Early this week I received an e-mail from the head of the Facebook page for alumni of Miller school saying she had added me as a member of the group. I have known the Lady for many years and was glad to be added.
I have a very fond spot in my heart for the school as I went there from pre-school through 6th grade and had many wonderful teachers and even got to play golf with my Dad by invitation from the school Principal, Mr. Arnold, who’s family owned the 9 hole course that is now Northwest Park.
I read a lot of the other memories and looked at the wonderful pictures people posted and felt a certain sort of pride in all our shared experiences. I made some comments and just enjoyed the walk down memory lane.
I then started to post some photos of the school that I have collected as part of my Burbank Historical journey over the years.
I posted a Miller Messages newsletter that kids took home for their parents usually pinned to your shirt so as not to lose it on the way home before Mom could see it. This was part of a collection given to me by Helen Von Seggern, a former Burbank School teacher who is 104 years old and a great lady! There are tons more things she had kept over the years that I will share.
One thing I am really fond of are my two large school pictures of the first students at Miller from 1924 you will see it below. As I have mentioned before I like to imagine what the rest of these children’s lives were like and wish someone had written down their names so I could possibly research them on Ancestry.com.
In this photo you will see all of the student body sitting in the middle of Providencia from curb to curb. One boy has a black hat that looks about 3 sizes too big for him sitting on the street in front of him. Another has what looks like an early version of a football. The girls with the flags look very proud except the girl on the far right who looks like she wants to be as far from those boys as she can!
Two of the houses in this photo are still there the ones about halfway between the center flag girl and the Left flag girl. Note also the school has no grass and no playgrounds yet. I doubt that this bothered these children one bit!
I would like to thank Cathy Palmer for signing me on to this trip down memory lane and I also wish to remember my favorite teacher, Mrs Root, whom I owe a lot to. Thank You!
SAVE THE DATE’S!
TRUE TALES FROM BURBANK
From the Authors who brought you “Lost Burbank” & “Growing Up In Burbank” Comes the third exciting installment of the Burbank Trilogy…
“True Tales From Burbank”
Stories from Los Angeles’s most surprising suburb!
Home to the likes of Disney and Warner Bros., Burbank has a fascinating history beyond the glitz and glamor of its entertainment industry. Discover the true story behind the mysterious Night Riders and how the Druids came to visit. Learn about the plans to film biblical epics in town and the how the Crank Conventions came to be. Delve into tales of rodeo queens, Hollywood stars, Mouseketeers and a flying lion cub. Wesley H. Clark and Michael B. McDaniel, take you on a surprising and whimsical tour of the people, places and events of this historic San Fernando Valley city.
Wes and Mike will be in town October 10 through the 16.
Book signings will be at Auto Books on Magnolia Oct 13th from 9 am to noon.
Bell Cottage on Magnolia Day TBA.
All new slide presentations will be at The Burbank Historical Society Saturday Oct 13th at 2 pm and The Buena Vista Library Oct. 16 at 7pm! Watch for more dates and times! Books will available for purchase and signing! Don’t miss the True Tales Burbank Tour!
NOW AVAILABLE!!
Get your Copy of Lost Burbank Now!
Slowly fading with the city’s ever-changing landscape, the places and people of Burbank’s past tell a vibrant story. Before the arrival of Warner Bros. and Walt Disney, First National Pictures built its original studio lot on Olive Ave in 1926. For over sixty years, Lockheed Aircraft Company produced some of the nation’s best airplanes where the massive Empire Shopping Center now stands. Heavyweight champion James Jeffries turned his Burbank ranch home and barn into a beloved landmark and boxing venue. Inventor Joseph Wesley Fawkes’s scheme to build a monorail to Los Angeles became a local laughingstock. Diehard Burbankers Wes Clark and Michael McDaniel collect these and many more forgotten local stories where they can finally be found.
and their new book, Growing Up in Burbank, just out!!
