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Volume 95 - January, 2011
QUARTERLY POTLUCK GENERAL MEETING 7997 California Avenue Please remember to bring a casserole, salad, or dessert to share with others. Website - www.fairoakshistory.org Editor-Publisher: Jim Pearce Circulation: Maria Brugger |
President’s Message—
Happy New Year! Can you believe that we’re 10% through the 21st century? Time flies, and our first meeting of the new year—6 PM, Tuesday, January 25—is almost here. Please come and bring your favorite potluck dish. Drag along a couple of friends too. If you enjoy the Historical Society, why not share the fun with your neighbors?
Does anybody remember George’s Oak Room? If you do, you’ll enjoy our program. If you don’t, you’ll learn something historic about our community. Either way, you’ll enjoy great company and delicious food. And, in case there are slides, we have a brand new push- button projection screen in the Clubhouse!
If you are receiving this newsletter electronically we thank you for helping us get this
newsletter, special announcements and organizational actions out quickly and
economically. If you aren’t—but you have e-mail—please let Jim Pearce
In case you haven’t heard, we had a very successful Soup Night in November, earning
another $7,400+ for History Center expansion. My thanks and the appreciation of co-chairs
Claudia Thorne and Lynn Steen are extended to everyone who planned and contributed
time, labor, materials, donations, and everything else to this superb event.
We continue to move forward with the new Fair Oaks Boulevard exhibit facility offered by
the Fair Oaks Water District. Although the holidays have slowed our progress, we have a
new committee underway to develop the vision and themes for this facility, and we expect to
make great progress in the upcoming year.
Have a safe, healthy and wonderful 2011.
The Executive Board is proposing three procedural changes to the By-laws of the Society to improve
our timeliness and reduce costs. The full By-laws are available on the Society's web site. Hard copies
of the By-laws will be available at the general meeting. Eliminated words are shown in strikethrough.
Added words are in italics and underlined.
# 1 - Eliminate the requirement that Life Memberships be approved by the members at a general
meeting. The Board would review and approve applicants. The current process results in
proposed life members paying the required dues but the check and the acceptance is delayed
until the next general meeting.
ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP
#2- Change the requirement that By-law changes be sent to the membership at least 20 days ahead
of the general meeting to 14 days ahead of the meeting. The 20 day requirement creates hardship
for the writers and producers of the newsletter, and may result in a costly separate mailing. Changes
the requirement that the full bylaws be sent to all members any time a change to a bylaw is proposed.
ARTICLE XI: AMENDMENTS
#3 - Change the schedule of the annual audit so that it is done after the close of the fiscal year. This
will allow the Treasurer to get all the year end financial statements from the bank and other
organizations for inclusion in the year end report. The audit report can still be made at the first
general meeting.
ARTICLE X AUDITOR
3.2-1 Active Memberships
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(d) Active Life Memberships
1. A person applying for individual life membership may be accepted upon completion of
application, individual life payment and approval by the Executive Board. and a majority vote
of members present at a general meeting; and. They shall have all privileges including one
voting right.
2. An individual and spouse or two adults applying for family life membership may be accepted
upon completion of application, family life payment and approval by the Executive Board. and a
majority vote of members present at a general meeting. Each shall have all privileges including
voting rights.
11.1 These bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the Active members present at a
general membership meeting, provided that written notice of the proposed amendment(s) and
those relevant portions of the by laws existing bylaws were mailed to the
voting members no less than twenty (20) fourteen (14) days in advance
of the general meeting.
10.1 The auditor shall
10.1-2 Audit the treasurer's books annually prior to after the end of the fiscal year.
10.1-3 Submit a report of the audit to the president and the treasurer prior to the first general
membership meeting executive board meeting of the year and to the Society at the first
general membership meeting.
Our January meeting will be stroll down memory lane with recollections of
George's Oak Room. I’ve invited former patrons of the restaurant/bar to share
their stories with us. I would also like to hear from any of our members that have
stories to tell about the Oak Room. I understand that it was ‘THE’ place to visit
after a hard days work at either Aerojet or the Pacific Telephone Company. Please
search through your old photographs and let me know if you’re able to find any of
the glory days of the Oak Room. I’d love to scan them so that we might project
them on a screen during the meeting.
Vice-President's Message:
I would like to thank Maria Brugger for inviting Tony Otto, Principal of the New
San Juan High School, to be the speaker at the October 2010 meeting. Tony
talked about his history in the District and well as the changes that are being
implemented in the District today. They are committed to give students job skills
for today’s world. Not only will students be prepared for college but they can also
choose from five different Career pathways; Construction Technology,
Engineering and Design, Hospitality Management/Culinary Arts, Media Arts/ TV
and Theater Production, Mechanical Technology.
