce College at the 1971 Mardi Gras. Saving the Pierce College Farm Center, where these Mardi Gras rides were located,  is important to the history of the entire San Fernando Valley.

 Mardi Gras ride in 1971 at Los Angeles Pierce College. Photo gift from Linda Burroughs to the Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley 2010.

If you have photographs of the Pierce College Farm Center or Mardi Gras at the West San Fernando Valley's favorite community college, please contact your Museum soon. Your photographs shouldn't end up at a garage sale.
Call The Museum at 1 (818) 347-9665

GREAT PIERCE COLLEGE "RUSSIAN INVASION" WATERFIGHT 1967

2010  THE YEAR OF VALLEY ADVENTURES

Phi Deta Psi pledges at Pierce College prepare for their Spring waterfight - photo gift to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley from Jerry Berns 2009 -  refer to photo 2060

      The Cold War was a very real thing to Americans in the 1960s, and college students responded to the threat with typical youthful bravado. Here LA Pierce College students, pledges in the Phi Delta Psi Fraternity, held a spring water fight with active members of the organization calling it the Russian Invasion. Today alumni of the Fraternity through their Maple Leaf Society are among The Museum's strongest supporters.

Student Ray Lupacchini wields a fire extinguisher in a 1967 Pierce College water fight  - Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley - refer to photograph 2063

"Siege of the Pool - Russian Invasion Water Fight" Pierce College Spring 1967.

(refer to photo number 2062 - gift to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley from Jerry Berns 2009)  Water balloon strategically aimed - photo 2057

PIERCE COLLEGE STUDENTS BRING IN 1971 - 2010 THANKS TO THE FOUNDATION FOR PIERCE COLLEGE

2010  THE YEAR OF VALLEY ADVENTURES

Looking for a way to say special thanks to the Foundation for Pierce College for its help in 2010, I thought it would fun to share some of the incoming Archival photographs of the Chi Chi Chi Fraternity on the Pierce campus in 1970-1971.
At our early stage in the development of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley, encouragement and help from groups such as the Foundation for Pierce College is immeasurable. Dennis Washburn, the Foundation's executive director, seems always on hand to give The Museum sound advice and useful direction. Dennis knows intuitively, that as The Museum grows, so does our Valley-wide community's support for Pierce College.  Thousands of women and men in the San Fernando Valley owe their careers to the beloved "Farm" as many of its alumni still call the school in reverence. The Museum of the San Fernando Valley is also grateful.

Chi Chi Chi Fraternity's New Year's Eve party - December 31, 1970 - Photos in the Archive of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley - refer to the above photo as #2050

New Year's Eve - Chi Chi Chi - refer to photo number 2044

Pierce College students - New Year's Eve - Dec. 31, 1970  - photo number 2053

Chi Chi Chi Fraternity boys relax after their formal photograph.  1971 - Pierce College
refer to photos 2055-G (above) and 2055-A

PIERCE COLLEGE ALUMNA SHARED THIS 1965 PHOTO TODAY.

BETA CHI DELTA

Beta Chi Delta Sorority - LA Pierce College 1965  digital photo donated to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley by Felice (Gary) Catena - December 2010  (refer to photo 2011 - click on image to enlarge)

Felice (Gary) Catena scanned and shared this image of Beta Chi Delta Sorority at Pierce College at its 1965 “presents” at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles.   

Velma Akopian was the president of the organization at the time. 

Felice wrote: “Some of the others whose names I remember:

First row from left:  1.  Patti Sena; 2.  ?; 3.  Eileen Marsden; 4.  Michelle ….; 5.  Felice (Gary) Catena; 6.  ?; 7, 8. 9 ?

2^nd row:  1, 2, 3?; 4.  Kandhi Franklin; 5.  Velma Akopian; 6,7 ?;  Irene Soto; 8,9 ?

3^rd row:  1. ?; 2.  Carol Golden; 3, 4?; 5.  Karen Tandy; 6,7,8,9,10,11?

