Tapestry of Time

From the Friends of Balboa Park

Updated November 2010 Table of Authors Letter from Our Founder, Betty Peabody 4, 5 Allen, Grace Bentley 93 Amos, Martha f. 28 Anderson, Phyllis D. 91 Atherton, Debra 105 Atherton, May 17 Bennett, Kay Mason 77 Benton, Mariella 30 Borthwick, Georgia 11 Brown, Margaret 70 Butler, Ardith Lundy 47 Butler, Colornel Richard D. 45 Butorac, Kathryn 84 Cardua, Harney M. Jr. 38 Cash, John C. 9 Conlee, Roger 108 Cooper, Barbara 99 Davies, Darlene G. 96 Davies, Vince 66 Dose, Betty Curtis 69 Dr. Rufus Anton Schneiders 56 Earnest, Sue Ph.D 20 Echis, Ellen Renelle 33 Ehrich, Nano Chamblin 75 Engle, Mrs. Margaret 86 Evenson, Bea 106 Faulconer, Thomas P. 13 Fisk, Linda L. 23 Fry, Lewis W. 58 Giddings, Annie & Donald 18 Green, Don 87 Hankins, Thelma Larsen 53 Herms, Bruce F. 63 Hertzman, Sylvia Luce 78 Howard, RADM J.L. 43 Johnson, Cecelia cox 98 Jones, Barbara S. 40 Kenward, Frances Wright 34, 51 Kirk, Sandra Jackson 104 Klauber, Jean R. 6 Klauber, Phil 14, 36 Klees, Bob 89 Kooperman, Evelyn Roy 102 Lathrop, Chester A. 88 Lee, CDR Evelyn L. Schrader 100 Logue, Camille Woods 72 Marston, Hamilton 25 McFall, Gene 31 McKewen, Barbara Davis 90 Meads, Betty 95 Menke, Pat & Bob 94 Minchin, Mrs. Paul 68 Minskall, Jane 35 Mitchell, Alfred R. 29 Moore, Floyd R. 101 Neill, Clarence T. “Chan” 67 Oberg, Cy 74 Pabst, Dick 42 Pabst, Katherine 50 Phair, Patti 92 Porter, Francis J. Jr. 85 Pyle, Cynthia Harris 97 Richardson, Joe 79 Roche, Francis 82 Roche, Merna Phillips 60 Sadler, Mary M. 27 Safford, Chuck 83 Sharp, Bob 62 Shields, Phyllis 32 Shortt, Andy 12 Southwick, James F. 59 Steffgen, Mary Scheniders 54 Stockton, Joyce (Mrs. Clarence) 37 Sullivan, Letty 71 Thompson, Aubrey 61 Thompson, Betty 81 Thompson, Jean Stooke 80 Thompson, Ralph 26 Thornton, Sally Bullard 21 Tragauze, Amorita 7 Tyson, Rose 24 Waldem, Alice H. 46 Wallace, Ginger 107 Ward, Phill & Rusty 73 White, Eleanore Smith 48 Williams, Dorothy A. 19 Wilson, Kitty (Kitty Clark Wilson) 8 Wurtz, Jack & Betty 76 Yanagihara, Tom 22 “A Tapestry of Time” Balboa Park 1997

I Remember Balboa Park Please tell us what you remember about Balboa Park: Do you have childhood memories of going to the park? Did the midgets Invite you to tea? Did you know that Sally and her girls were dancing? Did you see the Indian Village? Were you at the expositions? 1915 or 1935? Did you dance at the collegiate Club? Did you become engaged in the park? Married? Please share any reminiscences for a published collection of memories by the Balboa Park Millennium Society. The Society wants to let future generations know of your role in building the rich heritage of Balboa Park.

Please mail to: Betty Peabody Balboa Park Millennium Society % Balboa Park Administration 2125 Park Blvd. San Diego, CA 92101 To celebrate the 1997 reopening of the House of Hospitality, scores of folks have sent in their recollections of Balboa Park. Many hours of fun, entertainment, cultural events, and relaxation that our park has provided generations of san Diegans, are recounted. For memories of the excitement of the expositions of 1915-16 and 1935-36, WW I and II, the pinning’s, weddings, and happiness the park has meant to our community and be- yond, we offer “A Tapestry Of Time” for your enjoyment. -Betty Peabody Highlights That I Remember as a Child at the 1915 Exposition

1.) My father gave a palm tree to the park which used to be at the corner of 6th Avenue and Laurel Street. 2.) Going to the 1915 Expo to hear Teddy Roosevelt speak, with my father. 3.) Going to hear Madame Schumann Heink sing at the 1915 and 1935 Expos. 4.) I was married then (1935 Expo) and back in San Diego after being away for quite a few years. My husband had a concession in the food building for Klauber Wangenheim and Allied Food Stores so we went over to the Park almost every night to check on how the booth was doing. And also to get a scone at the concession across from ours to eat on the way home! They were good. We walked from 6th and Redwood Street. 5.) I also remember the wonderful Book Reviews Bea Edmonds Bea Edmonds Breneman gave in the audito- rium at the House of Hospitality. They were great. -Jean R. Klauber In 1915 when I was 3 years old, my mother brought me from Sal Lake City, Utah by train to the, then new Santa Fe Station and thence by horse and buggy to my grandparents home on Kermpf Street in Lemon Grove. My only memory of the Great Worlds Exposition in Balboa Park was feeding the pigeons I treasure the photograph, in my family album of my beautiful mother in her puffed sleeve, high necked dress as she and my grandmother did the pigeon homers.

In 1935, having the privilege of being a friend of the Donae Hords I visited their home several times as he was working on his masterpieces for the House of Charm (Hospitality). The Old Globe was top on my list as a drama teacher and it later became my home under the tutelage of Luther Kennet and Craig Cloel… The Floral Bldg. … the Spanish Village and the surprised look on my friends faces when they found me – very 8 ½ months pregnant- enjoying the reandalous Cludist Colony and Sally Rand and her family.

-Amorita Tregauze At age four (in 1915) I came from Texas to Encinitas with my family with four siblings and my parents. As I progressed rapidly from grade to grade in the one-room schoolhouse. By age six when we moved to San diego I was temporarily in grade 4, bur shortly moved back to grade 2 and then in a few weeks to grade 3 as I read or had read all of the books my older sister brought home from school. Of course that little kid, and I was little, couldn’t cope with those huge characters socially!

In 1918 in Encinitas we walked barefooted to school about a mile on the sandy buy stickery paths, always picking stickers out of our toes. There another child, a boy my age, and I were put into the ancient form of ac- celerated class, as we shared spaces at the back chalkboard where we worked independently ahead at will.

To carry on, our Overland “touring car” took us to San Diego and back, but we walked the beaches to the open gateway spots. My father got back into the wholesale grocery business when we moved to San Diego in 1917. My San Diego library card dates back to 1918, when I was seven.

Dad got back into the wholesale grocery business as President of the firm, and I as a freshman at San Diego State began to date Harlan Wilson who was then either a Junior or Senior, I’m uncertain which. We married in April 1931 before I had finished college, but I did so afterwards.

There is so much to relate, but it would make a book, not possible right now.

These are pictures of my early youth in San Diego. To do more would take several volumes. I was married in 1931 at age 20 to Harlan Wilson, one of a wonderful large family, but wound up with only one son, Dr. Harlan Wilson, head of Politics at Oberlin College, Ohio.

At age 86, I’m still active, playing golf, not well but adequately, and consider my future is not over, yet.

-Kitty Wilson (Kitty Clark Wilson) July 12, 1997

Re: Request for info on “Remembering Balboa Park” requested on the Roger Hedgecock, program on KOGO on July 11, 1997.

From: John C. Cash,

Bio info: Born in Oceanside, CA., on Sept. 20, 1919. Raised in San Diego graduating from San Diego High School in June 1938. At that time lived in North Park on Pershing Drive.

I Remember Balboa Park

Balboa Park has played an important part in my life and others who were raised in San Diego.

1.) My first rememberance of going to something in Balboa Park was when I was about 4 or 5 years old. My father took me to a speech given by William Jennings Bryan in 1915 Expo. Building, “Southern California Counties” which was located at the now location of the Natural History Museum. It was in the evening and after the speech my father took me down and I was able to shake Mr. Bryan’s hand. Later, on November 25, 1925, that building burned down the evening of the firemans ball. The building was also called the Civic Auditorium.

2.) While in grammar school I remember being taken to Zoo in Balboa Park by our teachers. This was an ex- citing experience for us kids in the 4th or 5th grades.

3.) Another vivid memory took place in 1935 just before I graduated from Jr. high School, Memorial. At time I was 15 years old. They had been constructing building for the 1935-36, The California Pacific International Exposition. The Expo was scheduled to open on May 29, 1935. The word got out the day before that they needed people to do last minute cleaning and other work before the opening. Well I got permission from my mother to go to park and try to get a job helping out. I arrived at the Park Service Yard gate, where a lot of other boys were milling around, about 5 pm. Working my way up to the gate I was pulled in and along with a number of other fellows taken to an area near the Ford Building where they put us to work planting flow- ers around the building. We worked all night quitting about 8 am. We were told to come back in about two weeks and we would be paid by a check. That was one of my first jobs.

4.) 1935 and 1936 at the Expo was an exciting time for us young people. A student pass cost about $2.50 which was about 12 ½ cents a visit. They had very special days for students. I remember in September 1935 we were let out of school to spend the afternoon at the Exposition. There was so much to see and do there --- so many new and exciting things all the time. Although we had passes it was an exciting thing to try and climb the fence and sneak into the Exposition.

5.) I remember before the fair started we use to hike down under the Cabrillo Bridge and fish for minnows in the pond there. That location was about where Route 163 now passes under the bridge. Another thing we used to do was in the early morning after delivering papers to the swimming pool at the end of Texas Street hunt rabbits and quail along Florida Street. This was around 1936 or 1937.

6.) Another interesting thing I remember during my high school days was the Collegiate Club organized by some college students from the, then, State College which held dances on Friday nights for college and high school students. They were held in the Cafe of the World building on the north east corner Plaza Del Pacifico. This was after the Exposition in 1937 and later and it cost $1.00 to join and about .80 cents a couple each dance night. It was the place to go and be seen for students at that time. I might mention that San Diego High School is located on Park at the south end of the park at 12th and Park Blvd. San Diego High School held their June class graduation ceremonies at the Spreckles Organ Pavilion up until the start of war in 1941. The last graduation was held in June 1942.

7.) The Balboa Park Carousel (Merry-go-round) was brought to the park in 1922 by Mr. Simpson and located on Park Blvd at the entrance of the Exposition on the Plaza De Balboa. In 1938 Mrs. Simpson, who was a neighbor on Perishing Drive where we lived, asked me if I’d like to work on the Carousel as a safety and ring boy. Off and on in 1938 and 1939 I worked there on weekends after I graduated from High School. It was a lot of fun and an interesting experience that I have not forgotten. Mr. Clarance Wilckens ran the merry-go- round for many many years and passed away in 1976 at the age of 93.

8.) Prior to the Exposition in 1935-36 a Fair was held in Chicago and one of the performers was a gal by the name of Sally Rand who became famous for doing a fan dance in the nude. Sally was brought to the San Di- ego Exposition in 1935 and did her fan dance that year. In 1936there was an artificial lagoon constructed in front of today’s San Diego Museum of Art. There of a platform Sally performed a new dance in the evening using a large balloon. I remember watching her performance one time when someone shot a staple from a slingshot breaking the balloon. It was a very dangerous thing to do although I don’t believe Sally was injured.

These are but a few of my recollections about my experiences relating to Balboa Park. I might mention that up until a few years ago I was the historian for the San Diego High School Alumni Association. The association has an office at SD High in the Media Center. Also I am a member of the San Diego Historical Society and a sometime photographer volunteer. In addition I belong to the Hall of Champions and the Aero-Space Museum. If you’re looking for some good reference material about the park I might refer you to the book San Diego Trivia by Evelyn Kooperman, published by Silver Gate Publications, San Diego California in 1989. Also refer her second book San Diego Trivia 2 has more information about the park. One of the most wonderful things to a child about the 1915 fair was the shreded wheat exhibit. There was a machine that extruded the shredded wheat and all the children were given samples. It was the most delicious treat – we would leave to explore other areas, but always come back for another treat to watch the machine and to taste the finished product!

The reopening of the House of Hospitality in 1935 was the most exciting social event in San Diego. We were married couples, Gertrude and Walter Renwick of standard oil, the Charles Hoskins, a Builder, and others.

There was a cocktail opening with a dinner party to follow. I don’t remember the entertainment, just that we had a lovely time and it was so nice, and the tremendous excitement of the reopening. I was the baby of that group and all the others are gone now, but I can hardly wait for the grand reopening celebration of 1997!

-Georgia Borthwick “I Remember”

Exposition 1915

Known as the Panama-Pacific Exposition, celebrating the open of the Panama Canal. I was 5 years old. All the beautiful new buildings, bridge, and structures created a “wonder land” in our beautiful Balboa Park. A few of the more impressive memories from my childhood are on what is the zoo parking lot was a large amuse- ment are there was a roller coaster, a large Ferris wheel, an Indian Village built later, a small red sand stone with rooms like caves. The zoo was along Park Blvd and most of the animals were kept in cages about 20 feet square. There were hundreds of very tame pidgeons that would eat out of your hand.

-Andy Shortt 6 August 1997

Mr. & Mrs. Peabody:

Your presenation today at San Diego Yacht Club was interesting but strange to an old resident of Balboa Park.

Dad was Secretary of the Park Board and general manager on site. We moved into the Model Farm house in 1914. I still have the Navy pass allowing members of our family to enter at any hour. My memories are many, since I grew up to age 11 before we moved to Mission Hills. My parents were so pleased with the situation that I learned to read (Shakespeare, Dickens, Sir Walter Scott etc.,) and to write fluently. Thus they did not send me to school until 1920 when I entered the second grade.

During World War I, I dressed as a sailor, learned the Manual of Arms and marched in parade formations in the Plaza. My brother and I knew the details of all the 1915 Exposition, Navy regulations, etc. During the Panama Pacific Exposition has access to one of the wicker electric carts and visited most of the exhibits.

When the navy moved out we made regular visits to most of the buildings, finding all sorts of leaving of the exhibitors.

I am enclosing a 30 page summary of things dad wrote, photos of the days, etc. This Xerox copy is all I will release. I have all the original meterial and if you want to send a photo crew copies may be made from these and negatives, etc. Much of my material is also transferred to video for lectures, etc., including movies, etc. Sincerely,

Thomas P. Faulconer Dear Tom:

This is probably the fifth copy you’ve received of the photo of your father that ran in yesterday’s Reader. But maybe you have use for another.

I remember your dad very well from those days for Harry was my classmate at Normal Training School, and sometimes after school we’d ride the street car (No.’s 1 and 7) down to your home after school. You were then living in the home just south of the then Reptile House of the Zoo which in the 1915 Expo had been the Inter- national Harvester Building. Your home, I think, was in 1915 part of the Model Farm.

It is a good likeness of your dad as I remember him (our fathers were good friends as both worked at the Zoo in the 1920’s). As it’s secretary, your father signed all Zoological Society membership cards, including mine.

Best Regards, Phil (Klauber)

No Toy Airplanes for This Seven-Year-Old

Young Tom Faulconer, 7-year-old son of Secretary Tom Faulconer of the park “commission,” is boasting today that he is the youngest real aviator in the country.

Knowing that the little chap’s great ambition was to fly in an honest – to – goodness airplane, Liet. J.R. En- nessey, who conducts an aerial passenger, services on Tide Street yestday obtained permission from the lad’s parents and took him for a flight over the city and bay.

Young Tom surprised the pilot by falling to evince the slightest fear, and registered a complaint as soon as he reaced terra firma, because Lieutenant Hennessey failed to loop the loop with him.

The lad last night wrote a suplementary letter to Santa Claus requesting that that toys he had asked for be given to his small brother and that he be given a real airplane instead.

The San Diego Zoological Gardens Balboa Park By T.N. Faulconer Director San Diego Zoological Garden

Grecian mythologists have it that a certain hero sowed dragon’s teeth from which sprang a mighty army. A half dozen public spirited citizens of San Diego, lovers of children and of animals, broadcast their ideas concerning the establishment of a Zoological Garden. These ideas fell upon fallow ground and have reached their fruition in an institution that, within the three years since its inception, has become world famous.

The great charm of the San Diego Zoological Garden lies not in the number and variety of its specimens, although it ranks high among the great zoos of the world in this respect, nor in its vast acreage of canyon and mesa land so ideally formed for the purpose, but in the humane and interesting manner in which the animals, birds, and reptiles are displayed. Lions, tigers and cougars, restrained only by a concealed moat, roam in apparent freedom. In the tallest bird cage ever constructed, giant trees tower to great heights, affording flamingoes and herons, ibis, toucans, curassows and numerous other exotic and brilliantly plumaged fowl leafy bowers where they may nest and rear their broods in view of visitors, but safe from the proddings of umbrel- las and canes. The elephants enjoy the freedom of spacious stockades, and, on Sundays, make scores of journeys around their track burdened each trip with a dozen gleeful, howling youngsters. Occasionally the camels also are saddled to give visitors an opportunity to compare the rolling motion of these “desert ships” with vessels that sail the seas.

