Volume 72
April, 2005
QUARTERLY POTLUCK GENERAL MEETING - 4/26/05
7997 California Avenue
Please remember to bring a casserole, salad, or dessert to share with others.
Editors: Susan Burmaster & Marilyn Pearce
Publisher: Jim Pearce
|
Volume 72 April, 2005
QUARTERLY POTLUCK GENERAL MEETING - 4/26/05 7997 California Avenue Please remember to bring a casserole, salad, or dessert to share with others. Editors: Susan Burmaster & Marilyn Pearce Publisher: Jim Pearce |
President's Message: 
I am so excited that we are moving ahead with the inventory, copying and preserving items in our History Center. Jim Pearce, Steve Abbott and Joe Dobrowolski have consented to put this in motion. I have asked three members of the Fair Oaks Historical Society to act as the Preservation |
Committee of the History Center: RoseAnne Lamb (Chairperson), Ralph Carhart, and Lois Frazier. This committee will monitor the activities and have the authority to make decisions. Additionally, I have asked former presidents Warren McWilliams, Pete White and Ralph Carhart to serve on a F.O.H.S. Logo committee. They have requested further time to review the submitted proposals and plan to report back at the June 21 Board meeting. |
Officers installed for the next year are from L to R:
June Melvin - Parlementarian, Meg Smart - Treasurer
Diana Lennon - Secretary, Sherry Lynn Wood - Vice President
Russ Monroe - President
 Warren, THANK You for installing the new officers. It is serious business! |
 JoAn Heidt created cheerful popcorn snowmen as table decorations. |
Docent's/Museum Curator Report:
Gordon and Joan Heidt were docents at the History Center on March 13th.
Fran Sargent, Lois Frazier, Larry and Meg Smart have also been docents
this year. The History Center is in the Administration Building at the
Fair Oaks Cemetery. The hours are 1:00 to 4:00 pm every 2nd Sunday of
the month. If you would like to be a docent, call 967-2967.
The Fair Oaks Fiesta will be on April 30th and May 1st. The Historical
Society exhibit will be in the Old Library Building. Volunteers to work
2 hour shifts will be needed for these two days.
The Memorial Day Celebration at the Fair Oaks Cemetery will be on
Saturday, May 28th. This year will honor The National Guard. An
outstanding musical program, honored speakers, and placing the wreath
will make this a most patriotic event. The Historical Society and the
Orangevale (Fair Oaks) Grange will furnish the refreshments. We will
need 15 people to bring 2 dozen cookies. A sign-up sheet will be
available at the April potluck.
Vice-President's Message:
| Program: |
April 2005 History of the Fair Oaks Recreation and Park District |
Our guest speakers will be Todd Sebastian, Recreation Superintendent, and Sam Crawford, District Administrator for the Fair Oaks Park District. Todd has been with the District for 2 years and is currently running for Chamber's Honorary Mayor of Fair Oaks. He is fundraising for the Save the Bluffs Foundation. At the Fair Oaks Fiesta, the winner will be announced. Sam has served as administrator for the Park Board for 7 years. The two men will tell of the history of the Fair Oaks Recreation and Park District. We look forward to hearing what the District has achieved and what is on the horizon. The schedule of offerings are always interesting and will come just in time for summer and outdoor activities.
 Farmer Bob, ever the great F.O. Storyteller! |
 Nancy White and others browsing January's display. |
A Recap of January 2005's Program:
I would like to take this opportunity to thank the dozen members who shared their
entertaining stories about their experiences at schools in Fair Oaks.
To illustrate just a few: Betty Anne McArthur told of going to school at the original
Fair Oaks School. She fessed-up about the mischief she and her other classmates used
to get into with the music teacher. How ironic that she became a music teacher for
schools in Fair Oaks. Marilyn Pearce shared several memories from the 14 years that
she taught at Fair Oaks Preschool. Pete White spoke of going to school one day when
he was in the first grade and losing some of his classmates. He could never figure
out what happened to them. Warren McWilliams shared stories of school teachers living
in the boarding house, working in the cafeteria and at school dances. Janet McWillliams
told the "rest of the story" for Pete White. There were too many students for the first
grade so, one day, the principal just came in and picked a group of students to be
transferred to the second grade which had fewer students. Pete lost his classmates
and continued to look for them during his school years at Fair Oaks Elementary School.
Pete was left behind. William (Bill) Hinsey talked about his grandfather's involvement
in the school district since 1904 and the attendance of his father, himself, and his
children in our schools. June Melvin shared her knowledge of John Holst School and
the folk dancing festival. Sherry Lynn Wood shared about coming from a long line of
school teachers in California dating back to the 1840s. She was proud of how she
went to the San Juan District office when she was 15 years old and obtained permission
to change school due to a family hardship-members in one family household attending
six different schools.
Individuals brought pictures to share of the school years in Fair Oaks. Old friends
and members brought good food, good fun, and good memories to share. A great time
was had by all!
If you have an idea or suggestion for a future program topic please let me know. I want
to bring historical topics of interest to all of you. I can be reached at (916) 944-4812
or via my e-mail address at sherrywood1949@comcast.net.
Website Coordinator:
The Fair Oaks Historical Society Website is fairly stable now, with
most activities on auto-pilot.
The Webgroup is beginning our next major project, the FOHS Museum
and History Center section on the website. We also have the Museum
Inventory project to get going. While considering activities in this
area, a number of policy and procedure issues developed, and we
realized that if we had to wait for Board Meetings for each unanticipated
issue, we'd never get done. So, we asked Russ Monroe for a committee
which could expedite such decisions.
On March 30, FOHS Preservation Committee members Lois and RoseAnn, along
with Steve Abbott and myself met with the Sacramento Archives and
History Center staff in their facility off Richards Blvd. in Sacramento
to learn all we could about their processes and policies.
As always, we welcome your comments and suggestions. Please check out the
website at www.fairoakshistory.org.
Previous Owners: Horace and Elizabeth Massey (Bob's Parents)
Present Owners: Bob and Beryl Massey
Architecture: Colonial
Comments: Farmer Bob's home is a familiar sight while driving on Sunset Avenue. It has 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, living and dining rooms, a breakfast nook plus back porch. Above ground it is 2400 sq. ft. with a full basement. In the near future his produce/firewood business will be replaced with several upscale homes. He and Beryl will continue to live in their home!
Bob's parents bought the property as an orange grove in 1910. The elms in the yard were planted at that time. They lived in the "pioneer" home on the property until the new home was built when Bob was 7 years old. Bob and Art Broadley built the home. Murray, another brother, was the plumber. The old home was torn down.
In and beyond the World War II years, Bob and Beryl lived in another Fair Oaks home.
When Bob's parents passed away in the 70's, Bob and his wife bought his sister's interest in the house. They raised their daughters, Janice and Susan in the home. The sign at Farmer Bob's says established in 1975 for local produce and the best wagon rides before Halloween.