4^th Row:  1 ?; 2.  Gloria….; 3. ?;  4. Tanya Brun; 5,6,7,8,9,10 ?; 11.  Sandy…..(I seem to remember that Sandy was the former President of the Chapter.

We were pretty cute, eh?"

1962 PIERCE COLLEGE XXX FRATERNITY

2010  THE YEAR OF VALLEY ADVENTURES

 Danton Burroughs was much loved by his Chi Chi Chi fraternity bothers at Pierce College. Here he is seen in 1962 (far right) at his induction into the fraternity under the nickname of Organ Grinder. Photo in the Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley. Refer to photograph 1927 (click on image to enlarge) Dan was the grandson of the great American author Edgar Rice Burroughs who named Tarzana.

Themed parties and "exchanges" with sororities were very important parts of fraternity life in the 1960s. Here a Chi Chi Chi fraternity boy welcomes two guests to his organization's annual luau party.
Refer to photograph 1928.

TRI CHI FRATERNITY PICTURES TELL A PEIRCE COLLEGE STORY FROM 1962

2010  THE YEAR OF VALLEY ADVENTURES

Much has happened in the San Fernando Valley since these photographs from the Chi Chi Chi fraternity were taken in 1962 and 1963.  Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley 2010.

 Tri Chi fraternity boys play softball at the beach - 1962 (click on images to enlarge)

 It was a common practice in 1963 for college organizations to honor their new members through "acceptance banquets" Here Tri Chi fraternity introduce their new brothers.

 By the time this picture of Chu Chi Chi pledges posed with their "paddles" most fraternities had turned paddles into symbols of membership and no longer used them on prospective members.

"

"The engine broke down but Garrett found another one."  Photo likely taken on the campus of Pierce College in 1962. The two young men were members of the Tri Chi Fraternity.

REMEMBER WHEN PIERCE COLLEGE HAD "WISKERINO" CONTESTS.

2010  THE YEAR OF VALLEY ADVENTURES


"WHISKERINEO CONTESTANT Larry Tunison (right) trims the beard of protesting Gary Jacobs with the assistance of Bill Chapman. Actress Katherine Crawford will help judge the contest next Wednesday at noon."  (click on image to enlarge)

1962 newspaper clipping, found in a Tri Chi Fraternity scrapbook, loaned to the Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley by Linda Burroughs 2010. Tri Chi (XXX) was a once popular fraternity at Los Angeles Pierce College.

YES VIRGINIA, THERE REALLY WERE FRATERNITY TOGA PARITIES IN THE 1960S

2010  THE YEAR OF VALLEY ADVENTURES

 

"Toga Parties" were very much the rage on Valley campuses in the 1960s. This photograph was donated to the Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley from John Bogdanoff (right) of Grover Beach, California. To the right is Ron Simmons. They women are yet to be identified. 

US AIRMAN BILL HIEGERT IN VIETNAM

2010 THE YEAR OF VALLEY ADVENTURES

Corporal William Dean Hiegert USAF - Photo taken in Vietnam - Gift to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley from Jerry Berns 2010 - click on image to enlarge.

Bill Hiegert was born on the 6th of December, 1944. He was a graduate of Notre Dame High School in Sherman Oaks, California. While attending Los Angeles Pierce College, Bill was initiated into the Phi Delta Psi Fraternity
Bill was a fun-loving man, who loved American blue-grass music. When he returned home, Hiegert became a farmer and wholesale nursery man. He died young, many believe in large measure, due to problems that he returned with from the war.

Bill Hiegert USAF and Jerry Berns USMC in Vietnam.
The young fellows who shared membership in the Phi Delta Psi took "fraternity" very seriously. Like Jerry Berns and Bill Hiegert, at war in Vietnam, they often traveled great distances to see one another.