To those who have taken up cudgels for or against evolution the primate group is a source of endless interest. Chimpanzees, gibbons, mandrills, baboons and scores of monkeys disport themselves after the manner of their kind, which, after all, is not so unlike that of humanity. However remote their relationship to man, these animals unquestionaly are supreme as entertainers and about their quarters one always finds a majority of the visi- tors.

Less than three years ago, cactus covered the barren hills and canyons where now stands the zoo. More than twelve hundred birds, animals and reptiles have come to take the place of the occasional jack rabbit, and a half million visitors have spent happy hours in this section of Balboa Park during the past year, where, before the zoo came, was solitude.

Among the principal buildings of the San Diego Zoo are the Administration Building, the Reptile House, and the O’Rourke Zoological Institute. The last named is a children’s adjunct to the main Zoological Garden, where the children of San Diego are learning much of Nature, under the able direction of Dr. Wm. H. Raymenton. “To know and love all wild-life to hunt with a camera instead of lethal weapons, to conserve, rather than to destroy,” are the lessons that this institute is designed to promulgate.

Much of the expensive construction has been made possible by the generosity and public spirit of a few wealthy citizens, but the friendly atttude of the entire public and of the press, combined with the unfailing loyal support of the San Diego Zoological Society, numbering at this time nearly one thousand members have been great contributing factors in the rapid growth and present high standing of the San Diego Zoo. But, above all, credit is due to the man who first proosed that San Diego should have a Zoo. For, without the vision, enthusiasm, and unceasing effort of Dr. Harry M. Wegeforth, who for the last ten years has devoted his time and energy and determination to this work, there is serious doubt whether San Diego would have, as it has today an institution that ranks high among the important Zoological Gardens of the World. In October 1925, we applied to the Civil Service for a substitute to relieve our bookkeeper, who had taken a two-week vacation. Thus Belle J. Benchley walked into the Zoo’s life. Though she had little business training, at the end of the two weeks she had proved herself highly competent, always carrying out my instructions to the letter. I decided to keep her. Joe Brennan called up, wanting her to work for the Harbor Department, but I persuaded him to leave her here.

From then on, I unloaded onto Mrs. Benchley’s capable shoulders many of my onerous duties. One of the tasks I was most grateful to be relieved of was speaking at luncheon clubs. Chicken was “the thing” for lunch- eons just then, and if all the chicken I had consumed that year were laid end to end, I am sure it would have reached clear to San Luis Obispo. At first, Mrs. Benchley heartily disliked public speaking, and each appear- ance was preceded by an acute attack of nervousness. Before long, however, she was doing this with the admirable efficiency that characterized all her work.

I had been personally handling the trading and selling of animals, but before long, with a vast sigh of relief, I turned this, too, over to her:

Excerpted from: Backyard Zoo Keeper Submitted by: Tom Faulconer

And gradually, men and women who had little enthusiasm for parks or zoos, and who scoffed at his appar- ently fantastic plans, began to respect the persistence of this doctor who was wild for animals. Over to his side were drawn prominent architects, engineers, builders, artists, writers, and educators. As his friend Faul- coner says: “Doctor Harry became the hub of a great wheel that began to roll with increasing momentum. The suite of offices which, as a busy and very successful physician, he maintained downtown, resembled the headquarters of a vast building project, as in fact it was. Contractors, material men, and designers were sandwiched in between patients, and blueprints and construction schedules covered tables, desks, and, on oc- casion, even his operating tables.”

In his diaries, the doctor summed up these early years with a casualness that belies the aggressive battle he waged: “It took ordinary persistence, and the organization of teamwork among others. I tried never to lose heart. Whenever anybody started to knock my plans, I just kept right on boosting them. The idea of failure never entered my mind. Of course it was hard at first, but when they saw I was really making good, that I meant business and San Diego was going to have a high class zoo, they came through nobly.”

Yet, astoundingly, newspaper clippings and early records of the Zoo are significant for a major omission – the name of the president and founder of the Zoo, Harry Wegeforth, almost never appeared. Credit went to men like Louis J. Gill, architect, and often without much profit; to A.T. Mercier, later president of Southern Pacific Railways, but then a major factor in helping Harry Wegeforth reach wealthy patrons for contributions to the Zoo; and to yachtsmen like Captain Allan Hancock and Fred Lewis, who led expeditions for new specimens to add to the Zoo.

The herculean role of Harry Wegeforth in founding the San Diego Zoo is summarized in this paragraph in an early guidebook available to Zoo visitors:

His job was that of manager, promoter, planner, financial advisor, and much of the time in the early days he was the sole support. Practically alone, he raised all the private funds with which the magnificent Zoo was built. He visualized and planned all of its unique features. He traveled at his own expense all over the world, bringing back ideas not only from zoos, but from parks, natural scenery, and from conversations with people famous for the work they had done in their native country. He made connections which enabled the Zoologi- cal Society to obtain not only zoological exhibits, but rare shrubs and trees. It was through his interest in the relationship between diseases of wild animals and his own experience in human medicine that our Zoological Hospital was planned and built. My first encounter with Balboa Park was in early 1915, during the time of the International Exposition. I was nine years old. I had been born in the area known as the “Theosophical Institution” on top of Point Loma.

The head teacher told me one day I would be taken to Balboa Park with four other children and a teacher to see the International Exposition. She gave me a piece of metal and told me I could get anything I wanted with it.

We walked all day. Late in the afternoon we found ourselves in an oriental enclosure. I was told this was the time to buy something with the money I had been given. I bought a lacquered box and a green ribbon to tie up my two long braids.

My second experience in Balboa Park was during the summers of 1920 to 1922. The San Diego Fair was held where the Zoo parking lot is now situated.

My father John Davidson was made responsible for selling tickets to the Fair. He regularly worked at the Spreckles Theater selling tickets to the many diverse shows that were booked during the year. He asked me to do the job at the Fair. He took me there in the morning and picked up the money at night and took me home.

The container in which I told tickets to the Fair was built like an outhouse. The entrance was in the back. The top of the front was open. Halfway from the top was a shelf where tickets and money could be exchanged. The animals were lined up in ages parallel to Park Blvd.

My third experience is Balboa Park was when I graduated from San Diego High School. The graduation cer- emonies were held at the Spreckles Organ Pavilion. The graduates sat on the stage, and the audience in front of the stage. There were 210 of us. San Diego High School was the only high school in San Diego at the time.

Large red street cars picked up students from La Jolla, Birdrock, Mission Beach, Crown Point, Ocean Beach, Ballast Point, Fort Rosecrans, La Playa, Point Loma, and Loma Portal, and took them to 12th and C Streets to attend San Diego High. However the students from these areas had to fend for themselves when school was over in the afternoon. The graduation exercises were no different from the way they are now conducted.

In 1969 I took an “Adult Education” class in Balboa Park. We learned identification of plants, their need for water, their exposure to sun and shade, and the kinds of drainage they needed to maintain a healthy life. Each meeting was held in a different place. Balboa Park has been a joy to everyone living in San Diego. It has been a joy to every age group.

-May Atherton I Remember Balboa Park By Annie and Donald Giddings

Don and I both have many fond memories of family outings and playing ‘Cops and Robbers’ in our beautiful Balboa Park.

Don went to the first Exposition in 1915 with his parents and grandparents from Colorado. His grandparents pushed their young grandson in a wicker pram. He was not yet one year old.

I went to the opening but I was not yet born. It would be more proper to say that my pregnant mother and my father went on this special occasion on January 1. I did not arrive until April.

Although we did not know each other until the Seventh grade, Don and I had the fun of climbing the Califor- nia Tower with our families and friends. It was a thrill to walk to the top and look out over a small San Diego that was to become the 6th largest city in the United States.

The museums were a special treat. Many teachers took their classes to the Art Gallery, to the Museum of Man, Natural History Museum, etc. Our 1932 graduation class at San Diego High School had its graduation ceremony at the Organ Pavilion. The boys dressed in white trousers and dark jackets, white shirts and ties! The girls wore formal gowns; most of the girls had worn the gowns to the Senior Prom (these were depression years).

Later, the House of Hospitality became a restaurant. The building across the way housed the collegiate Club which was organized and operated by Bob Peterson (he later developed and owned Jack in the Box; also he was the husband of our former Mayor Maureen O’Conner).

Frank Losey was the orchestra leader of the dance band. He probably paid his way through USC Dental School with his savings from this great band. What fun dances we had there every week. It was the place to go!

We had the pleasure of watching our Zoo start and grow into the best in the world. The Museum of Art, the Museum of Man, the Museum of Natural History became world class institutions. It is nice to see the rapid de- velopment of the Mingei International Museum of Fold Art.

The Globe Theater has been a treat for us as well as for tourists from around the world. The Starlight was a must for our children while growing up. It still brings pleasure to our family.

The Exposition of 1935 and 1936 provided jobs for many college chums. It was place for us to spend a ma- jority of our time when we weren’t in school.

Even though we are old married folks of 57 years we still enjoy all the offerings of Balboa Park. -Annie and Donald Giddings My first memory of the 1915 Exposition – I was eight. My mother was a dress designer and worked for Mrs. Sears’ shop on Laurel Street. My sister and I would walk from our home on Georgia Street and meet our Mother at the Exposition. How much we enjoyed the band concerts with Mr. Sousa conducting. (As in aside – I was on an errand for thread from Holzwasser’s and having a hard time crossing the street at 6th and Broadway and Mr. Sousa took me across the intersection. What a thrill!)

The Japanese Tea Garden was a favorite for all of us. I have a picture of my Grandmother seeing the Exposition by wicker cart provided for those unable to walk.

The 1935 Exposition has a great memory for me – I sang in the Exposition Chorus. We were chosen at try-outs in old Lincoln School – choirs from all over the city. We sang with so many fine singers – Madam Schuman Heink, Grace Moore, and so many others on the stage in front of the great Spreckels Organ.

-Dorothy A. Williams In 1915 as an 8-year-old child I remember the marvelous scones filled with raspberry jam. I also remember the carts, usually holding two people, which went tootling around in central plaza.

In 1935 I remember “Gold Gulch”, the naughty shows in the canyon, the famous nude fan dancer, Sally Rand, swaying behind her enormous white ostrich fan.

I remember the agile dancers on the green by the Globe Theater presided over by “Queen Elizabeth”. They danced with youthful abandon. The trumpet was sounded, Queen Elizabeth waver her fan and a page barked sharply, “Curtain Time!” The sharply cut versions of Shakespeare were beautifully done and lasted about an hour.

There was also a genuine nudist colony. Breasts were showing but not pubic hair.

Buses picked up and discharged passengers. They were without sides and running boards making for quick entrance and exit.

There was a glorious fountain which danced to the music and changed colors in mood with the music.

The Indian Village near the present Zoo was once lived in by Indians. The structure was similar to Hapi dwell- ings.

One could also visit a Midget Colony (30-40 little people).

-Sue Earnest, Ph.D. I Remember Balboa Park

I remember Balboa Park through the eyes of my father. Who was hi? Orlan Kellogg Bullard, DDS, born in 1985, came to San Diego with his father, Orlan; mother, Belle; and two sisters, Alyce and Isobel. Here they joined his maternal grandfather, a University of Edinburgh, Scotland graduate, David Angus Smith, M.D., who practiced medicine here until his death in 1903.

Young Orlan, educated at Sherman School and Russ High (now San Diego High) was extremely dexterous. Proficient in shorthand, he typed an astounding 120 plus words per minute and was also facile with Morse code and the telegraphy key. He spent summers employed by a shipping line, working on their cargo ship off the Pacific coast, coding and decoding messages. Later he became a Navy Chief Radio Electrician during World War I. He was sent through the Panama Canal, across the equator, to Brazil then crossed the Atlantic to Scotland, France and Portugal. Already fluent in Spanish, while en route, he taught himself the languages of the countries he was to visit.

How does this take us in the 1915 Exposition? This ambitious young man was also interested in architecture. He was employed by the architectural firm of Bristow and Lyman doing architectural drawings and tracings, leading to the buildings for the Exposition. At that time, this complex, multitalented man worked for Pinkerton Detective Agency learning the details and intricacies for criminal surveillance and public safety for Balboa Park during that challenging time.

He accomplished all of this before he graduated from USC Dental School in 1921. Later, my fater becoming nationally renowned as the first oral surgeon to introduce and pioneer the use of intravenous anesthetic from evipal to scapolomine and finally sodium pentathol.

I remember a wonderful, old photograph taken of my parents at the 1935 Exposition as they strolled down the promenade. They told stories, word pictures, which I was able to visualize of the zoo, the Japanese tea house, the nudist colony, and exotic dancers. Those visualization were later supplemented with photographs found in the Ticor collection at the San Diego Historical Society while I was doing research for my books and journal publications. Ah, what wonderful memories…

-Sally Bullard Thornton I Remember Balboa Park

In 1915 the Panama-Pacific International Exposition inspired the San Francisco architect firm of Watanabe and Shibada to build a Tea House and Gardennear the Prado in Balboa Park. When the Fair was ended, the management of the Tea House was provided by the Asakawa Family. Their two sons, Moto and George, lived in Balboa Park from 1918 until they left for college.

These memories and other oral histories are being recorded by the members of the Japanese Friendship Gar- den, San Diego. When complete, we hope to contribute them to the story of Balboa Park.

Thank you to those who have taken on this endeavor.

Congratulations on the Re-Opening of the House of Hospitality.

Sincerely,

Tom Yanagihara, President I have photo of my grandfather, Amos Lichty, posing with a group of workers. He worked as a carpenter for the 1915 Exposition.

I have a photo of my mother, nee Lillian Madeline Lichty, posing on the wall of the Southwest Indian Village circa 1921.

I have my mother’s ticket for the 1935 Exposition.

Also, I have always been told that my great uncle, Harold, was the crane operator when the California Tower was built.

-Linda L. Fisk Dear Dr. Rogers, I thought you might want to write about the first time you saw the Science of Man Exhibit in 1915! - Hope you are fine. Best to Helen. Love, -Rose (Tyson)

P.S. – the Paleopathology Bibliography is back from the printers.

My first memory as to the California Building complex in Balboa Park as in the year 1915 when I was ten years old. All that I can recall definitely is the prehistoric man busts in the Science of Man hall, and the candy vending machine at the entrance.

I was also impressed by the wick or work buggies that visitors could rent and propel themselves around the buildings and exhibits.

There was much to be seen but as I look back over the decades, I guess that I was most impressed by the busts of Neanderthal man, Cro-Magnum Man and others in the Series, still well preserved. My earliest memory of Balboa Park is that of a five-year-old child going home in the arms of a parent across the Cabrillo Bridge under a night sky brightened by exploding fireworks and the lights of the bridge and the California Tower. -Hamilton Marston. My earliest recollection of the presence of Zoo animals was probably in 1918, when at age five, with my parents, we were strolling along the portion of the Park Boulevard where the extension of Laurel Street inter- sects.

As my foggy memory recalls there were a number of animal cages along the west side of Park Boulevard just north of where Laurel Street would intersect.

I do not recall whether streetcar access was along the east side of Park Boulevard at that time, but it assur- edly was later when the popular mode of transportation to Roosevelt Junior High and to San Diego High by streetcar.

My second Zoo memory was when, as a student at San Diego State College, the Zoology students were in- vited to a meeting, probably in 1934 or a bit later, to hear Belle Benchley give a talk about plans for im- proving the San Diego Zoo display conditions. The meeting in a small conference room held perhaps a couple dozen people.

This was the beginning of the tremendous advancement from viewing caged animals to viewing animals in an environment that attempted to duplicate their natural home areas.

-Ralph Thompson Homer and Betty Peabody asked me to co-operate with your project. I am a native San Diegan, born in St. Joseph’s Hospital, April 30, 1919. Both my sets of grandparents came to San Diego shortly after the turn of the century, and were in business here. One grandfather, Sylvester Wooly Daniel, had a jewelry store; the other, George Mitchell had a large cafeteria. Both my parents, George R. Mitchell, and Clara Josephine Daniel, attended San Diego High, and earlier in their lives participated in the Arbor Day celebration Kate Sessions put together, having school children plant trees in Balboa Park.

Our family has always loved Balboa Park, and used it. The most famous member of our family was the artist, Alfred R. Mitchell. I married the Rev. C. Boone Sadler, Jr. and we live on Point Loma. I have been the Adminis- trator of my uncle’s estate.

-Mary M. Sadler I remember Balboa Park as a beautiful and delightful place to picnic, or ride the Merry-Go-Round visit the small zoo; or ride around in a certain, special area in a miniature open-air train, or visit the museums. The Sunday afternoon Organ Concerts were always well attended. Madam Schuman – Heink sang in the organ pavilion to a large audience. After the 1917 war was over, the city began repairing some of the older build- ings and also built new ones.

One large building held dances almost every week. Graduation exercises and other performance took place in the organ pavilion.

A “Committee of 100” was organized to raise funds to help in the restoration of the aging décor of the origi- nal Spanish style buildings, as some of the outside décor was beginning to deteriorate. -Mrs. Martha F. Amos. July 1922

The family of the artist, Alfred R. Mitchell, enjoys a Sunday afternoon in Balboa Park. Left to right – Jose- phine Daniel, mother of Clara Mitchell, on her right, wife of George R. Mitchell, brother of the artist, holding baby Josephine, Carrie S. Mitchell, sister of the artist. Standing in front, and proud of her furs, is Mary Maud Mitchell, age 3. As a young woman attending Normal School (later becoming S.D.S.U.), my mother sold tickets at the 1915 Fair for entry to an exhibit of a primitive Phillipine tribe of “Igorrotes”.

