Thursday, August 25, 2011

Santa Monica High School's jazz band

All that jazz has been emanating from talented Santa Monica High School musicians in the jazz band since 1920. The first jazz band was composed of Harry Howe on violin; Walter Maas on banjo; Ardell Hill on saxaphone and Helen Dresher on Piano, all pictured above. On March 5, 2011, the Samohi Jazz big band and combo, directed by Tom Whaley, competed in the 43rd Berklee College of Music High School Jazz Festival and placed first in Division 1 - Big Band and Division 1 - Jazz Combo. The Samohi Jazz Band Combo performed at the Main Library on June 25, 2011.

Monday, August 8, 2011

Lady Rose Sutton - America's Famous Psycho Analyst, Clairvoyant, Seer

Click on image to enlarge - The Seventh Police Benefit Sourvenir Book available to view in the Santa Monica Collection room at the Main Library

This advertisement is located in The Seventh Police Benefit Souvenir Book. Published in 1930 by the Department of Public Safety, Division of Police in Santa Monica, this gem contains ads as well as an index to businesses. Did you know that there was a Santa Monica Miniature Gold Course at Lincoln and Arizona with "de luxe - eighteen tricky holes?" You can learn about the science of fingerprints on page 108 in the 1930s. Or, view portraits of the five dapper police detectives for Santa Monica on page 53. On page 117 you can read about Santa Monica's Fire Department as described by Fire Chief William Mohr and see photos of the 4 fire houses. It seems that Lady Rose Sutton only practiced her skills in Santa Monica in 1930. Our directories do not show her before or after. Does anyone know anything about Miss Sutton?

Friday, August 5, 2011

A Little Guide on Where to Go and What to See in Santa Monica California

Just click on the image to enlarge for easier reading.


You may want to reconstruct the automobile trip shown above from "Senoras y Caballeros" - Welcome A Little Guide on Where to Go and What to See in Santa Monica California. You will see where Cary Grant and Louis B. Mayer lived on Beach Road in 1942 as you begin your journey from Santa Monica Pier, heading north on Palisades Beach Road. The trip will end with a spectacular view of Santa Monica Canyon from Adelaide Drive after motoring up Sunset Blvd to Westwood in your 1942 Studebaker!

This petite publication, which was produced by the Publicity Department of the City of Santa Monica, is available to view in the Santa Monica Public Library's local history materials, located in the Santa Monica Collection room at the Main Library at 601 Santa Monica Blvd. You will enjoy reading about the casting pool at Douglas Park, as well as Municipal Stadium at Fourteenth Street and Colorado Avenue, which hosted rodeos and special athletic events besides football and baseball.