With a little help from our teens

The La Pintoresca Teen Education Center (LPTEC) is one of the places in North Pasadena that supports our teens.  Great place offering great opportunities for our teens.  

One of the groups that is at LPTEC is focused on providing service to the community.  

On Tuesday we made a quick exchange - a lesson on local history for some time stuffing sponsorship envelopes for the event for the 15th Annual Latino Heritage Parade & jamaica.  Adult volunteers Alex and Jose helped out, too.

Many folks think that the event is primarily run by the city or that those of us involved are paid.  Neither of those facts is true.  Yes, we'd love to have Sponsorship like the Black History Parade, but we're receiving support at the Co-sponsorship level.  So we have a real need for getting financial support from members of our community.

We've been 1,000 strong in the Parade for the past several years.  Thanks to all of our volunteers, who come from all backgrounds and all ages, who bring their own gifts to the work.  Our event is a success thanks to their dedication.

More thanks to Carmel Meza and the Pasadena Museum of History

Thanks to Carmel Meza and the Meza Family for sharing their history with us.

Back reads - Joe Meza, 1913

Back reads - Frances Baladez and Felipa, Pasadena

Back reads - 1932 Civic Aud. Pasa.

Jess Meza at 20

Courtesy of Archives, Pasadena Museum of History

Thanks to Carmel Meza and the Pasadena Museum of History...

we have these group photos as part of the Mexican Collection.

The first may have been taken at the Edna P. Alter/Mexican Settlement.  The back reads " Halloween party, S. Fair Oaks at Hurlbutt, 1914.

The back reads, "Fair Oaks, 1917"

The back reads, "Pasadena Mudhole, Arroyo Seco...(and then lists names of those in the picture as well as date - 1926, August 10".

Sometimes for the better

Tomorrow August 14th is our next General Planning meeting.  We will be at the La Pintoresca Library from 5:30-6:30.  There is usually parking on Raymond just north of Washington.

Tomorrow is also the first day of school in the Pasadena Unified School District.  Tonight will be a rough night for many a student, parent, teacher, and administrator.  But in the best of situations they will all work together to make the year the best possible for the students.  

Here is a picture of the faculty of Juniper Serra School.  The guess on the back of the picture is that this is from the mid 1920s.  They are a mix of ages and experiences; that probably made for some fine role models for the students.  To be honest, I see a couple of folks whose classroom I would wish to avoid.  But that's not fair; sometime the most loving and stern teacher is the person that provides the best guidance to students.  Please note - stern, not mean, not demeaning...

A snippet from the 1911 Tournament of Roses Program - 

"Pasadena Public Schools", by Arthur L. Hamilton, City of Superintendent of Schools

" In 1908 the number of pupils held over was 729 , or 21.7  of the total number of children on the rolls at the ned of the year.  In 1909 the number was 550, or 16 percent of the total.  For the year closing June 1910, the number over was 265 or 73. per cent.  Seventy-two of these were held over in the first grade and largely on account of under-aged pupils.  

The average cost of pupils in the grammar grades was, last year, $58.63.  As this is $5863 per hundred pupils held over, of extra expense to the district, it will be seen that from a financial pint of view the effort is worth while.  the advantage in the conservation of the child's interests is of vastly greater importance, however, than the financial gain. 

 

The teaching force of the city consists of 40 high school teachers; 132 grammar and primary; 26 kindergarten; 14 specials - a total f 212 teachers.  The total number of pupils enrolled in the public schools last year was  5623.  The high school reached 863 students; the grammar and primary grades 4352.  The kindergartens had a total of 408". 

What was blooming at Junipero Serra?

Mexican Schools were not uncommon in Southern California.  These were schools that were established as segregated schools for Mexicans, not schools that eventually had an almost exclusive Mexican population because the families coming to live in the area all shared Mexican heritage.
To date we mostly have images that were taken at Junipero Serra school.

This seems to be from some school program in the last 1920s.  I'm betting it was a spring program because of the flowers and bees.

Not sure what the fellow in the far right is supposed to be representing.  I'm pretty sure he wishes he were wearing a different costume, or perhaps no costume at all.

Latino Heritage Parade & jamaica 

Planning meeting today:

5:30-6:30 p.m.

La Casita, 805 N. Madison Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91103

A bit of this, a bit of that...

Busy times now and busier times just around the corner for many of us.  Latino Heritage will be at the Levitt Pavilion tomorrow night and will be sharing information about upcoming events.

Our next General Planning meeting for the 2103 Latino Heritage Parade & jamaica will be on Wednesday, August 7 from 5:30-6:30.  It will take place at La Casita in the Madison Neighborhood, 805 N. Madison Avenue, Pasadena, CA  91103.

These gorgeous banners were painted by the students of VADA/CADAM at PHS.  Happy to share that the La Pintoresca Teen Education Center will be actively involved this year!  Watch for more on this in future posts.

It was a very hot day a couple of weeks ago when a bench dedication took place at Eaton Blanche Park!  The heat didn't stop the members of COPA and PMAHA from gathering at the dedication. Some of the founders of COPA - originally Chicanas Organized for Progress and Advancement (in education) - are also the founders of the Pasadena Mexican American History Association.    

Groups with a similar background but with a different focus.  The former is dedicated to raising money for scholarships for Latinas, the latter is dedicated to preserving the Mexican American history of the Pasadena area. 

Members of COPA

I wasn't able to get any pictures of the officials that came for the beginning of the dedication, but I did get this photo of Congresswoman Judy Chu who recognized the fine work done by the group.  I'm betting that the COPA website will have have the other officials like Mayor Bill Bogaard and Police Chief Philip Sanchez.  

Sandi Mejia, PMAHA President, Congresswoman Chu, Darlene Leyba, COPA President

Latino Heritage is one of the organizations that are a part of the Pasadena Latino Coalition.  This past Saturday Congresswoman Chu recognized the work that the group has done over the past two years. 

One of the fine things about the PLC is that different member groups come together to work on different projects and topics.  We have members in the group that decidedly politically conservative and others that are most liberal.  Yet others that want to have nothing to do with politics.

One of the most encouraging aspects of the group is that there is recognition that there are many ways to promote advocacy - sometimes through activism, sometimes through providing social services, and sometimes giving a voice to a community through the arts and public history.

Thanks to all who recognize this.

http://www.copapasadena.org/

http://www.pmaha.org/

Celebrando los 15

15.  You say the number and in certain circles the first word that comes up is Quinceañera. Los 15 can be an acknowledgement of a coming of age, of entering society, of taking on more adult responsibilities, or a incredibly elaborate party.  Los 15 can be all of these things...and more.

For us at Latino Heritage Los 15 means our 15th annual Parade and jamaica.  So this year we will have some ideas that will be connected to 15, as well as ideas will connect with the era we're focused on - 1912-1932.  Lots taking place in Pasadena and California in that era.

We plant to highlight 15 families that were in the area during this era.  Some families will have last names that may be familiar to most Pasadenans and some will only be known to small circle of folks who grew up in Chihuahuita, Southside, or Wynona Cypress.

The children in this undated picture were at Junipero Serra School - a school built for Mexican students.     I wonder if we will meet someone who knows some of the their names or knows why they are dressed as they are?  We'll share these, and other pictures on our facebook wall.  

https://www.facebook.com/latinoheritagesgv

It will be updated next Wednesday, July 10th.

We will have a long overdue update on our Latino Heritage by the first week of August.  

Our first general meeting will be Thursday, July 11th from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at La Pintoresca Library/Conference Room.  

You are cordially invited to join us.  

We have a lot of fun and organize an event that welcomes all to a  day where community and history are shared by all attending.