My uncle, recently retired as Chief of White House Secret Service, and living in the San Diego area was in- volved with Balboa Park security during the 1935 Fair.

My husband John and I attended sorority and fraternity meetings at the House of Hospitality in the late 30’s and early 40’s.

In the late 20’s my husband spend some time with the Boy Scouts at the Indian Village.

-Mariella Benton As a child, Balboa Park was very important to me. Toward the end of World War I, I was a very young Girl Scout who with my leader and troop mates made up maternity beds for service wives in the small Pepper Grove building in the Park. The building later became the San Diego Girl Scout headquarters where I be- came Girl Scout executive director.

In school our teacher asked students to write a paper about or opinions of the most beautiful building we’d ever seen. I proudly wrote “The Cabrillo Tower in Balboa Park, San Diego”. I still think it’s a magnificent struc- ture.

During the last years of World War I, we Girl Scouts solicited pledges to purchase war bonds. My parents’ friends served as likely prospects and I earnestly pleaded with them and the friends to pledge through me. It was announced that I had secured the longest list of purchasers in San Diego. When General John J. Pershing visited San Diego he spoke to citizens from the Organ Pavilion stage. Part of the program was to greet Girl Scouts who had sold Liberty Bonds. Since I had the honor of selling the most I was presented a commemora- tive bronze medal, which he bestowed and kissed me on the cheek. This was reported in the local newspa- pers, with photo, and was to that time the proudest time of my life. I said I’d never wash that cheek again.

A few years later I was attending a private girl’s school in El Paso, Texas adjacent to Fort Bliss. General Per- shing was visiting the Fort and the school invited him and his aides for tea. He went down the line of students shaking hands with the students. When he came to me I said, “General I’ve met you before. You presented me with a medal for selling Liberty Bonds, on the Organ Pavilion stage in San Diego, in Balboa Park.” He stopped to chat and asked, “Were you the little girl with the long curls?” Blushing, I replied that I was that child and was thrilled that he remembered me.

During the World War II, I was working with the American Red Cross and visited and counseled with sick and injured service men hospitalized in Balboa Park buildings. It was interesting and fulfilling work. During both Expositions in the Park, my family and I held booklets of Park affairs and I have remnants of the books in my memory book.

In 1947 I was finishing my Master’s Degree at USC and returned home here on weekends. While in San Di- ego during one of these visits I was asked to be interviewed for the position of Girl Scout Executive Director of the San Diego Council. A vacancy had occurred when the former Executive became ill and had to resign. The Board of the girl Scout Council was located in Balboa park. I explained that I still had some work to complete on the degree. They urged me to ascertain if I could arrange to complete the work on Fridays and Saturdays thus freeing me to accept the Girl Scout position the other four days of the week. Luckily it worked out.

So, full circle. My husband and my Mother were delighted because earlier I had traveled for Red Cross and then been in graduate school, and was rarely home. Under those terms I accepted the position as Executive Director of the Girl Scouts. Guess where the Girl Scouts headquarters were located? In the little building in Pepper Grove, Balboa Park where I helped make maternity beds for service wives when a very young bud- ding Girl Scout.

All things that go around come around. I worked there, and later, on the 17 acres of the new headquarters, still in Balboa Park.

-Gene McFall North of the Lily Pond, in the 1920’s, and maybe alter, there was a Japanese Tea garden with a “Moon Bridge”.

During the 1935 Exposition, there was a stage in the plaza in front of the Museum of Art where Sally Rand performed her fan dance.

I spent many happy days at the Exposition visiting the exhibits – especially the Ford Building. -Phyllis Shields Our family lived on Lark Street, S.D., at the time of the 1915 fair I turned 5 that summer – so are my memories reliable? Here they are: I loved butter at that stage, which probably helped me remember an exhibit with a life-size cow – made of butter! Also I recall an exhibit of midgets, and of my being picked up and set down in the group – to show that the adult woman was the size of a 5-year old child.

Roger and I used to take our 3 year old Annie to see exhibits, and it was rather annoying that one thing she really liked best was to swing on the ropes that kept waiting lines in order!

Adult visitors always wanted to see Gill Gulch and the nudist colony. Many of the nudists seemed to us to be, perhaps, not really dedicated nudists and they all looked quite chilly in the typical evening dew, and very uncomfortable as they cooked, practically spluttering foam. One elderly man seemed genuine, and used to get very upset at the hoots, etc. of land, happy sailors.

We loved the performances of stream-lined Shakespeare, and Queen Elizabeth appearing to watch the lively English dances outdoors. Did Starlight opera start during the fair? We were frequent attendees there.

-Ellen Renelle Echis Today I received a “packet” from Mrs. Ron Benz regarding the grand opening of the House of Hospitality on Sept. 13, together with the invitation to write “I Remember” and send to you.

I left San Diego 10 years ago so miss knowing about some of these nostalgic affairs. I think Parker Jack- son submitted my name as the last close relative of architect, Richard Requa. The Requa and Wright fami- lies arrived in San Diego from Nebraska in 1903 and have been there to watch it grow.

The Expo holds many fond memories for me and I tried to share a little of it in the enclosed article. If you think it, or any part of it, can be used, please do so.

I hope to be there for the dedication.

-Frances Wright Kenward My earliest memory of the park was when I was no more than four, in the 20’s, and my mother gave me my first ride on the merry-go-round. I remember the thrill of being on a horse that went up and down. I rode numerous times in the next few years, but couldn’t recapture the thrill of that first time, except perhaps when I captured the gold ring! Now when I go to the Zoo and in passing hear the merry-go-round music I feel great nostalgia. It’s in a different location but it’s the same old merry-go-round.

When I was seven I went to the Zoo with my second grade class. I wouldn’t remember the outing except that walking down cat canyon I had awful pains in my legs. I remember looking at all the other children and won- dering if they felt as I did. Later I was told that I had was “growing pains”. Now when I’m at the Zoo and see those groups of little children with name tags and teachers. I’m apt to think of “growing pains”.

In 1935 a friend and I rode horses from north to south on the narrow dirt road that was to become 163 or Cabrillo Freeway. The day before a man had jumped from Cabrillo Bridge to his death (no protective fenc- ing then) and just on the south side of the bridge, opposite the lily pond, was a big red splotch of blood. We didn’t have many violent deaths of any sort back then, so that image stayed in my mind for a long time!

In 1936 I went to the Park Administration building – that small building at the east end of Cabrillo Bridge – to interview Park Sup’t John Morley. I needed to write a paper for high school English class entitled “Land- scape Architecture” – my chosen vocation. I was a very shy kid and was scare to death but I remember how Sup’t Morley put me at my ease right away so I truly enjoyed chatting with him.

I graduated from San Diego High in 1937 at the Organ Pavilion. The girls all wore long dresses in colorful pasted shades. In those days cap-and-gown were reserved for college graduation. I can never hear Pomp and Circumstance without picturing the scene of walking across the platform in long dress for my diploma.

-Jane Minskall This just surfaced in my stack after a 3-week absence out of the country. I realize it’s beyond your July 15 deadline, but should some more ancient memories be of interest, here they are.

Best personal regards, and best wishes for a grand re-opening of the House of Hospitality. I’ll be there!

Sincerely, -Paul Klauber *Written, obviously, before we talked on the phone, July 27.

Having been born during the 1915 Exposition I don’t remember it, except the fascinating histories of it that have been published by San Diego Historical Society. Because of the Exposition profound influence on San Diego’s development thereafter, I make it a centerpiece of slide talks I give about “Great Leaders of San Diego’s Past.”

From 1927-30 I rode my bike five days/ week across The Cabrillo Bridge and along Zoo Drive to Roo- sevelt Junior High School. Often on the way home other boys and I would explore one former Exposition buildings, and I recall even then they were deteriorating.

At that time every Fall the County Fair was held in Balboa Park, with the main indoor exhibits in (to use their 1915 names), the Home Economy, varied industries and food products buildings. Those exhibits were always fascinating to a young star, particularly the ones that gave free samples of food items.

At the 1935 Exposition my chief memories are of the free Symphony concerts every night in what later became called the Starlight Bowl, and picking up my girlfriend, who later became my wife, after she’d finish cashiering, at 9:00 pm. She was then Detty June Stevenson.

And having mentioned Starlight Opera, I have many memories of having sung with the company form its inaugural night 7-5-46 in Wegeforth Bowl thru the 1948 season in Starlights Bowl.

The most important reason Balboa Park overflows with memories for me is that I was married there, in Saint Francis Chapel on 6-15-50. We had a jolly reception afterward in the Loggia of where else – the House of Hospitality!

-Phil Klauber My Mother, Ruby Slaughter, worked in the 1915 Exposition during summer vacation from San Diego High School. She worked in the Mikimoto Pearl booth. They dressed in Japanese costume and every one thought she was Japanese which was very funny as she was quite tall.

I remember the 1935 Exposition. Saturdays were nickel days for the school kids. I lived not far from the park so my girl friend and I would spend the day there taking a sack lunch as we saved our money for the plays at the Old Globe and the many fun rides.

While in college in 1937, I wanted one of the small rooms in the House of Hospitality as my art studio which I used until I married. I think the rent was $15.00 a month. My sorority, Phi Kappa Gamma (Alpha Phi now) rented a room in the House of Hospitality for several years starting in 1938 at 9.

Enclosed is a picture of myself and friend (names on back of picture) at the Exposition with a man very tall. He must have been advertising something!

Being a native San Diegan, our family had many family picnics in Balboa Park. I remember going on the Merry-go-round across the road from the Fleet Center on the canyon side of Park Blvd. The circus was usually held on the same side. I want to San Diego High School on #7 street car which passed the park on the east side.

A family wedding shower was given for my husband and me in Balboa Park in 1939. Many years later 2 of my oil panting hung in the Art Institute Gallery and now I’m pleased to have designed the cover for the Gala opening imitation of the House of Hospitality. -Joyce Stockton (Mrs. Clarence) “I Remember” (Things I’ll Never Forget About Balboa Park)

School By 1923 we had moved to within two blocks of the park. It was summer and Harry Samish and I needed to be brought up to speed in anticipation of the upcoming fourth grade. Everyday my Mother, Harry, and I sat beneath the Cork Tree on the Lawn on the east side of the parkway near the 6th and Upas intersec- tion “learning”. It was difficult to absorb pedagogy in that delightful, restful setting.

A Walk in the Park About 1928 in the eighth grade at Roosevelt Junior High School Miss Lindbergh held sway in English (His- tory?) after lunch. The classroom was beside the entry portals on Park Boulevard. As the students (Phil Klauber was in the class) entered the room I occasionally meandered out through the portals and walked past the Boy Scout Indian Village and the Zoo to the Midway for random sculpture lessons. My assignment was to recreate, in clay, the bust of a major General Pendleton (his own mother wouldn’t have recognized him) – (wasn’t he the one they named Santa Margarita Ranch after?). At any rate the walk to and fro (had to pick up my bike back at school) was ready!!

The Prowler and the Bridge (Let’s See What’s in There?)

Being an inveterate prowler and always living within walking distance of the park I was bound to discover THE HOLE in one of the columns supporting the arches beneath the Laurel Street Bridge. It was a perfect fit! On one occasion, armed with a match - - - No! No!! a flashlight, I entered, discovered climbable scaf- folding and proceeded judiciously toward 6th Avenue (up and over, etc). At the zenith of the first arch the ambient light disappeared, I found myself in total darkness! The tiny flashlight made everything worse!! I beat a cautious retreat, squeezed through the now tiny hole and left, never to return.

The 1935 Exposition (Some Folks Have Gun Barrel Vision – “So What Else Did They Have at the Fair?)

The Ford Motor Car company presented an excellent display, the Ford Bowl. The setting and structure were magnificent. The “frosting on the cake” was a cordon of brand-new (1936?) V8 Phaetons! They were conducting rides around their display. Teenagers were lined up nearly as far as you could see. Gene Rum- sey was (probably) there. How could he not have been? He owns one today!

College Night in the Park Later on there were the Friday evening dances in one of the buildings along the north side of the distal (ease end) Midway with Laurie Higgins and his “Big Band” Orchestra. His girl vocalist was the Lovely Har- riet France. Boy, with a date and a corsage THAT was heaven – you could even trade a few dances now and then.

One of the world’s better guarded secrets is that Laurie Higgins, as a Navy physician, was awarded the Silver Star (or cross) during WWII for surreptitiously penetrating enemy lines with a back pack each day to hold sick call for some marines trapped behind Japanese lines on Guadalcanal.

The Otto Center In the mid to late 60’s the San Diego Zoo received a bequest of $1.5 million as did the Bronx Zoo in New York. From whom? Elmer C. Otto, of course! Dr. Minton Fetter, the president of our zoological soci- ety received a telephone call from Kasamir Ogrodnik (or whomever), the president of the Bronx Zoo. The exchange went something like this”

“We received a million and a half dollar gift from Elmer c. Otto in San Diego!” “So did we!”

“Who the Hmmmm is Elmer C. Otto?!”

“Dmm’f I know!”

In due course word leaked out that the Otto family had been seen in our office. My nurse, Miss Carolyn Innes and I were interviewed at length. “Who was Mr. Otto, what did he look like?” “He was a fine, hand- some elderly gentleman.” Would you two help our sculptors in an effort to recreate his physiognomy?” “Of course, we’d be flattered.”

That was the start of many sessions in a room at the Zoo hospital. The sculptors (a man and his wife) and Miss Innes and I met regularly, after hours. They molded and we kibitzed. “Take a little off over here, smear a little over there” and so on and on. The artists’ hands with our suggestions ultimately created Mr. Otto’s bust and features with unbelievable accuracy – from a lump of clay!* The finished metal statue graces the entrance to the Otto Center at the Zoo.

*The artists may have acquired a likeness of Mr. Otto and Miss Innes and I merely made suggestions rel- evant to the finer features – not sure.

Update on Anthropology Sometime during the 70’s I was invited to participate in Dr. James MacLaggan’s committee at the Museum of Man. The goal was to further clarify the physiological development of homosapiens, as I recall. It was our good fortune to have Mrs. Betty Peabody as a member of the committee. Health education was be- coming integrated into public school instruction.

This seemed (to me, at least) to be a logical amplification of anthropology. It was an exciting time. Some consideration was even given to including community endeavors relating to health. I’m not sure why the concept didn’t mature. Maybe there was a tug-of-war between “where we’ve been” vs. “where we’re go- ing” and our side had the short end of the rope.

Historical Research Recently I’ve been volunteering in the Photo Department of the San Diego Historical Society. Each expe- rience in Balboa Park has been more interesting and fun than the last. The need was for help in dating some of the pictures. I’ve always had a passionate interest in automobiles. If the others could present me with a picture containing an automobile I could come up with a fair estimate of the date and even the name of the marquee. The department personnel supplied me with the perfect “scapegoat” word – “cir- ca” – therefore if I’m within a year or two of it I’m home free!!

-Harney M. Cardua, Jr. I Remember Balboa Park By: Barbara S. Jones

1923 First came to San Diego. By 1924 I remember coming to Balboa Park with my parents. My brother and I nev- er came without food for the pigeons and packets of salt to catch them with – having been told that we could catch pigeons if we sprinkled salt on their tails. We came almost every Sunday to hear the organ concert and then have tea at the Japanese Garden tea pavilion. We always tried to climb the half moon bridge but did not succeed for years.

1925- Had my tonsils removed at Navy Hospital in the building now the Park headquarters.

1927 My next vivid memory was at the opening of the fine Arts Gallery. I was left to watch my brother while my parents looked at the pictures. He stuck his head through the railing on the second floor and got stuck. He yelled and yelled. It drew a tremendous crowd. He finally had to be lifted out (couldn’t get his head back in). I was so embarrassed that I was a teenager before I would go to the gallery – just knew everyone would remember me and the terrible day.

I went to art school during the summers at a studio that was on top of the arcade where the sculptor garden is now. The dancing school I attended held many recitals on the open air stage on the west side of the Alcazar Garden.

1927 I went to a Girl Scout celebration at the Girl Scout Headquarters that used to be in the area of the children’s playground on Park Boulevard. One of the activities was a plant walk with “the mother of Balboa Park”. We took a short walk on the trail that led down the canyon in the area now known as Zoro Gardens. This impressed me and let to my taking Botany in High School and going on plant walks in the park with Dr. Edith Purer and later at San Diego State with Dr. Dorothy Harvey.

I learned to ride horseback in the canyons now containing Hwy #163. There was a stable located on the west side of Park Boulevard about where it joins with I-5. I attended the zoo, the plunge, and the Starlight theater regularly, too.

1935 The Fair was a wonderful experience. We all had passes and attended often. Every week I danced in the Spanish Village with a Spanish Dance team from the Hemphill Dancing School. My first real date was to the Fair – we rode all the rides.

1937+ There was a teenage dance almost every Saturday night at the park building in the space now occupied by the Timken Gallery. Good band, chaperoned, nothing but soft drinks, and inexpensive and we all had a won- derful time. Kids from all the local high schools attended. They were not segregated, either.