HERITAGE DAYS COME TO PIERCE COLLEGE FARM CENTER

MEMORABILIA OF THE PHI DELTA PSI FRATERNITY

2010 The Year of Valley Adventures
Photograph of a scrapbook of the Phi Delta Psi Fraternity and the Maple Leaf Society. Photo 1278 - November 2009 display at Los Angeles Pierce College. (click on image to enlarge)
Recent Vietnam era graduates of Valley and Pierce Colleges are shown in this picture include: Dan Kumler, Tom Roe, Al Plouff, Grady Talbot and Bill Hiegert. Grady E. Talbot would become a founding Board Member of The Museum. The Phi Delta Psi was founded in October 1956 at Valley and Pierce Colleges.

Among the earliest supporters of the movement to create The Museum of the San Fernando Valley were members of the Maple Leaf Society, an alumni group from Los Angeles Valley, Pierce, and City Colleges. The Society is an outgrowth of the Phi Delta Psi Fraternity that also had chapters at California State University Northridge, Moorpark College and Virginia Technical Institute. The Maple Leaf Society provides scholarships for college students. The Museum of the San Fernando Valley archives the history of the Phi Delta Psi / Maple Leaf Society, along with the records of other social and fraternal organizations of the greater San Fernando Valley.

MICHAEL TOZZI DONATES PIERCE COLLEGE TREASURES TO THE MUSEUM OF THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY

2009 - The Year of Valley History
La Riata 20th Anniversary Yearbook - Los Angeles Pierce College 1967- 1968 - Gift to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley from Michael Tozzi - August 2009
Los Angeles Pierce College in 1948 shortly after the college was opened. Michael Tozzi was the editor and chief of the college newspaper for 1966-1967.

Detail from La Riata 20th Anniversary Yearbook - Los Angeles Pierce College 1967- 1968 - Gift to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley from Michael Tozzi - August 2009
One of the most cherished landmarks in the modern San Fernando Valley is the Pierce Farm Center. The center celebrates Pierce College's treasured agricultural heritage, and provides Valley families with one of the few precious farm-experiences left in our area. This photo from the school's 20th anniversary yearbook, demonstrates the long time farm tradition at Pierce.

Cover of La Riata yearbook Los Angeles Pierce College 1967- 1968 - Gift to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley from Michael Tozzi - August 2009

The San Fernando Valley, in the heart of the Creative Capital of the World, deserves a great Museum of history and culture.
The Museum of the San Fernando Valley proudly supports the LA Heritage Alliance.

PIERCE COLLEGE BOTANIC GARDEN TREASURE

Pierce College Botanic Garden - Photo by Gerald Fecht for the Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley 2008 (click on image to enlarge)
While visiting Los Angeles Pierce College in Woodland Hills last evening, I had the opportunity to visit the S. Mark Taper Foundation Life Science Botanic Garden. I have to confess that the garden's long title has intimidated me from earlier visits. But last night's visit won't be my last.
The botanic garden is only two years old, having been completed in 2007. It is a perfect example of how native drought-resistant plants can replace uninspiring and water guzzling lawns. And, the garden is a showcase for the San Fernando Valley of what can be accomplished by using regional plants.

Pierce College Botanic Garden - Photo by Gerald Fecht for the Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley 2008 (click on image to enlarge)

All of us who live and work in the Valley can take pride, not only in the wonderful botanic garden, but in the Pierce College commitment to bettering our environment. The progressive west Valley college is leading the way with solar generations, and a natural gas co-generation system. The whole college is alive with exciting environment friendly and supportive projects. With two Orange Line stations serving the campus, a visit to Pierce College should be high on all of our adventure lists.

Pierce College Botanic Garden - Photo by Gerald Fecht for the Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley 2008 (click on image to enlarge)

Pierce College Botanic Garden - Photo by Gerald Fecht for the Archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley 2008 (click on image to enlarge)

Los Angeles Pierce College
6201 Winnetka Ave. Woodland Hills, CC 91371 Phone: 1 (818) 719-6401


The San Fernando Valley, in the heart of the Creative Center of the World, deserves a great Museum