JERRY PERSON -- A Look Back

Last week, we began looking at a typical day at Huntington Beach

Elementary School -- now known as Dwyer Middle School -- in July 1947

during an open house for National Boys and Girls Week.

We finished last week with the second-grade classes. Now onto Mrs.

Frances McKelvey’s third-grade class.

Birds and flowers were their contribution to the open house, with a band

of brightly colored paintings of birds across the front of the classroom.

These were hand-colored by the students and showed birds that the class

studied during the year. Also in McKelvey’s classroom was a yellow canary

that sang for visitors.

A life-size cardboard replica of each student seated at his or her desk

in Mrs. Fern Greenwald’s third-grade class earned them all badges. An

American Indian trading post was constructed by her students that showed

what life was like in the tribes.

A large American Indian rug woven by Miss Dora Dow’s third-grade class

was the centerpiece of an exhibit of the arts and crafts of the American

Southwest. There were displays of pottery, American Indian dolls and

ribbons won by the class in that year’s track meet.

The fourth-grade class of Miss Becky McMillan featured a large map of

China and an exhibit of student artwork. Also on display in her class was

an exhibit of Mexican art and its history.

Chinese and Mexican art also formed part of Mrs. Virginia Darcey’s

fourth-grade class’ poster display.

The Mexican theme of Mrs. Eunice Black’s fourth-grade class was in

evidence by the large frieze showing the Pyramids of the Sun and Moon and

the feathered serpent, Quetzalcoatl.

More Chinese curios were displayed in Miss Agnes Snasdell’s class of

fourth-graders. Her students created an exhibit of wild flowers and sea

shells.

Alaska was the subject of Mrs. Edna Elliott’s students. The first thing

you would notice when you entered her fifth-grade class was a large totem

pole. Around it were various maps and posters showing the industries and

customs of our northernmost territory.

On the front and side walls of Mrs. Irene Russell’s class of

fifth-graders was a mural that depicted life in Spanish California.

The topics of an exhibit of stories and poems by Miss Bonnie Robert’s

fifth-grade boys and girls spanned from Columbus’ discovery of America to

the building of the California missions.

While in the school’s library, Miss Lea Hood and her group of “Library

Anns” (student helpers) created an interesting exhibit of books and

charts.

Next week, we’ll conclude with the sixth through eighth grades of that

special open house so long ago.

* JERRY PERSON is a local historian and longtime Huntington Beach

resident. If you have ideas for future columns, write him at P.O. Box

7182, Huntington Beach 92615.