1939 The graduation exercises for Hoover High School were held in the Starlight bowl (then the ford Bowl). The boys wore white jackets with a red flower in their buttonhole and dark trousers and the girls wore long white dresses and carried red roses. We all marched down from the top and were seated on the stage. (Have dress.) In 1939 the House of Hospitality rented the rooms on the second floor to the social sororities and fraterni- ties at San Diego State. In September I was pledged to Kappa Theta sorority in our rooms at HofH. Every September and February after the pledging ceremonies a Stag-and-Doe dance was held in the large room (West End) for all the ‘greek’ organizations. The organizations held regular meetings on Monday evenings. This continued until the Park was taken over by the Military during WWII.

WWII This was not the end of my visits to Balboa Park. The best band and dance floor in the city was at the of- ficer’s club now the Balboa Park club. The west end of the park was open, and one could rent bicycles on 6th street to cruise the many paths.

After WWII, when the park was vacated by the military, Café del Rey Moro became a favorite spot for us to meet for afternoon tea.

We take all our visitors to Balboa Park and it always includes (except the past 2 years) a luncheon at Café del Rey Moro. A meal in Old Town and another along the harbor is our way of showing visitors the real San Diego. After 73 years, it’s still my favorite place in San Diego. I Remember Balboa Park:

Having moved to San Diego from San Francisco in 1923, I have spent many wonderful times in our park: from picnics, games, walks, 1935-36 Exposition, all of our museums, etc.

One of my lasting memories is my being a member of the famous Bonham Brothers Band from 1930 to 1936. We marched in the 1934, ’35 and ’36 Rose parades, and 1934 was especially memorable as it rained the entire taime of the parade.

Back to Balboa Park – The Bonham Brothers Band, led by Jules Jacquies, used to meet every Saturday, months before the Rose Parade. We would meet in the park at 6th and Laurel and march up and down the grass area between Juniper and Laurel. We would also go out on the streets around the area.

We have been so fortunate to have had and still have our park.

The 1935 and 1936 Expositions were among the highlights of my teenage years. Expositions in San Fran- cisco, Montreal, and Vancouver were fine but San Diego’s were the best!

-Dick Pabst I Remember Balboa Park

I lived from 1923 to 1940 in North Park in the 3500 block of Arizona Street and Park Villa Drive, just little more than a block from the northern boundary of Balboa Park bounded by Upas St., a mostly undevel- oped part of the park east of Florida Street Canyon. Thus, that part of the park was my “playground” with which we kids became very familiar as we played Cowboys and Indians, Cops & Robbers, within the entire area bounded on the west by Florida Canyon, Pershing Drive to the east & south, and Upas St. to the north. Here are some of the things I remember about Balboa Park:

1.) Around 1925-30, vestiges of the trenches used by soldiers in training for World War I were still vis- ible though quite weather-worn from rains & winds. Some of us kids played soldier using those trenches. 2.) I’ve forgotten the year (was it 1927?) SD had some heavy rains causing floods, raging rivers in can- yons, and I recall at the very southernmost end of Florida Canyon where Pershing Drive became impassible for a time … somewhat like areas in Missions Valley these days when we have heavy rains. 3.) Up until about 1935 with the Exposition I believe we were still able to climb to the top of California Tower to get a breathtaking view of town. I can’t remember whether we were allowed to climb up during the Expo… or when the climb was closed to the public. 4.) Lat ‘20’s, along Park Boulevard just south of Roosevelt Junior High School were caged wild animals … early displays of the fledgling San Diego Zoo. Park Boulevard at the time, as I recall was a two lane (but paved) road. Pershing Drive, starting at the southernmost end of Florida Canyon and up the hill toward North Park was also a two lane but DIRT road (I think) until about mid-‘20’s. 5.) Balboa Park before 1935 also had a beautiful Japanese Tea Garden about where the ’35 Exposi- tion Spanish Village is now. 6.) The swimming pool in the park just south of the end of Arizona Street went in sometime, I believe, in the early ‘30s. My diving mentor, Reuben Bellows, was the first to make a 2-&-a- ½ flip from the 3 metre board during the opening ceremonies… and I made what I believe was the 2nd of the same dive… but not during the opening ceremonies. 7.) The highlight of the ’35 Exposition for most of the teenage boys was the nudist colony just west of what is not the Reuben Fleet Space theatre… in a little gully next to Casa de Balboa. Most of the boys were dismayed to later learn that all the nudist “performers” were wearing skin-color body-socks (I think that’s what they were called at that time). 8.) I remember also that from my classes in 6th grade at Jefferson Grammar School we could hear the Spreckels Organ playing. It was Humphrey Stewart who played for many years. 9.) And… of course… there was the Indian Village, Boy Scout Headquarters for the San Diego Area council, just south of Roosevelt Jr. Hi.

-REAR ADM. J.L. Howard Memories of Balboa Park From Betty & Fred Hage

My earliest memory of Balboa Park dates to about 1924 or 25, and is of a large bird cage, I believe located along Sixth Avenue, several blocks south of Laurel Street. It contained many brightly colored birds and parrots, on of which often called out my nickname and whistled the tune my Dad customarily used to call me. Another recollection of that period was playing in the large grassy area along Sixth Avenue north of Laurel Street, where there were curving hardpan walks, beautiful trees and flowering shrubbery, and many birds and squirrels.

One of the highlights of my first grade field trips was a visit to the San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park. While we were viewing the monkey cages, one of my more advanced classmates laughed and said, “Look, Fred’s name is on the monkey cage!”. It was, and still is, but it is really the name of my Father, who was one of those who had contributed funds for the building of the exhibit. The zoo still is one of my favorite places.

The Museum of Art was especially impressive to this youngster, with its beautiful exhibits, paintings and the handsome staircase with tiled banisters. It fostered an early appreciation for art that still leads me to fre- quent visits to the Museum. And then there was all the fun on the Merry-go-round. And picnics in the Pepper Grove.

The fabulous 10 acre Indian Village, built for the 1915 Exposition, was used for many years as headquar- ters, training area and campground for the San Diego Boy Scout Council. Thousands of men who were San Diego Boy Scouts of that era share my fond memories of that landmark.

The Spreckels Organ Pavilion brings back happy memories for both of us on Sunday afternoon concerts played by an exceptional musician, and summer evening symphony concerts under the direction of Nino Marcelli.

How well we remember the 1935-36 Exposition. Much of Balboa Park was closed to automobile traffic, and special open air trailers pulled by Ford vehicles, and hand pulled carts, transported fairgoers across the Cabrillo Bridge to Del Prado and exhibits. The Firestone Fountain, with colored lights and beautiful music, the ford Buildings (now the Aerospace Museum) and the Ford Bowl (now Balboa Bowl) all were new additions to the park. Many industrial, science and food exhibits were housed in the House of Hospitality, House of Charm, Casa Del Prado and other buildings along Del Prado. Among them was the first television that we can recall seeing. And then there was the Midway, and Gold Gulch, with their carnival atmosphere and girlie shows.

Following the Exposition, one of the halls was used by the collegiate Club, where liquor was strictly off limits, for high school and college age dancing to the music of Frank Losey and his orchestra. It was indeed a popular night spot. Another of our fond recollections is of the marriage of Betty’s bother, John Thiele and Lavinia chambers, in the Saint Frances Chapel in 1942.

The US Naval Hospital had been in Balboa Park for many years, and occupied many of the other buildings during World War II, when it was an essential national resource.

The Balboa Park Municipal Golf Course was the site of one of my very first attempts at golf, and for many years was our home course. It and the Balboa Tennis Club at Morley Field are sports facilities cherished by many generations of San Diegans. I can recall that in about 1926 or 1927, my Mother belonged to a garden club or something similar that had meetings in the Arboretum and that I went with her and saw all the greenery and how cool it was in there. I was also impressed by the big ponds out in front. In the late 20’s or early 30’s as we drove down Park Boulevard it seemed that the old Indian Village was a scary place in its state of disrepair. While at- tending Grant Grammar School, a highlight of each year was when the open air Zoo buses picked us up at the school and took us for a day at the Zoo. Picnics at the Pepper Grove were always a lot of fun, play- ing on the swings, pushing the little merry go round as fast as it would go and using wax paper on the slide so we could go faster. When we could afford the price which was a nickel in the early 30’s, riding the old merry go round was a real thrill and catching the gold ring for a free ride was a real achievement. I gradu- ated from Roosevelt Junior High School the same year the 1935 Exposition opened. Someway or other, my Mother managed to get enough money to buy me a book of tickets. Two of my favorite places were the 49er Gulch and the Ford Building with its simulated production line. I had one of its rubber models of a 35 Ford for many years. The Midway was very impressive and had some very thrilling rides. There were some good shows in the Ford Bowl. I saw the Olson and Johnson show several times in either ’35 or ’36. I started San Diego high School in 1935 and used to ride my bicycle to school My route took me down the road under Cabrillo Bridge (now 163). One morning on my way to school, just as I was about to pass under the bridge, a man jumped off it and landed on the road right in front of me. That scared me so much I took off as fast as I could for school and shook for the rest of the day. My high school graduation ceremony in 1938 was in the Organ Pavilion and was truly worth remembering. The boys all wore white jackets and the girls wore organdy dresses. Everything was very formal, no caps and gowns or monkeyshines like graduation ceremonies in later years. The boys and girls marched in separately and did not sit together. Mr. Aseltine was the Principal and saw to it that we all behaved properly. My wife’s graduation ceremony in 1939 was equally well done. In 1944 I returned from England where I had flown a combat tour with the Eighth Air Force. On several occasions, we visited the Admiral Kidd Club which was in one of the Exposition buildings down by the Ford Building. That was a lively place in those war days and it was fun to be with so many men and women who were in the military service. Yes, I have many fond memories from Balboa Park.

-Colonel Richard D. Butler, USAF, ret. It’s not possible for me to remember the 1915 Exposition, but I do have memories of my grandfather who was a personal friend of John Morley who designed the garden for that Exposition. Mr. Morley asked my grandfather to come down to San Diego to see his work as my grandfather was a horticulturist also Roads, at that time, were very poor and it was a very difficult trip.

But I do have memories of the 1935 Exposition. My parents brought me, a 15 year old girl down and even then roads weren’t very good. We spent the day here and the thing I remember best of all was going to the Old Globe Theater to see “As’you Like It”.

I’m ever so grateful that the buildings in the park are being permanently reconstructed to the original de- sign. -Alice H. Waldem My earliest recollection of Balboa Park is that in 1932 when we lived in Mission Hills that some girl friends and I roller skated to the park and had a great time skating in the covered walkways which fronted on the buildings along Laurel Street. Our skating and squealing made a great deal of noise which we enjoyed. We had family picnics in the Pepper Grove and had much fun playing on the playground equip- ment, particularly the self propelled merry go round.

The highlight of the day was to ride the big merry go round with its calliope music. It was located next to the old street car station at the end of Laurel Street. It cost a whole nickel for a ride and if one could grab the brass ring out of the side which stuck out of the wall toward the merry go round, a free ride was earned. I can still remember the noises the rings made as they slid down that arm. I don’t remember much about the Exposition because we did not have much money in those days and therefore I was not able to attend it very much. I have very fond memories of my San Diego High School graduation ceremony in 1939. It was in the Organ Pavilion and was very formal. All the girls wore long dresses of pastel shades. Mine was lime green organdy. The boys all wore white jackets and dark pants. We marched in on the wings which extended from each side of the main structure, the boys on one wing and we girls on the other, to our seats in front of the organ. Miss Freese, Girls Counselor, supervised us. We were all on our very best behavior. I have always had very fond memories of Balboa Park.

-Ardith Lundy Butler I Remember Balboa Park By Eleanore Smith White

I had the good fortune to be born into a wonderful family, and spent my minor years in our home near the east end of Myrtle Way. As one of my neighbors said of his children, “We live so close to the zoo that the animals can hear us at feeding time”. Balboa Park and its canyons were our playgrounds. Many of my girl- hood leisure hours were joyously spent at Girl Scout meetings in Pepper Grove, the San Diego Zoo (through the welcoming back gate), week-end nature classes at O’Rourke Institute and the San Diego Art Gallery, the wonderful Merry-Go-Round at park Boulevard, and countless other exciting places we explored in the Park. We gathered and studied wild flowers (as well as bugs and spiders), in the canyons. With apologies to Voltaire, it was the best of all possible parks, in the best of all possible worlds.

Where the freeway now roars, a peaceful two-lane road passed under Cabrillo Bridge carrying traffic from Sixth Avenue through the Park to Park boulevard. From our home we could hear the distant, outdoor Spreckels Organ concerts, the chimes from the California Tower carillon, and the raucous Peacock calls and varied animal voices from the Zoo.

One of the most exciting annual events of my childhood was the colorful San Diego County Fair, held in Bal- boa Park along the Prado, and in the various 1915 Exposition buildings. While enjoying salt-water taffy, we children listened raptly to exhibitors’ pitch-men, and filled sacks with their “samples”.

In later years there were the Starlight’s early performances in Wegeforth Bowl at the Zoo, and finally my beautiful High School Graduation ceremony in the Organ Pavilion. We girl graduates wore not cap and gown, but long pastel dresses, and carried bouquets of fresh flowers.

My youthful activities in the Park were climaxed by the 1935 International Exposition where exhibitors from around the world transformed Balboa Park into a giant carnival. The Exposition sparkled with crowds of visitors, new buildings, music, fountains, programs and celebrities. My family enjoyed frequent evening walks to the bright lights of the noisy Exposition spectacle to greet friends and to “people-watch”.

Across from The Spanish Village stood the Exposition’s model home appropriately called La Casa de Tiempo. A two-story modernization of the California Monterey style, designed by San Diego Architect Sam Hamill, it was luxuriously furnished by Barker Bros. from Los Angeles, and boasted a new auburn automobile in the garage. I sold tickets to tour the house, each ticket a chance to win Casa de Tiempo and its contents, in a drawing held at conclusion of the Exposition in 1936. The house was then moved in three sections to a vacant lot across the alley from our home, where it was re-assembled. Exiled former President Calles of Mexico purchased it, and lived there with his family. It was a permanent reminder of the wonder- ful years of the San Diego International Exposition. My father, an officer in USN was stationed here 1933-36. At that time I was enrolled at SDS. The 1935 Exposition was a favorite “date” among the set. After one would encounter other friends who had jobs at some of the exhibits. It was always so much fun – lots to do and very colorful when the light entered the night. I Remember Balboa Park:

One of my earliest memories of the park was playing on the slide, swings and other equipment at Pepper Grove. My brother and I had our birthday party there in 1933. My brother’s birthday was one day be- fore mine although I was almost 3 years older than he. He still does not let me forget that I am his “much older sister”. That day we had the traditional birthday cake to share with our friends and mom and dad.

Another of my favorite memories was the day our family and me dad’s sister’s family decided to climb to the top of the California Tower. It was a long circular stairway to the top but the really hard part was coming down. As I recall my dad took a long rest when he finally got back on firm ground. He spoke about that experience often but never repeated it. Neither have I.

My cousin lived on 9th Street and we saw no reason to go all the way around or through the park just to get into the Zoo. There was a gully that ran under the fence by what is now Highway 163. We knew the Zoo well enough that this “gap” did not open into an animal enclosure so we used this shortcut to the wild bird ponds and the seal exhibit and all of the rest of the Zoo. All of this happened even though our fami- lies had memberships in the Zoo and it would not have cost us a penny.

Other memories: Collegiate Club, SDHS Graduation at the Organ Pavilion, dance recital where I danced the Russian dance from the “Nutcracker”, the Exposition, hurrying to the Plaza for Retreat, Sally Rand and her famous fans, the goodies in the food and Beverage Building, the “mystery” about the nudist colony that we were told to stay out of, the fun on the merry-go-round when it was located at Laurel and Park Blvd.

Another thing that I remember about the Park was that a little girl’s body was found there about 1930 and I was told that I could not go into the Park unless I had friends with me and since we only lived two blocks from Upas and Pershing Streets that remained a rule until I was married and then the idea was so ingrained that I still don’t feel comfortable walking in the Park without a companion.

-Katherine Pabst I Remember

By Frances Wright Kenward

I was born in San Diego and in my Sophomore and Junior years at San Diego High School in 1935/1936 during the time of our Expo.

There was great excitement in our family when Uncle Richard (Requa) was appointed the architect for the California Pacific International Exposition! We watched the round the clock activity as the Expo took shape and was completed in an amazing 8 months.

My mother, Julia Requa Wright, with my father, George B. Wright, (known as George B. Wright, the honey man) opened a booth in the Food and Beverage Building selling gift packages of honey and beautiful beeswax candles (shipped anywhere). The second year we added honey ice cream, honey baked ham sand- wiches, and Wright’s Fruit punch. I would take the No. 11 streetcar after school to the Park Blvd. entrance of the fair, work a 4 hour shift at the booth, then with friends, usually other high school workers, we roamed the fairgrounds.

Strangely, my most vivid memory seems to be the appearance of Sally Rand, the fan dancer, who performed on a ramp over the reflection pool which had been erected in front of the Fine Arts Building. She performed in the buff with two huge and beautiful fans. It was a titillating performance for San Diego, at that time, and a real eye opener for us, the unsophisticated teenagers of those days.

The expo was beautiful, exciting, educational, and fun place to grow up and the House of Hospitality was at the hub, entertaining many celebrities.

C: Betty Peabody I went thru Roosevelt Junior High and San Diego High with Homer… Always voted for him :-D Such a long time ago…

Memories of the 1935’s World Fair held in Balboa Park

My father, Walter Ames, was greatly involved with the 1935 World’s Fair which was held in Balboa Park. If my memory serves me correctly he served on the governing board and was present to meet President and Mrs. Roosevelt.

His participation in the fair was a blessing for my brother, Bob, and for me as we were allowed to visit the fair often. My brother was five and I was ten. Mother would pile us into her car along with visiting cousins and childhood friends and off we’d go.

It was a magical place to visit with lovely colored lights in the huge eucalyptus trees in and around the park. There was a large rectangular reflecting pool in the main Prado. One could hitch a ride in a rattan rickshaw and be pulled along the Prado down past the International houses and the organ pavilion to the Ford build- ing. The Ford building offered transportation exhibits to the visitor. One could also ride a little car around the building site through various types of terrain. The exhibit was paid for and run by the Ford dealers in San Diego.

Every area of the park held exciting activities, events and displays. Near the location of the Spanish village was the fair’s “Midway” with lots of rides, shooting galleries, side shows, and “fun houses”. Sally Rand danced with her fans… for her fans. There was one area set aside for several tiny houses. One was allowed to peek inside the windows to see the “little people”. I wonder, now, how those charming little fold felt as we started at them.

There was a beautiful two-storied, furnished house sitting where the del prado is now situated. A lovely balcony ran across the front of the home. The place was to be raffled off at the close of the fair to the lucky person holding the winning number. I converted, for my own, the upstairs bedroom that was decorated in pink satin and I would beg my mother to buy chances on the house every time we visited the fair grounds.

Across the way approximately where the Reuben H. Fleet Space Center now stands there was a nudist colony. There was always a crown of sailors waiting to get into that attraction.

A food and beverage building stoof where the Timken Museum of Art now is located. Weary visitors could stop and refresh themselves with a chilly lemonade and a delicious piece of cake offered by the folks who ran Sea Island Sugar.

The fair was a gloriously happy place to visit. It was organized just as the county was starting to bounce back from the depression years and just before we were faced with the horrors of Pea harbor and World War II. It was happy, carefree time and the perfect place to spend that time was in the gardens and among the trees of Balboa Park. I Remember Balboa Park

My earliest memory of Balboa Park was when I was five years old. My Mother dressed us both up in our Norwegian costumes and we stood with hundreds of other people in their respective costumes along Laurel Street. Along came a big black limo with Franklin Delano Roosevelt sitting in it waving to all of us. I have a copy in a later San Diego Magazine of all of us standing there. This was during the 1935-36 World’s Fair.

Another pleasant memory was playing in front of the Norwegian cottage while my Father and Mother were Host and Hostess on certain Sundays. They served coffee and cookies to visitors who came to look at the cottage.

Years later while attending San Diego State our sorority met upstairs in the House of Hospitality. A great memory is being serenaded by a fraternity whenever a girl and boy were “pinned”.

One can’t say enough about the delights of the Zoo. Since all children under 16 were admitted free for years we spent many wonderful Saturdays covering it all from top to bottom and side to side. The streetcar ride cost a nickel each way and we would bring a sack lunch. Talk about inexpensive child care!

Lastly, I have great recent memories of attending wonderful art exhibits, touring all of the museums, enjoy- ing the summer concerts in the Organ Pavilion and “Christmas on the Prado”.

-Thelma Larsen Hankins My Days and Nights at the Expo

By: Mary Schneiders Steffgen

When I was a little girl we lived in La Mesa, but once a week we drove into San Diego, turning from Park Boulevard into Laurel Street and through the middle of Balboa Park. On the way home we stopped in front of the Fine Arts Gallery opposite the House of Hospitality to feed the pigeons. This would highlight the day’s adventure. In a few months the park would be closed to traffic in preparation for the California International Exposition of 1935.

That year my father, Rufus Schneiders, became one of the physicians on rotation at the Emergency Hospital located in the House of Hospitality. This corner office faced the Plaza de Panama and the art gallery. Dad- dy’s twelve-hour shift was on Saturdays from noon to midnight. During that summer when I was eight years old, he sometimes invited me to go with him to the Exposition.

My territorial range extended from the Indian Village in the North, to the Ford Building in the South. Twenty- five cents lasted all afternoon. I spent most of my time in the Fun House, walking through the rolling barrel, squealing as air jets blew up my skirts or posturing before the wavy mirrors. I climbed three stories of steps to ride a gunny sack down the waxed giant slide at least a dozen times. This activity probably sent some patients to the Emergency Hospital. I was fascinated by the Midget Village where frequent weddings and numerous processions took place. Visiting the tiny houses and shops was the big step between playing with miniature doll houses and living in the real grown-up world.

For a treat I would return to the Plaza to visit the Palace of Foods and Beverages, where the Timken Museum of Art is now. For a nickel I could buy a huge buttered scone filled with the most delicious strawberry jam. Tiny ice cream cones and boxes of Beechnut Beechies were free. Watching the Sea Island movie was a good way to rest, and they gave sugar sacks imprinted with dolls to be cut out, stitched and stuffed at home. If nature called I ran across El Prado to Daddy’s office in the House of Hospitality. Checking in now and then was al- ways a good idea, anyway.

By late afternoon there was still enough time to cut diagonally across the Plaza to the House of Communica- tions, at the site of the San Diego Museum of Art Library and Sculpture Garden. Here I could talk with myself on a telephone or even see myself as large dots crossed a huge screen making the fuzzy images of early television.

The timing was perfect. I was hungry and tired and Daddy was ready to go for dinner. I do not remember where or what we ate but it was always satisfying. At the Hospital patients might be waiting to be treated. My little body was ready for all of the comforts of a hospice as I was tucked into the nurse’s own bed until it was time for the late, long drive home to La Mesa. For me, the memories of these precious summer evenings encompass the real meaning of hospitality. To: Betty Peabody

From: Mary Steffgen

Re: The House of Hospitality during the 1935 EXPO; addendum

For me these adventures at the EXPO signify several aspects of my family and their influences on my early personal life. My parents both recognized my relative maturity and responsibility (their success) by allowing me to wander freely throughout most of Balboa Park in 1935. This could not happen in today’s social climate. My sister was only five years old, so for her such a privilege would have been out of the question. Besides, I always knew that I was my Daddy’s girl, and any kind of “date” was special.

My dad, Rufus, instilled promptness, thrift, neatness and orderly planning. Mother, Madeline, added a compo- nent of vanity. My hair had to be curled properly, and my clothing was starched and clean. I had two pre- ferred dresses and insisted on wearing one or the other to the Expo. First choice was princess-styled, of white pique with round red buttons down the front and trimmed with tiny red rick-rack. My second choice had little brown sailboats printed on a green ground, bows on the shoulders and brown turtle-shaped buttons down one side. Its buttons and rick-rack trim scratched under my bare arms, so pride overrode sensibility when I wore this dress.

I remember the nurse on duty at the Expo with my dad as being Maybelle Hurley. I got to know several Rees- Stealy nurses fairly well later on, but since this was early in this clinic affiliation my memory may be skewed. One Saturday when I was not at the Expo Sally Rand sprained her ankle while dodging balloons or fanning herself. My dad had the distinctive experience of taping her ankle and this became my version of “show and tell” for at least a week. (It still is.) Professional confidentiality must have prevailed generally, because I do not recall hearing of any other such spectacular events.

I am pleased to have been asked to write about this personal experience, Betty. You might even consider it as part of my therapy. Rees-Stealy connections are with me still, and many little vignettes remain on my cerebral video tape.

August 31, 1997 The San Diego Union-Tribune Monday, August 25, 1997 OBITUARIES Dr. Rufus Anton Schneiders, 96; fought the spread of tuberculosis By Jeff Ristine, Staff Writer

Dr. Rufus Anton Schneiders, who devoted himself to tuberculosis control as a Navy medical of- ficer and private physician, died Tuesday at his Point Loma home. Dr. Schneiders was less than a month from his 97th birthday when he died of congestive heart failure. He lived in Point Loma for 43 years. A native of Marathon, Wis., Dr. Schneiders received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin at Madison, and his medical degree from Rush Medical College at the University of Chicago. His interest in tuberculosis has its roots in family tragedy. “He had two sisters who died from it,” said his daughter, Mary Steffgen. “And he suspected that his father did,” although the death officially was attributed to other causes. He joined the Navy in 1925 with the goal of serving on Guam and assisting in the effort against the spread of TB there. He achieved that aim with two tours of duty beginning in 1927, becom- ing chief medical officer to Navy and Marine Personnel and their dependents stationed on Guam. After six years with the Medical Corps, Dr. Schneiders entered private practice. But he expanded his interest in TB in positions with Rees-Stealy Clinic and San Diego County’s Bureau of Tubercu- losis Control. He served as president of the county Tuberculosis and Health Association, the California associa- tion and the California Trudeau Society, a group for specialists in chest disease. Around the age of 35, Dr. Schneiders received the California Medal, the highest honor bestowed by the California Tuberculosis and Health Association, for his many contributions to control of the disease. He retired in 1963. Dr. Schneiders met his future wife, Madeline Evelyn Marshall, while on assignment at Brooklyn Naval Yard in 1925. They were married in New York’s Church of the Transfiguration in February 1926. In retirement, Dr. Schneiders enjoyed tending to a small orchard in his back yard, which includ- ed orange, tangerine, peach, apricot, fig and guava trees. “His wife made jams which were given as gifts to many of their friends,” said his son-in-law, Fred Steffgen. In addition to his wife and his daughter, survivors include six grandchildren and three great- grandchildren. Dr. Schneiders was preceded in death by a second daughter, Jane Johnson of Orange. No formal funeral service is planned; the family will hold a private memorial Saturday. Crema- tion and inurnment will be at El Camino Memorial Park. The family suggests donations to Rees-Stealy Research Foundation or the Grossmont Hospital Home Health Hospice.

Part II Rufus Anton, 96, died August 19, 1997. Dr. Schneiders was well known in San Diego as a physician specializing in internal medicine and diseases of the chest. He was born in Marathon, Wisc. On Sept. 14, 1900. He received his B.S. at University of Wisconsin, Madison, in 1923 and his M.D. at Rush Medical College, University of Chicago, in 1926. He joined the Navy as a medical officer in 1925. He became chief medical officer to Navy and Marine personnel and their Medical Corps for 6 years, he entered private practice. Dr. Schneiders was a leader in tuberculosis control as a pri- vate physician with the Rees-Stealy Clinic for 17 years before joining the Bureau of Tuberculosis Control of the San Diego Dept. of Public Health in 1952. He retired in 1963. He was honored for his many years of volunteer work in tuberculosis control. While on assignment at the Brooklyn Naval Yard in 1925, Dr Schneiders met his future wife, Madeline Marshall, and they were married in New York City at “the little church around the corner.” He is survived by Madeline, his wife of I Remember – (The 1935 S.D. Exposition in Balboa Park In July 1935 San Diego hired 25 extra policemen to take care of the increased need during the Exposition. I was one of the 25 hired. I had a special assignment to work undercover to police all the girlie shows and the game booths in the “Gold Gulch”. I reported directly to Chief George Sears and if they were a little shady, Chief Sears warned them. This avoided arrest scenes that would have a negative impression on visitors. My assignment also included checking on the nudist colony and Sally Rand’s performances. In 1935 I was 11 years old and allowed to go about the Exposition Grounds on my own. My two older brothers had jobs there, one selling programs and the other, a football player just graduated from SD High, pushed one of those wicker chairs on wheels. It was a wonderful world inside those gates. One place that made a difference in my life was the Old Globe Theatre where actors performed short Shakespear- ean experts both inside the replica of the famous Globe on the Thames and outside on the bench-rimmed circle on the grass. I watched them over and over. Though I never took a Shakespeare literature class in school, those little plays gave me a real appreciation of the drama and I enjoyed Globe Shakespeare Festival productions starting with the first one in 1949 and was a Globe member for years. Another Exposition gift was the Indian Village where a native tribe lived and performed ceremonial danc- es each day. The authentic pueblo lasted for years and was used as headquarters for the Boy Scouts and a perfect place for Scout activities. San Diego Scouts enjoyed overnight adventures, campfire cooking and outdoor crafts before it gradually fell into disrepair and was replaced by the War Memorial Building. -Lewis W. Fry I remember going to the Television Theatre at the 1935 California Pacific International Exposition in Balboa Park and getting to use the first television telephones. It was a rather “magical” experience for me. As proof that I used the TV phone, I was given a copper colored card, copy of which is enclosed. -James F. Southwick We were in Balboa Park in June and picked up several of your fliers about the Hospitality book. We have finally sorted things out from our trip and we are sending along these pages of memories. San Diego looked wonderful and the Park more beautiful than we remembered. Those of us who left Cali- fornia are more likely to reflect on our memories than those who remained. We had some great reunions and even had a tour of the Air and Space Museum where our docent was a 60+ years-since-high school- classmate. You should all be congratulated on what you have done for the city. We regret not being there for the re- opening. Best wishes for your success. Sincerely,

Merna Phillips Roche

In 1935 I was a 14 year old high school student living in Escondido. Going to the World’s Fair was a red- letter occasion. I remember two trips in particular. The first trip was with my 23 year old sister and her four year old son. After several hours sightseeing she deposited us in the Midway and told us she would pick us up later, not to worry. I worried excessively until she returned after dark to retrieve us. It was several years before she admitted she had been enjoyed a side trip to the “Nudist Colony”. Another time I went to the “California Exposition” with a classmate and her younger brother. We had a wonderful time, but the picture taken by the strolling photographer graphically records the differences 60 years have made in our mores. As teenagers we wore 3-piece suits and hats as suitable attire for a trip to “the city”. In 1941 I was a student at San Diego State College sharing an apartment on the west side of Balboa Park with three friends. We spent a lot of time in the Park associated with our classes. I remember many hours observing the gorillas for a semester Anthropology paper. I think one of them was the gorilla now in the Museum of Man. One night two fellow students came by the apartment to drive me and my roommate to a language club meeting at one of the “cottages” in the International Village. We went together to many more museums and meetings in the Park but that first one is particularly memorable as it is the one when my husband and I met. We have just celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary with 10 days at Balboa Park and 10 days in the San Francisco Bay area. During the first half of WWII, I shared a small duplex west of Balboa Park on Third Street with two friends. One was a riveter at Consolidated Aircraft until she took a job with the Red Cross at the Naval Hospital. My other roommate was a typist in the Medical Survey Office at the Hospital. I was a librarian at the Hospital taking care of journals in the Medical Library and selecting and deliver- ing books to the patients in the wards. We met many young men who were suffering and recovering from wounds received in battles from Tarawa to Iwo Jima. It was emotionally demanding work but rewarding. There were programs given by stars like Bob Hope and Jimmy Durante. The employees and ambulatory patients stood on balconies watching the groups entertaining on a make-shift stage. Once Eleanor Roosevelt visited patients on the wards and then addressed a huge crowd and shook hands with as many of the onlookers as possible. She singled out one of our co-workers who was a beautiful (and exceptionally tall girl) and had a short conversation with her. I am sure that was something that our friend never forgot. The picture that I remember best is that of the “late” employees standing at attention outside the gate while the Marine Guard raised the flag each morning. It was a short distance from home to work, but we took a bus, a trolley, and another bus and were late more often than not. There were no recriminations from the authorities as they knew everyone gave more hours than they were obliged to. -Merna Phillips Roche Along with an overload of fond memories of the 1935 Exposition including Tom and Alan Cunningham driving those neat 1935-36 Fords on the demonstration rides at the Ford building, Sally Rand & her lightening-like (dammit) movement of her fans, all the exhibits and don’t forget “believe-it-or-not Ripley”, the most popular feature to me and other visitors was “Hum-A-Tune Joe”. Who was “Hum-A-Tune Joe”? He was a one-man show on the Promenade near “Ripley’s” and he sold “Hum- A-Tunes” for 50¢ (I think it was 50¢). It was a small cylindrical device about 3” – 4” in diameter that you put in your mouth and hummed your favorite tune. The tone was similar to what a kazoo or old an old comb with wax paper would produce. Anyway, “Hum-A-Tune Joe” had a gift of gab, a born comedian, a Norm Foster type who loved performing. Whenever he crawled up on his small stage, he had a crowd running to hear him perform. Also, he sold about 90% of each crowd a “Hum-A-Tune”. The only ones that didn’t buy were those that had already bought one a week or so before and had just stopped by to hear “Joe” and his wonderful patter. P.S. I bought TWO. -Aubrey Thompson “I Remember” San Diego Electric Railway & Coronado Ferry All memories of Balboa Park are positive and pleasant. The most vivid is my experience working for the above circled company. But my job was neither electrical or afloat. I was a jinrikisha (rickshaw) boy at the fair. The exposition was a great event for our San Diego High School crowd. Many of us had jobs at the “fair”, working for S.D. Elect. Ry had to be the best. Out of doors, day or night, plenty of exercise, cool cos- tumes – and an opportunity to see the exposition as part of it. The job allowed rapport with visitors from many places. The attractions gave us free admission so we could tell our passengers what to expect beyond the ticket booth. Much excitement prevailed when several custom- ers hired several vehicles and staged a rickshaw race in the fun zone. (The management probably would not have approved, but we did not “ask or tell” And welfare paid for all of this!) It is not surprising that the 1935 Exposition was an outstanding experience for this High School senior.

Cheers, -Bob Sharp “I REMEMBER … THE 1935 EXPOSITION” By Bruce F. Herms

The 1935 Exposition was one of the most memorable events of my growing-up days in San Diego. In those days our family lived in Normal Heights, not very far from Balboa Park. I was eight years old and the young- est of four children: Emily (11), Chuck (13), and Margaret (16). During the Summer of ’35, on several oc- casions, big sister, Margaret, would take us up to Adams and Felton where we would board the number 11 trolley. For a nickel (5¢) the trolley would take us to Balboa Park on an exciting ride over trestles and canyons to the El Prado Trolley Station which was an elaborate arcaded structure built for the 1915 Panama Pacific Exposition. We would excitedly get off the trolley, cross Park Boulevard, then pass through the bank of mod- ernistic turnstiles, which formed the entrance to the Exposition near the Museum of Natural History. After passing through the entrance, our first destination always was the Food & Beverage Building. Here there were free samples to be tasted and demonstrations of food processing, such as “Shredded Wheat”. The operator would pour wheat grains into a hopper where it was ground-up and extruded into strands of wheat paste before being formed into biscuits and baked in an oven. Quite often the operator would stop the shredding machine and give us samples of the raw shredded wheat before it was baked. But, the main attraction in this building was the Beechnut Circus. This was an amazing animated model of a Barnum & Bailey three ring circus with clowns, acrobats and animals, each doing their thing in periodic five-minute shows. After each show uniformed attendants would pass along the railing handing out free sticks of beechnut chewing gum. Sometimes we would go back for a second showing and a free handout. The attendants were always friendly and understanding. Next, we would head off for “Gold Gulch”, across the street near the main entrance, and down the canyon into a realistic re-creation of a “Forty Niners” gold camp, complete with grizzled prospectors, sluice boxes, long toms and of course, an opportunity to pan for real gold (for a price). Many of the forty niners were genuine prospectors, who were taking advantage of the exposition during the Depression years to get a grubstake before they headed back out into the wilds to try their luck again. Another touch of early Califor- nia history was the display of the original “Gold Spike” used in joining the first Transcontinental Railway back in 1869. It was displayed on a white satin cushion inside a formidable steel safe with a thick quartz glass viewing window and guarded by someone who looked like Wyatt Earp. Our next destination was the “Palisades Area”, beyond the Spreckel’s Organ Pavilion. This was the newest and most modernistic part of the exposition, featuring many of the exhibits on loan from the “Chicago World Fair”. This area included the following:

The Federal Building: This included exhibits from the U.S. Mint and U.S. Post Office with displays of large denominations of currency and stamps. As well as demonstrations of printing money and stamps. Probably the most popular exhibit here was the F.B.I. finger printing operation, which gave a glimpse into the future of “high speed data processing” by storing, reviewing, sorting and retrieving vast amounts of fingerprint infor- mation. This was at a point in time when the “G-men” were at the peak of their popularity. Naturally, every time we visited this exhibit we had to get fingerprinted again and again.

The Palace of Varied Industries: This building featured a variety of interactive displays showing how things worked. For example, you could push a button and see how and internal combustion engine worked in a slow motion cross section of the of the engine. General Electric put on a special show demonstrating the magic of electricity. They also previewed future products that would become common place in just a few years, such as: fluorescent lights and the “magic-eye” photoelectric cell. Also on display, much to the delight of all of us “would-be-future-aviators” was the brand new streamlined “RYAN S.T.” monoplane. Another popular exhibit in this building was the automatic robotic theatre featuring the story of “Hansel and Gretel” presented by the Spreckels Sugar Company.

The FORD Building: Henry Ford actually sponsored two facilities during this exposition, which have proven to be valuable assets to San Diego over the years: namely, the “FORD Bowl” and the “FORD Building” (now called the “Starlight Bowl” and the “Aerospace Museum”). During the exposition, the FORD Building actually featured a working assembly line on which FORD automobiles were built from scratch. As the cars rolled off the assembly line they were given a test drive “around-the-world” on a roadway that surrounded the Ford Building and which was landscaped and fixed-up to resemble different parts of the world. Visitors were invited to go on these test drives. On one visit, my sisters and brother were put in one car, but I was the leftover passenger. So, they put me on the next car. I was so busy looking out the window at the scenery of the world that I didn’t realize until I got off that one of my other passengers was Jack Dempsey, the famous boxer. My brother’s prize possession from the exposition was something that he bought at the FORD Building, a display box of all of the raw materials (iron ore, zinc, asbestos, copper, rubber, soy beans, etc.) that were used to manufacture a FORD automobile.

HOLLYWOOD Hall of Fame: There was an admission fee to visit this exhibit, so we visited it one time only. But, it was worth it. We got to see the original “KING KONG” (only about six inches tall), as well as the cos- tumes used by Boris Karloff in filming the original “Frankenstein” movie. Actually, one of the most interesting features at this exhibit was free. That was the “barker” who tried to entice people into the exhibit. He was dressed up like a moviestar in a white polo outfit, complete with polo helmet, jodhpurs, dark glasses and megaphone. What made him especially string looking was the fact that this was during the early days of Technicolor and he, like the actors in those early Technicolor films wore bright orange body make-up, which gave a startling unearthly appearance… like a human carrot. From the Palisades Area we would backtrack to the “Midway” amusement park, in what is now the Zoo parking lot. But, on the way, we would stop at the exhibition building near the location now occupied by the Timken Art Gallery. This was the home of the “Mechanical Man”, one of the first robots. You could see this marvel for free. But, if you wanted to see him in action you had to pay an admission fee. Our curiosity fi- nally got the better of us in one occasion. So, we paid the price of admission to find out what he could do. It turned out that it wasn’t very much. He could sit, stand, raise his arms and hands, smoke a cigarette and fire a pistol. He also had a limited vocabulary. But, since he couldn’t walk, it didn’t appear that he would either replace any workers or terrorize the world in the amazing world of the future. Interestingly, near this mechanical oddity was another booth. In contrast to the limited ability of the mechani- cal man, this booth exhibited the almost limitless ability of the human being. This booth featured the indomi- table Helen Keller, in person. I didn’t recall who her sponsor was, but it probably was one of the organiza- tions for the deaf or blind. All of us were in awe of this great person. Another favorite stopping place was located behind the Museum of Natural History. This was the “Boulder Dam Exhibit” which featured a small theatre showing films of the construction of Boulder Dam (now called “Hoover Dam”). Boulder Dam was under construction and, at that time, was one of the greatest construction projects in the world. After the film, a large working model of the dam was displayed showing the water flowing through the power plant during the day. Next, the house lights were dimmed and the model was il- luminated to simulate how it appeared at night. This concluded the presentation. As you departed from the theatre you could see some of the massive construction equipment used in this project. As we departed from the Boulder Dam exhibit, we passed by a huge replica of the Shell Oil logo, a build- ing shaped like a giant sea shell. This was the Exposition’s Visitor’s Information Center sponsored by the Shell Oil Company. Next, we passed through the Spanish Village and entered the “MIDWAY” amusement park. We saved what was considered “the best for last”. This was the place that we made a special effort to save our nickels and dimes to enjoy. If you didn’t have any money left by the time you got to the MIDWAY, you could still get by on the cheap by observing the sample programs the barkers provide free to get you interested in seeing more for a price. Some of the “free shows” included: (1) a dare devil motorcyclist who traveled upside down in a large spherical cage, (2) lumber jacks demonstrating their log rolling skills, (3) “Gang Busters”, displaying photos, guns and getaway cars used by some of the notorious gangsters of the day: Dilliger, Pretty Boy Floyd, Babyface Nelson and others. Other features along the MIDWAY included “BELIEVE-IT-OR-NOT” by Ripley. Unlike similar “Ripley Exhibits” in San Francisco and elsewhere that feature dummies and replicas, this show featured live performers and participants, such as: the Human Pincushion, Human Skeleton, the Rubber Man, Siamese Twins, etc. Nearby was the “Midget Village” inhabited by diminutive people less than three feet tall living in houses to match their size, with furniture, dishes, tools, etc. to suit. A few years later most of these individuals would find work in Hollywood as “munchkins” in the Judy Garland movie: “The Wizard of Oz”. At the north end of the MIDWAY (where the Memorial Building now stands) was the Indian Village. This was a replica of an actual Southwestern Indian Pueblo built for the 1915 Exposition. In 1935, as in 1915, the Santa Fe Railway hired and transported a group of Pueblo Indians to occupy this replica and to demon- strate Indian village life for the fair goers. It was surprisingly authentic. My two favorite attractions on the Midway were a scary train ride called “LAUGH-IN-THE-DARK”. This kind of ride continues to be popular at county fairs and amusement parks … And last but not least was a show intended to gladden the heart of any school boy who yearned for the days of yore when knighthood was in full flower. This was a show on the MIDWAY called “THE KNIGHTS OF SALADIN” which featured Crusader knights in full armor and on horseback fighting each other to hone their skills or “preserve their honor”’ or sometimes fighting the skilled Saracens on the Arabian steeds. This kind of entertainment has been revived in recent years by such entertainment venues as “Medieval Times” and the “Excalibur Hotel” in Las Vegas. The jousts they performed were realistic, exciting … and no doubt dangerous for those who participated. At about this point in the day, four weary but happy youngsters would head back to the El Prado exit and catch the number 11 trolley back home. On one occasion, after one of these always busy days at the fair, we arranged to meet our parents near the entrance to experience the fair at night. The thing I remember most was the “PLASA DEL PANAMA” in front of the Palace of Fine Arts. Across El Prado a large “Triumphal Arch” flanked by two reflecting pools had been constructed as a kind of focal point for the exposition. At night time the colored lights in the pools and playing on the sides of the Arch were beautiful. The night sky was further illuminated by search lights, mak- ing the 1935 Exposition a truly magical place and a source of many happy memories. What I Remember About Balboa Park By: Vince Davies

In 1935 I was attending Chula Vista Jr. High… We were able to secure passes through the school for the exposition. It was a great place to go and for a young boy, the exposition of 1935 was great. I went through almost all of the buildings, along with all my cousins from New Orleans who were here for the exposition. The three things that I remember most of all were the Ford Building, the Globe Theater and the midway. The Ford Building was the greatest, because they had the displays of how the cars were made. On the outside of the building they had constructed a road around the building into which they had built the different kinds of roads, including the old plank road across the desert between Yuma and El Centro. If wanted to stand in a very long line, they would take you for a ride in one of the brand new Ford V8 cars. Naturally, I was very impressed, but couldn’t buy one. The great big V8 in the rotunda was very, very impressive.

The Globe Theater was a big attraction too because I had never seen a real stage play and the ones per- formed there were Shakespeare which we were studying in school. To me they were very good, but as I said, I was just a Jr. Hi kid.

I guess any midway is a great place for a young kid, but this one had a very interesting attraction at the end, just south of El Prado. It was a real live nudist colony. There was, of course, no way for us to get in, and there were no places where you could see over the wall, and no knot holes. Oh well! So I never got to see Gold Gulch.

The Pepper tree picnic area was wonderful for families. It was the east end of El Prado. The sailors would ride the street car from downtown to the park for the merry-go-round and the zoo. The whole scene was absolutely great, I’ll never quite forget it. BALBOA PARK- MY REMEMBERANCES

Oh, what memories! The 1935-36 California Pacific International Exposition in Balboa Park had no peer for its beauty, its festive atmosphere, its exhibits and its shows. My job there? Well it was taking visitors throughout the fairgrounds in a pneumatic-tired roller chair (of course “pusher” had a different meaning then) or pulling them in a rickshaw, walking and sometimes trotting. It meant long hours of strenuous work, but it was such fun that I stayed out of college one year to resume that “profession” beyond the first season into the second year, 1936. Because we chair operators covered every square foot of the fair grounds and knew all about every ex- hibit, show and activity, we were recognized as premier guides for the visitors, many of whom were VIP’s. Some of the prominent people I “pushed around” in the roller chairs were, Robert Armstrong, Movie Actor Mr. Weed, El Cortez Hotel resident and manufacturer of Weed Tire Chains

Ben Bernie, band leader/ entertainer (and big tipper) whom I delivered to the exposition’s Nudist Colony following his afternoon shows at the Organ Pavillion

Mrs. Bridges, nee Timken, the lady who funded the Park’s Fine Arts Gallery

Gus Arnheim, orchestra leader and his soloist, James “Jimmy” Newell

Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, accompanied by Mrs. G. Aubrey Davidson, wife of an exposition vice-president. For this hour and one-half tour I was joined by my partner for the day, Oscar Nurse. At the conclusion of the tour, we delivered the ladies to Café del Rey Moro a few moments before the President of the United States arrived for lunch. After the many months of roller chair-rickshaw work I was in superb physical condition and ready to leave the exposition for the fall college semester. Here’s to another World’s Fair in Balboa Park!

And to the memories not easily forgotten, -Clarence T. “CHAN” Neill When I was a child, my parents and I came down from Los Angeles to attend the Exposition in Balboa Park. We stayed at the Exposition in Balboa Park. We stayed at the El Cortez Hotel. I was impressed by two things – the ride in an open Ford convertible on a rough road behind the round Ford building, and seeing the first TV images when the horizontal lines on the screen were so wide the pictures could barely be made out. -Mrs. Paul Minchin As a child it was such fun to ride on the Merry-Go-Round and to catch the ring going by it. Then in 1935 as a high school graduate I enjoyed working in the park at the lemonade booth and saying, “This lemonade is sweetened with C&H Sugars – which is ground 8x’s finer than regular sugar” (or some- thing like that). We had to be blonde to work there. As a college student until 1939 and member of Theta Chi Sorority I attended meetings in the Hospitality House. This was the closest thing to a sorority house at that time. And later, performances of Starlight Opera Company at the Ford Bowl were a real treat, especially seeing Mildred Bernie Lamb performing. -Betty Curtis Dose In 1935 I graduated from High School. To celebrate Mother took me to the Exposition. I was especially impressed by the Shakespeare productions, shortened versions - - my introduction to Shakespeare. One ac- tor played Hamlet in the afternoon and Bottom the Weaver in the evening. I was delighted when a new job enabled me to move to San Diego thirteen years later. -Margaret Brown I REMEMBER

The 1935 Expositions was a real bonanza for many San Diego State College students. Jobs were plentiful and the college was very accommodating. We took our finals a couple of weeks before the expo opened and we showed up bright and early on opening day in our new “uniforms”. The first summer Jane Cotton (Mrs. Willis Fletcher) and I worked in the Food and Beverage building, serv- ing lemonade and cake in the Sea Island Sugar exhibit. The second summer I served fruit juices in the Libby McNeil & Libby exhibit. The refreshments were very tempting and we consumed our share. Bob and I spent the evenings holding hands in the Ford Bowl pretending to listen to the symphony concerts sponsored by the Ford Motor Company. Those evenings were the overture to almost 60 years of happy marriage and another 40 years in the same bowl, surrounded by our children and grandchildren, enjoying Starlight productions. Happy days! -Letty Sullivan (Mrs. Robert J. Sullivan) One of my fondest teenage memories is attending “Collegiate Club” in a Balboa Park building in 1938-39. This was then the “in”, even glamorous, place to be every weekend. Great local musicians played big band music, and we danced and danced and bought soft drinks. I sobbed all the way across the continent when my family moved East, and it has been a lovely sentimental journey for me to revisit San Diego and Balboa Park this week. 07/14/1997 -Camille Woods Logue Pennsylvania 1935 Expo:

Phil remembers being fascinated by an outstanding “pitchman” he and his friends remember as “Hum- a-Tune Joe”. This fellow stood at his little stand and combined a line of patter with virtuoso playing of popular songs on the dinky Hum-a-Tune. They sold like hot-cakes – and no one else could make them sound worth a darn. We were convinced he was making a killing when we happened to see him parking his brand new Lincoln before starting on his day’s work!! W.W. II: Phil’s mother, Mrs. Jessie Ward, during the war was in charge of the Nurses’ quarters at the House of Hos- pitality. -Phil & Rusty Ward The 1935 San Diego Exposition afforded me the opportunity to get to know Balboa Park very well as a “Rickshaw” boy riding passengers up and down the Park trails we pointed out places of interest, special view points and the name and purpose of each of the Park buildings. Although changes have been made since 1935, Balboa Park is superb, beautiful and to me, is still home. -Cy Oberg One outstanding memory that stands proudly in our park “El Cid”. To MANY of us it was the place to meet our friends and family during the 1935 Exposition. Being the little sister of a Bonham Band IV member it was a special treat to go often to the Exposition. The band was in great demand for all sorts of activities. Band members almost consumed all the “little ice cream cones” that were given as samples. I think the do- nors were fond of band members in their uniforms. Enclosed is a picture of me walking with my dad, John R. Chamblin – we had just passed El Cid. All the sample stations, Sally Rand (whom I did not view), the Midget Colony with “Red Sails in the Sunset” wafting over the grounds, the Fun House (rough for a little kid), and band music everywhere, all bring pre- cious memories to mind. These memories recall a truly unique era in San Diego’s history. -Nano Chamblin Ehrich (Mrs. John) In 1936 the San Diego High School held its graduation ceremonies in Balboa Park at the Organ Pavilion, the graduates processing in – girls in long white summer dresses, boys in dark jackets and slacks – through the colonnade. Girls with lovely bouquets. Enclosed is a picture of 2 sixteen year olds – myself, left, Beyy Deacon Wurtz, and my best friend, Arline Ley Fitch. It was quite a beautiful ceremony, and, of course, open to all Fair attendees. Prior to the Fair, actually in the 20’s, my mother worked in San Diego City Schools library, where teachers went to choose their classroom books. This library was situated in one of the old 1915 building which was on the west side of the road leading to the organ, between the House of Charm and the organ. Palm Can- yon is there now. Later, before the 1935 Fair, the library was moved to the north side of Laurel, between the Art Museum and the Museum of Man, in another old 1915 building. When another move was needed for the 1935 Fair, the library moved to 14th Street between E & F Streets. How the librarian hated to leave those noon time organ concerts! -Jack & Betty Wurtz I’ve been searching my non-too-good memory, and I’m coming up short. Almost every afternoon, a group of us would don over “dressy dresses” – sometimes long, sometimes short – to serve tea in the “Sala(?)” (the room over the plaza entrance) to different groups at very impressive ladies. We must have been selected for this honor because our fathers served on the board of directors. We ended up the afternoon by walking down – or bussing down to the Old Globe and if it was too late for the Shakespearian dramas, we would watch the “Royals” consume their repast with ocech gusto! My father was head of the S.D. Electric Railway that run the “busses” to The Fair Grounds. The “conductors” saw much of the going-on. The one that comes to mind is Art Letter – I’m sure this reminiscence would be of rare and valuable addition to “Remember”. P.S. I have Dad’s bronze medal that the directors were awarded. -Kay Mason Bennett I Remember: The 1936 Exposition WWII The original police patrol in the park (the large black horses) The old Café Del Being a sorority pledge (when State College sororities met in the House of Hospitality) The Old Globe Theater The Nudist Colony Douglas Duncan organ recitals Charlie Cannon & Starlight Opera The Archery range The bird cages Riding my bike on the paths Riding horseback from the Balboa Park stable (along 395 on the bridle trails) Square Dancing Marie Hitchcock puppets And many other things from the mid-30’s on! -Mrs. William Hertzman (Sylvia Luce) I Remember Saturday Nite It’s Collegiate Club In Balboa Park By: Joe Richardson

Frank Losey was the original organizer of the Club in 1937, also led his own band. He sold his interest in 1939 to Pete Selby, Dave Hellyer, and Joe Richardson – who then managed the Club to 1942, prior to W.W. II.

Dance was held every Saturday Nite in a building then known as the American Legion Hall – north – across the street from the House of Hospitality. The dance floor area was unique and colorful, a Spanish-style patio setting with a balcony around the rear and one side with two large decorative palm trees on sides of the stages. On background, on stage, behind band – was mounted a large papier-mâché saddle shoe – the Club’s logo. It was used as a container to hold the ticket stubs used to award winners of prizes donated by local stores.

Off one side of the dance floor was a refreshment room – known as the “Fizz Lab Bar” tenders wore mor- tar boards and lab aprons. One of the special drinks was a ‘Zombie’ – fruit juice complete with one cherry, straw with small Japanese umbrella or small American flag. It cost 15¢.

We had a talented artist, Paul Phillips, who did all the art work for our weekly themes (for ex. – Hawaiian night). In addition Paul painted 2’x3’ logos of most of the area high schools. The framed logos were hung on the walls of the Fizz Lab. Point Loma’s logo was the Pointer dog. The painting showed the dog with his legs wrapped around the Point Loma Lighthouse – with his right forepaw over his eye, looking out to sea, natu- rally wearing a pair of saddle shoes on his hind paws. Hoover High’s logo was the Cardinal, wearing a pair of saddle shoes. San Diego High’s was the Caveman – shows a muscle-bound caveman, with a club over one shoulder, in his right hand a report card, wearing a pair of saddle shoes. Brown Military Academy shows a cadet, growing out of his uniform, with a cork pop-gun over his left shoulder, wearing a pair of saddle shoes. All logos painted wore saddle shoes. Unfortunately with the coming of the war and closing of the club – the paintings were lost.

Membership: Young men were required to buy an annual membership card for $2. Admission to dance - $1 per couple. No stags allowed. Young men were required to wear coat and tie. No smoking or drinking of alcoholic beverages on premises allowed.

Security: Jack Powell of the sheriff’s Department and a Mrs. Trimble from San Diego State.

The band that provided the entertainment: Frank Losey’s band from 1937 to 1939 Only recall the members of the Rotzler Band; Paul Smith – piano, Chuck Rotzler – Bass, Joe Richard- son – drums, John Bleifuss – guitar. Sax Section: Glen Boortz, Gene Bowman, Chuck Kruse, and Dick Hickey. Brass: Keith Pace- trombone, Julian Guiterrez and Archie Meihls – trumpets. Vocalists: Kay Hewes and the Stocking Brothers, Jack and Bill.

Average cost to hire a band: $75.00

For the young people of that era it was THE place to go every Saturday nite and was a very popular and enjoyable event. I believe that all past members of the Collegiate Club and today’s Senior Citizens will al- ways have fond and happy memories of “Saturday Nite – It’s Collegiate Club”. -Joe Richardson The graduating classes from San Diego High had their ceremonies in the Organ Pavillion. We walked in through the side Peristyles, carrying red roses. It was a beautiful day in June 1939 and Mrs. Reyer’s Glee Club stood in the front and sang. That was a memorable day.

Then, for the next four years, our sorority at San Diego State College – Phi Kappa Gamma – met at our chapter room on the 2nd floor of the House of Hospitality every Monday night. Sometimes, we had dances in the big room on the main floor with the sorority and fraternity members attended.

There was also the Collegiate Club in Balboa Park that was open to high school and college young people. Frank Losey’s band played – and a trio of Margie Lou Kelley, Evelyn Kelly and Thea Beth Rice sang. It was a nice environment for so many young kids. -Jean Stooke Thompson “I Remember”

Not only were my husband and I married in St. Francis chapel in the park on May 4, 1941, but I would later work there as a Red Cross Recreation worker for two years.

Since space was limited at the Naval Hospital for survivors, all the paintings from the Museum of Art were removed and stored. The showcase items from both the Museum of Natural History and the Museum of Man were also stored and these buildings were then filled with hospital beds, nurses stations and other medical necessities. As I recall there were about 1,000 wounded and recovering men in the Park.

After completing a six week class in Washington DC at the American University, I took a job with the Red Cross as a Recreation Leader. My duties included directing a crew of lovely Grey Ladies to the vaiours wards, giving birthday parties for the patients, arranging day outings to places such as Fenton Ranch, and directing lively holiday programs. I also organized recreational therapy with items such as macramé and leather carv- ing for ambulatory patients.

The job was very satisfying and it kept me quite busy while my husband, Bud Thompson, served as a Supply Officer on a ship in the South Pacific. The night my husband called me from San Francisco after being away for 1 ½ years, I quit my job and rushed to San Francisco to join him. After raising 4 wonderful children and being married for 56 years, we still cherish our beautiful Balboa Park. We often wander back to the park recalling those historic and nostalgic times. -Betty Thompson Mrs. George Thompson My memories of Balboa Park go back to the early 1940s when I was attending San Diego State College and to the years just after WWII. The zoo was wonderful and the Art Gallery was the first class. I remem- ber particularly the Starlight Theatre and being delighted by the star, Charlie Cannon in “The Mikado” and in “The Chocolate Soldier,” I attended just after the war with my these fiancée (now my wife of 50 years).

A recent visit to the Park shows it is even better than ever. -Francis Roche In the early forties, a bunch of us from the Hillcrest area were playing football, after school, at the large grassy area at Sixth and Olive. We heard a blast of sirens and looked down 6th Ave. and saw a large motorcade leading North. In a large, open-top sedan sat President F.D. Roosevelt – We hollered and waved and were thrilled to have him wave back, flashing that famous smile. We slapped each other with exclamations of “My gosh, I’ve seen the President!”

We then resumed the matter at hand-“play ball”, as we did almost every day.

I believe that Roosevelt was visiting the Naval Hospital and other Navy Facilities.

My fondest memory of Balboa Park is my wedding reception with my bride, Jeanne, at the House of Hos- pitality, in January 1950. -Chuck Safford I – Kathryn (Dunn) Butorac, came in the Navy August 8, 1942 and lived in the Hospitality House in the big room which later became a Banquet Room. There were a hundred and fifty of us housed in there. Re- strooms and showers were in the area that had been a stage.

It seems we became friends and got along beautifully. A lovely dining room was where the late restau- rant was. We had beautiful meals, white tablecloths, napkins, lovely silverware as well as silver service. We were permitted to have guests for meals except for breakfast. It was cafeteria-style some meals and served at others. It was really an enjoyable time.

In the fall of 1942 Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt visited us one morning at 10 am. We were all up and ready to greet her in our ward white uniforms with caps. A small reception followed in the dining room and outside in the patio area. We received our guests in the area which was later the bar for the restaurant.

Some of the nurses lived in rooms on the first floor around the patio (courtyard) and on the second floor. We used the garden area for special meals and parties. It was a wonderful time of my early Navy life. Some of the friends I met here I saw later in life.

I left March 15, 1942 and went with other Navy nurses to Farragut, Idaho – and we helped staff the Hospital there along with other groups of nurses from other Navy hospitals stateside. I left for duty in the Pacific area in November 1943.

I had a close friend, Ann Garen, from the Chicago area and I was from the Midwest too. She married a merchant marine engineer officer. She was only a Navy nurse a year. We have been friends all these years and she and her sister reside in the Oceanside area. Her sister, Clare Garen, lived in the park too. Other friends: Virginia Bates from my part of the Midwest area. We had more stateside duties as well as overseas duty together.

Mary Rysik Halubek came here after being stationed with me at the Veterans Hospital in Westwood, California. Mary Robinson I met later through Virginia Bates and we are still in contact. Jeanette Smith Pegerroa from Gary, Indiana and I had mutual friends in my hometown. Virginia, Jay and I met years later while we were stationed at Great Lakes Hospital in the mid-50’s. Jay was married and came for Reserve duty while living in Arlington Heights, I11. Jay and her husband and I met my husband met in 1958 in Great Lakes and were friends until her death in August 1990. Virginia died in the 1980’s. I didn’t see Mary Rysik Halubek until 1983 when a NNC So. Ca. organization was being formed. It was a happy reun- ion, believe me. She lived in Laguna Beach.

These were happy times for all we gals at Balboa. We used to sing on the bus but sometimes walked home through the park. The bus drove us towards at the hospital for all shifts.

After having a tour here in San Diego from 1959-1962 as an Assistant Chief Nurse, my husband and I retired here in 1968 and traveled in the states and then a 6 months trip around on a freighter. It has been a wonderful life for us. I lost him in My ’96.

I know you don’t want this much but thought you would enjoy reading it. -Kay Butorac Remembrance of Balboa Park, San Diego, CA. Francis J. Porter, Jr. Beverly, MA Written 8-28-97

Background: After enlisting in the U.S. Marine Corp in Feb 1943 in New York City (90 recruits from Brooklyn and 3 of us from Long Island), we boarded a train for a 5 day trip to the west coast Marine Recruit- ment Depot (Boot Camp) at San Diego, CA. NOTE: The east coast boot camp at Parris Island, S.C. was quarantined at that time with “SPINAL MENINGITIS”. Boot camp at “DAG” extended for 12 weeks, as I understand it does today. My assignment, after boot camp graduation was a tour of duty in the Marine Air Corp. Those orders lead me to a nearby Marine base at Camp Miramar, CA for approximately a month of more marine basic training and evaluation tests to determine qualification for Specialty Training Schools. Also during this month at Miramar, all new enlisted personnel performed additional duty chores --- mine was table serving at the officer(s) Mess Hall. While on this officer mess duty, I developed a slight rash on my chest and upper forearms with no other symptoms. At the Miramar sick bay, tests did not identify any cause. So I was ordered to be transferred to the Naval Hospital at Balboa Park for further tests. NOTE: During WW II the U.S. Navy had complete jurisdiction of the properties of Balboa Park.

PAST VISIT TO THE PARK” Upon arrival at the park, naval officer medical personnel checked me into the “SCARLET FEVER” ward with a “D.U. SCARLET FEVER” tag. NOTE: D.U. means Diagnosis Undetermined. Since Scarlet fever was considered by the U.s. Navy as a contagious disease, anybody admitted to the ward was quaran- tined for 21 days. As it turned out the rash disappeared in two days, but I still was “locked-in” to the ward for the remaining 19 days. Fortunately for me, I didn’t ‘pick up’ the germ from other patients of the ward. The U.S. Navy doctors never did establish the cause of the rash. Unfortunately for me, I didn’t get to tour or see the Balboa Park region during those 21 days. Upon completion of the 21 days I was reor- dered back to Camp Miramar Marine Base.

PRESENT VISIT TO THE “PARK”: Recently, my spouse and I enjoyed a vacation in San Diego County, Harbor Islands, etc (08-13 thru 08-18-1997). Amongst many activities of our visit, we spent time in “BALBOA PARK” touring the mu- seum buildings and facilities and also included tour of the U.S. Marine Recruit Depot base bringing back memories of 54 years ago.

P.S. I would be interested in reading about (Pamphlets, etc.) the grand re-opening to the “HOUSE OF HOSPITALITY” events. Please send and acknowledge receipt of my remembrance. Dear Dr. Peabody,

I met you at an Elderhostel on April 6th and we talked about some pictures that I might have regarding my husband’s Navy duty at San Diego.

He enlisted early 1943 and was discharged in 1946. His name was Robert Walker Engle, and if you need more accurate information I can obtain it.

I am enclosing a copy of a graduation picture, apparently from boot camp. Bob is in the last row – the fourth fr4om the left. He was stationed in San Diego the entire 3 ½ years that he was in the service.

This picture is for you to keep and use, as I am sure you can identify the building. The other pictures I thought I could find, I discovered were burned in a fire in his parents’ apartment.

I did not find some letters that he wrote to his parents, during that period of time. If you would like I can “translate” (his handwriting never did improve ☺ ) and send you pertinent parts relative to Balboa Park.

I know this isn’t much, but maybe it will help. -Mrs. Margaret Engle In the Autumn of 1943, having completed my basic training in Farragut, Idaho, I received orders to re- port to the U.S. Naval Hospital Medical Corps school in San Diego. It was a surprise to be transported by bus from the Santa Fe depot to Balboa Park, and assigned to sleeping quarters in a tent under the vast Moreton Fig tree behind the Museum of Natural History. It was rainy year, and we were rarely dry!

I remember taking showers in a temporary facility in what is now the Casa del Prado building, and sitting by the lily pong on days when it was sunny, to write letters home to my family. I soon found a hole under the fence into the zoo, where I could crawl through, go out the front gate of the zoo and hence ‘on the town’ when we had free time but no liberty pass, taking great care to be back through the zoo before it closed for the day.

Most of our corpsmen training classes were held in the ‘old’ Old Globe Theatre; at that time there were pillars supporting the roof, and I tried to find a seat next to a pillar, where I cold doze if the lecturer proved to be less than compelling. I never dreamed that I would return to San Diego after the war, mark my home here, and become a permanent subscriber to the ‘new’ Old Globe Theatre. -Don Green I Remember Balboa Park

I spent my first night in San Diego in late June of 1944 in the basement of the Natural History Museum in Balboa Park. The basement of the Museum was used by Navy Hospital as a multi-bed ward. I was being treated for rheumatic fever in Seattle when the Navy decided to put me on a DC-3 and fly me to San Diego for the rest of my recovery. I landed at North Island and ended up that night in Balboa Park. At that time all of Balboa Park was occupied by the Navy and was known as Balboa Annex. The area where the Old Globe Theater is today was the PX for the annex. Movies were shown nightly at the Spreck- els Organ Pavilion. The Federal Building was a hospital corpsmen school. Nighttime was particularly excit- ing listening to the animal noises from the zoo next door. In August of 1944, President Franklin Roosevelt visited the Annex. His car entered the park from Laurel Street. I had the privilege of seeing him when he passed in front of the House of Hospitality. What a thrill for a 19 year old sailor from Grants Pass, Oregon! Nearly 25 years passed before I moved to San Diego permanently, but I never forgot the happy times I spent recovering in Balboa Park. -Chester A. Lathrop (Chet) I Remember By: Robert Edwin Klees 21 May 1997

Dear Bob: As a docent at the San Diego Aerospace Museum, I came up-on your invitation concerning memories of Balboa Park.

In May, 1945, I crossed the United States in a troop train that originated in New York State and terminated at the Santa Fe Depot in downtown San Diego. Hundreds of Army and Navy personnel were aboard: there was still a very big war going on in the Pacific. It was a long journey but the highlight was pulling up next to an eastbound train in which Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall were dining. They had just been married the week before.

After leaving the train, several dozen of us were transported to Balboa Park where we were to spend the next six weeks training to be Navy medics. Our barracks was the building that now houses the Automobile Museum. It was wall-to-wall with double bunks and hundreds of men. The current parking lot behind the Spreckels Organ Pavilion was curb-to-curb with temporary buildings that served as classrooms. One week- end we were entertained in the Pavilion by a U.S.O. show: Bob Hope, Frances Langford and Jerry Colonna. Our graduation picture was taken on the down front seats of the now Starlight Theatre. I still have it.

Great memories of Balboa Park! Now, I’m a volunteer in the Old Ford Building 52 years after I slept for nearly two months in the building next door and just a few steps away. Just about full circle you might say. Good luck and thanks for asking. Cordially, -Bob Klees When my family first moved to San Diego during World War II, a large area of Balboa Park was fenced off and used by the Naval Hospital. The areas open to the public were the Zoo, museums (I think), the merry-go-round and the street car stops.

The sororities from San Diego State met in rooms on the second floor at the House of Hospitality starting in 1949. The Café Del Rey Morro was a lovely place to eat and many weddings were held on the lower terrace. We had our wedding reception in the Loggia and 20 years later one of our daughters had her wedding reception there. It was a lovely setting for special events.

Over the years our family has spent many happy hours at the zoo and wandering around the park. My husband has often played with a band in the Organ Pavilion and when he directed the Mesa College Band they played many concerts there.

My sorority, Gamma Phi Beta, is planning a picnic at Pepper Grove on September 13, after which we plan to tour the House of Hospitality and show the younger members where we first held our meetings. -Barbara Davis McKewen My parents and I came to San Diego in May, 1944, at the height of WWII. It was an exciting and crowd- ed city to a young teenager.

The first place over friends to us was a beautiful Balboa Park Zoo, world famous even then. We were as impressed with plantings as we were with the animals. The next place we were taken were the charming appealing cottages of the HPR, where my parents immediately joined the House of Sweden.

In ’47 – ’48, my San Diego State College sorority was assigned a meeting room on the balcony floor of the House of Hospitality. I also have fond memories of dining in Café del Rey Morro many times (even though I’d moved to L.A. in the ’50).

Now retired, I am happy to return to San Diego and the park and buildings I have always loved. I am a member of S.D. Historical Society, Art Museum, Mingei and spend several days a month in the park, always with pleasure. -Phyllis D. Anderson Lots of happy memories! First, I attended Pi Sigma Nu sorority there starting in 1948, passed chocolates at a May meeting in 1949 (very traditional, exciting and romantic), was serenaded that evening by Dave’s fraternity (Sigma Chi) and we had our wedding reception at the House of Hospitality using the entire Café del Rey Moro, all terraces. It was only a small affair, for a mere 700 people! (Our mothers seemed to know everyone in town!) I recently found some wedding plans and noticed our charge for appetizers was $1.25 per person – things have changed! This was August 14, 1949. Enclosed is a picture invitation for our 40th anniversary in 1989. We were at the fountain in the House of Hospitality.

You had my wedding dress on display at the “Romance Rekindled” affair a few years back. That was fun.

Also, I attended the opening night of Starlight fifty or so years ago – held in Wegeforth Bowl with my par- ents. We were loyal – had great season tickets for many years. Took all eight grandchildren last week.

David’s father, Clayton Phair, was a very involved member of the 1935 Exposition committee. -Patti Phair When I was in college at S.D. State the sororities used to have a room upstairs at the House of Hospitality. Our local group was Phi Sigma Nu (later to become Pi Beta).

We met on Monday evenings, as did most of the other “local sororities”. Whenever anyone of the girls would become engaged they passed chocolates to sorority sisters. Boys fraternities would come and ser- enade from the courtyard, below we’d all rush out to the balcony!

I passed around 5 lbs. of See’s chocolates when I became engaged to my future husband, Richard Allen. We were married in 1951. Sadly he passed away in 1993. -Grace Bentley Allen Grace Allen forwarded this to Bob and me. Bob asked Joe Richardson to write about the Collegiate Club – a wonderful fond memory for all of us. How we wish the young people of today had the opportunity of such great “clean” experiences.

As collegiate Bob and I also remember the sororities of S.D. State rented “sorority” rooms at the House of Hospitality for their Monday night meetings. After their meetings each sorority took turns and hosted Sock Hops in the “auditorium”. Fraternity Brothers and other collegiate came after the meetings to enjoy and dance til 11:00. This lasted until the military took over Balboa Park for the Naval Hospital. -Pat & Bob Menke

In 1949 I became “hooked” on theater at the Old Globe as a sophomore at SDSU (San Diego State, then). I played the piano for 3 “Caught in the Act”s, acted won an Atlas Award, and felt the park was my back- yard until I married! My sorority had its meetings there at the House of Hospitality. I was serenaded when I became pinned and my wedding reception was in the Loggia Room!

Since 1952, I returned to the theater until the fall of ’78. Then I became active with the Globe Guilder’s presentations of 4 Cabaret’s to raise money for the rebuilding of the theater. We held the performances at the Casa Del Prado and had our dinner at the House of Hospitality. After the fire we moved away for the fundraiser.

My son was married in the House of Hospitality garden, my grandchildren have played all over this park, and now the Junior Theater is something I am taking them to. The museums, merry-go-round, the organ pa- vilion have seen the third generation of our family!

P.S.- In 1953, after my first child was born, Irma McPherson asked me to play for the San Diego Junior Theater for a Year or so. She arranged a babysitter, and we met in the Recital Hall. Racquel Welch was in the cast!

P.S.S.- Thursday Club has had their Annual Rummage Sale in the park for years. I’m always there – contributing, selling, hauling (1956 – ’97)!

P.S.S.S.- Starlight is a love of mine! Everyone I grew up with performed there. I caught a lot of the shows. My sister was in the orchestra. Pauline Gleason asked me to “sub” for some of their performances around town for years. -Betty Meads I Remember Balboa Park

By: Darlene G. Davies

My father, Allen Geer, walked across the Laurel Street bridge with me for the first time when I was eleven years old. The year was 1951, and my family had newly arrived here from San Bernardino. I have often thought that bringing me to San Diego was the nicest gift my parents ever gave me. From 1951 until the present, Balboa Park has been the focal point of my life. At ages eleven and twelve, I ran up and down the sixth avenue corridor of the park with my beautiful white cocker spaniel named Count. That southwest strip of Balboa Park extended down a sixth avenue which was not interrupted by a freeway, and Count and I ran so fast and so effortlessly that we seemed to be propelled above the ground. Over the years, the Globe Theatre in the park afforded me the opportunities of dancing on the green before Shakespeare perform- ances, of acting in main stage shows when only a teenager, performing with the great William Ball in Ham- let, being presented to Queen Elizabeth II, and serving on the Board of Directors for nine years. Always, Balboa Park has nourished and renewed my spirit, through my long walks and perusals of its remarkable delighted myriads of San Diegans and tourists from throughout the world. My home is filled with paintings and photographs of Balboa Park. This way, I am able to live in that most wonderful place at all times. Other than high school and college dances held at the House of Hospitality my main memory is of soror- ity functions held on the upper level. Many of the sororities at San Diego State College were located there. I went through rush, pledging Kappa Alpha Theta, and we held Monday night meetings there until 1957(?) when Theta moved into their own house close to campus. -Cynthia Harris Pyle I remember the park as a child but my main memories are as a college student in the early 1950’s. All eleven sororities at San Diego State had meeting rooms on the second floor of the House of Hospitality. Monday night was meeting night. No men were allowed above the ground floor, even fathers brining sup- plies and packages. Fortunately, each sorority had young, strong pledges to help with these tasks. A high- light was when a fraternity would come serenading, celebrating a pinning or engagement. They gathered around the foundation on the ground floor to sing and the sorority members from all the rooms would dash out to the balcony to listen. Frequently the “honored” brother would wind up in the fountain, courtesy of his fraternity brothers.

The last year I was in college (1954-55) the Sigma Kappas moved from the House of Hospitality to an apartment near the campus and then later to our sorority house. The new lodgings were great but I have fond memories of the House of Hospitality in the park. -Cecelia Cox Johnson I Remember It was about 1950 that I spent time at the House of Hospitality. The Sororities at S.D. State had chapter rooms in the House of Hospitality.

I was an alum from Univ. of Rhode Island acting as an advisor to Sigma Kappa. A weekly meeting and special events took place on the second floor.

While I was busy, my husband entertained our young son in the lovely patio and surroundings.

Great memories!

This recalled memories, long forgotten.

Good luck in collecting from others -Barbara Cooper I arrived in San Diego to teach corpsmen at US Naval Hospital in Fall of 1951. Spent all day Sunday, immediately after arriving at the nurse’s quarters, in our spectacular Balboa Park. My initial tour of the many wonderful buildings, left with a lasting memory. -CDR. Evelyn L. Schrader Lee I commenced working for the City of San Diego Engineering Department in 1959. At that time most of the Department was located in the old Food and Beverage Building, now the site of Casa del Prado. We had birds inside frequently and beehives in the walls plus a leaking roof. Drafting tables were covered before we left at night. In the winter months darkness fell before we left the building and it was always interesting to listen to the Zoo’s nocturnal animals and birds come to life after sunset. -Floyd R. Moore Retired Civil Engineer Balboa Park in the 1950’s could best be described by the world “pleasant”. It was not as exciting or visu- ally stimulating or entertaining as it is now in the ‘90’s, but it was the perfect park for our city then. It was the place where families would go on a weekend, or during the week in the summer. The San Diego Zoo was of course the highlight, but that was saved for special occasions. After all, the admission was a dollar!

In the park there were many free things a family could do. Four of my favorite places to visit were: The Museum of Natural History, The Museum of Man, The Aviary, and the Japanese Tea Garden.

Today the museums and galleries compete with one another to have the most spectacular and most popu- lar exhibits. Back in the 1950’s, the exhibits seemed to be the same year after year. I liked the familiar- ity of sameness however, and I expected and wanted everything to be the same each time I went. For instance, after climbing the imposing steps up to the main floor of the Museum of Natural History, I was always impressed anew with the large glass case of deer. Then I would wind around the other cases of stuffed animals to find the saber-toothed tiger.

I admit that my favorite exhibits did have moving parts. No, not like the dinosaurs that were displayed there recently, but just as exciting to me then : for around the two large octagonal display cases of local birds there was a magic railing, which, when pressed, lit up the section of the diorama that was behind it. But this was not all. There were two very special corner dioramas that contained a secret that I was sure very few persons besides myself knew about. These two dioramas, when looked at under ordinary light, seemed to be similar to all the rest, but… when you pressed the railing in front of them, you could see that they extended back at least twice as far as the others. Every time guests would come to town we would take them to Balboa Park and I couldn’t wait til we got to the Museum of Natural History so I could lead them unsuspecting of the treat that awaited them, to those two special displays.

My other favorite exhibit at that museum was the bat cave. Here you would step behind a black curtain into a small dark cubicle in which you could faintly make out a display behind a window. It wasn’t until you flipped the light switch that you saw the cave was filled with hundreds and hundreds (or so it seemed) of bats. This too, was a treasure to share with unsuspecting friends.

I haven’t seen some of these exhibits for many years, but I assume they are stored away somewhere.

At the Museum of Man, the most exciting exhibit for a young girl was the large stuffed figure of Mbongo, the 618-lb gorilla that had been at the San Diego Zoo until his death in 1942. When I was a child, Mbon- go was located in the hall to the left of the museum entrance. Every time we went there I would peek in the door, pretend to myself that I didn’t know of his whereabouts, cautiously tiptoe over in his direction, and then be frightened out of my wits.

I also enjoyed spending hours upstairs studying all the dioramas of miniature Indian villages. The authentic (though surprisingly small) Egyptian mummy in the dark, myseterious tomb-like room in the annex across the street was also a must-see.

The tomb and most of the dioramas have been gone for a long time, but Mbongo still reigns – though he has been moved to a different location.

An apparently forgotten free attraction in the park was the aviary on 6th Avenue at Ivy, which consisted of several large bird cages. As I recall, the birds were not particularly unusual or beautiful – certainly they offered no competition to the birds in the Zoo. But this aviary was a fun place to go after a picnic on the grass. Usually the same old man would be sitting on the bench near one of the cages. He had made friends with several of the birds, and I believe he had taught one of them to talk to him or do tricks.

After extended research, I have not found any article about these bird cages. I was beginning to wonder if I had imagined them, until one day I found an old map that had a tiny square on it marked “Aviary”. Sadly, in the late 1950’s the aviary was torn down, and in 1961 the Balboa Club was relocated to that site.

Saving the best for last, my very favorite spot in Balboa Park was the Japanese garden next to the large Japanese Tea House. This was built for the 1915-16 Panama-California Exposition, on the site of the present Children’s Zoo. During the Exposition, Japanese girls served tea and rice cakes there. By the 1950’s, however, the lovely tea house was boarded up and rather overgrown with foliage, giving it an aura of mystery. Fortunately, the garden to the south of it remained open to the public. This was an ex- quisite formal garden, full of winding paths, goldfish ponds, arbors, stone lanterns, beautiful flowers and bushes, and best of all – the red bridge. This was a high arched bridge called “Bridge of Long Life.” It had such a high arch that you could walk across it only by holding on to the railing and pulling yourself along. I think grown-ups didn’t try this – only children. Surprisingly, we were usually the only persons there, and none of my friends remembers the garden or the bridge. Pictures of it exist however, including one on display at the Balboa Park Information Center. Seeing the picture always triggers happy memories of a special day in Balboa Park. -Evelyn Roy Kooperman

What a great idea to have a book of memories of Balboa Park! My memories go back only to the late 1940’s, but I had great fun remembering happy childhood days in the park. -Evelyn Roy Kooperman (San Diego Trivia) The lovely tile fountain in the middle of the courtyard at the House of Hospitality was the spot my future husband, Russell Kirk, “pinned” me with his SAE fraternity pin and we were serenaded by the members of his fraternity. This occurred in the spring of 1957. My sorority was housed in one of the rooms on the up- per level along with all the sororities of San Diego State at that time. We met there for rush parties and then subsequently for “Pledge Class” meetings. It was then the tradition to serenade couples who were pinned (which in those days meant ‘engaged to be engaged’) on the evening of sorority meetings.

It was also a time when the Greek societies for men and women held “Spring Sing” every year. We com- peted at Aztec Bowl and it was great training in the vocal and stage arts along with fine camaraderie. This kept the men in good voice for the serenade.

We have been married 39 years. My niece subsequently, in the late 1980’s, was married in the garden chapel and had a beautiful reception in the East Hall of the House of Hospitality.

Special Memories! -Sandra Jackson Kirk I have been to Balboa Park so many times it is almost hard to pick out memories.

I remember seeing people dressed in all white lawn bowling. I remember driving across the bridge in my parents’ car and feeling like I was going back in time. I also remember going to the Zoo with my Grandmother, and riding the merry-go-round with my Mother and learning how to catch the Golden Ring.

I went to many Starlight Bowl performances and just loved it when the planes would fly over and everyone would freeze.

I remember the Houses of Hospitality the most. I used to think people really lived in them.

I had two friends get married in the Park. Both of them felt there was no place better. -Debra Atherton Bea Evenson

For anyone who has followed the history of San Diego since the 60’s, the name, Bea Evenson is syn- onymous with Balboa Park. When Bea discovered that the plaster and straw (staff) Exposition buildings in the Park were crum- bling and about to be torn down, she founded the Committee of 100 dedicated to the preservation of the Spanish Colonial Architecture in Balboa Park. She then began the long hard task of making the public, City Council, and Board of Sueprvisors aware of the historic and aesthetic value of the buildings.

The City rallied behind her and proposition M was passed committing the City to replace the de3te- riorating Food and Beverage Building, now the beautiful Casa del Prado. During construction, when the City had not financially accounted for the second floor loggia on the El Prado side of the Casa del Prado, Bea immediately raised the money to pay for its inclusion.

When arson destroyed the Electric Building which housed the Aerospace Museum across from the Casa del Prado, tiny Bea (she was about five feet tall) with her ear constantly alert to developing political policies that could impact Balboa Park affairs was able to work with the city to gain avail- able federal monies. With this funding the City was able to replace the Electric Building, now the Casa del Balboa, repair the façade and rood of the San Diego Museum of Art, and the tower of the Museum of Man.

Throughout this period, Bea thought nothing of calling the current mayor, Frank Curran, at 6 A.M. when she was ready to do business.

When Bea became ill, she still fought for the Balboa Park buildings from her bed. She was dis- tressed at the rate of deterioration of the House of Hospitality. She would be pleased to know that the building was finally been completely restored.

She also gave the City a substantial donation of seed money which was to be matched to repair the Spreckles Organ Pavilion, now beautifully restored and made much more comfortable and usable. On one of her last outings, when Bea was confined to a wheelchair, Mayor Pete Wilson and the entire City Council honored her by naming the park fountain at the end of El Prado after her, and placed a bronze plaque there with her name on it to commemorate her dedication to the Park. I cannot walk or ride through Balboa Park and watch the hundreds of people strolling down El Prado enjoying all aspects of it, and not think of Bea Evenson and the more than 20 years of commitment and dedication of her life to the saving of the buildings of the Balboa Park that she loved. Today, because of her, all who go there can enjoy the benefits and legacy of her work… and what a legacy she has left! -Ginger Wallace In 1980 (or ’81) when the Old Globe reopened after the fire, I helped the late Bill Eaton with pub- lic relations at the grand reopening performance. After the play, everyone strolled down the Prado for dinner at Casa Del Prado & I found myself walking with the late, great actor John Houseman. I’ll always remember our 5-minute conversation on that special Balboa Park evening. Others I had the privilege of meeting that night were Charlton Heston, Richard Chamberlain, Marsha Mason, Leonard Nimoy … Special Memories. -Roger Conlee Many thanks to all those who have shared their wonderful experiences with us in Balboa Park.