The following people have been docents or participated in helping in our
activities this year. Thank you ......... Jean Applegate, Lois Frazier, Fran
Messinger, Larry & Meg Smart, Cheryl Welch, Jim & Marilyn Pearce, Fran
Sargent, Maria & Bob Brugger, Diana Lennon, Ralph & Sherrie Carhart, Mike
Maddox, Ken & Lynn Steen.
Soup Night Update - Claudia Thorn
Docent's Report:
The display window in the Fair Oaks library was assigned to The Fair Oaks
Historical Society for the month of November. Our display this year consisted of
school memorabilia; vintage typewriters, Billy Hinsey's bat boy baseball uniform,
San Juan High School year books, 1932 picture of Fair Oaks Elementary School,
and other photos.
The Christmas open house on Dec. 12 was enjoyed by a few people.
refreshments were served. A lively discussion was held on early day Fair Oaks service
stations. Thanks to Jim Pearce for bringing pictures and locations of the service
stations.
For those of you who attended this years' event you already know what a
wonderful time we all had. Between the gorgeous center pieces, the outstanding
soups, the beautiful table settings and the entertaining raffle and silent auction
we raised $7,400 this year. Once again, a very successful event. I'd like to ask
you to personally thank the members of the planning committee. We all put in
many hours planning and organizing the day of the event.
Committee Members: -
Lynn Steen (Bowls), Maria Brugger (Soups), Trude Vasquez (Publicity), Janet
and Warren Mc Williams (Bread, Raffle & Silent Auction), Nancy White (Signage,
Supplies & Table Set-up), Sallie Miller (Cookies),Bob and Pat Vogel (Wine), Lois
Frazier (Center Pieces), Joe Dobrowolski (Tickets) and Sherrie Carhart
(Volunteers and Silent Auction pictures). Please also thank Don Yost for all the
bowls he made for Soup Night.
Some thoughts about next year:
Lastly, hold Friday, November 4, 2011 for our next Soup Night. Like last year,
tickets will be sold at the July meeting so start thinking about who you'd like to
have at your table. Thank you for the support you give the Fair Oaks Historical Sociery.
New Historical Building Status:
The Fair Oaks Water District has offered to allow the Fair Oaks
Historical Society the use of the building next to the Sunshine Drive-In on Fair Oaks Blvd as a
Historical Museum. We are currently waiting for the Executive Director to sign a year to
year, dollar a year lease with the Society.
A committee appointed by the President has been
assessing the modifications that need to be made before the Society moves our
possessions into the building. The committee has been approved to spend up to $5,000 to bring the
building into a useable and safe state. Another committee has been appointed to draft a plan for the
use of the building and display of the artifacts. The building now has electricity and gas so the lights
are on and can be heated and cooled.
As soon as the lease is signed the first committee will start
work on the building. It needs work on the landscaping, dry rot repair, security and up grade of the
flooring. If any member has gardening, woodworking or other house repair skills and have the time
and energy to take on a task or work one day as time is available please advise Joe Dobrowolski of
you willingness to volunteer. He can be reached at 961-6561 or by email at joedobro@pacbell.net.
Fair Oaks Historical Society General Meeting Minutes
The Meeting was called to order by President Ralph Carhart following another great
potluck. Visitors were introduced. Trude Vasquez showed the booklets about from the Dept. of
Corporations about Senior Fraud.
Program: Maria Brugger started with the Historical
Moment by Janet McWilliams.who shared a memory from San Juan High School.
She then introduced Tony Otto, Principal of the New San Juan High School. Tony
talked about his history in the District and shared with us what is new about the
School. The Commitment of the school has now changed, a new learning
community. They are committed to give students job skills for today’s world. Their
goal is to have every student ready to enter college when they leave the school, they
will also have experiences in five different Career pathways. These pathways are;
Construction Technology, Engineering and Design, Hospitality Management/
Culinary Arts, Media Arts/ TV and Theater Production, Mechanical Technology.
The school has approximately 600 students, which are grouped in small learning
communities. He shared with us the very exciting program.
The minutes of the previous meeting were approved as published in the newsletter.
Treasurer’s Report: Treasurer Joe Dobrowolski reported that we are collecting
emails to start working toward delivering the newsletter by email. New building,
some things have been moved to the building. The utilities have been turned on
and an alarm is being installed. Soup Night donations have been up to $700 so far.
The financial report was published in the newsletter.
President’s Report: Ralph reminded us of the passing of Dave Cox and Russ
Monroe, past members of the organization.
Nomination Committee: The committee has put forth the names of the officers
that are now in office to continue for the next year. President, Ralph Carhart; Vice-
President, Trude Vasquez; Secretary, Janet McWilliams; and Treasurer, Joe
Dobrowolski.
History Center Operations: Lois asked for help on the 19th on November for a
children's performance.
Next Year's Officers: Pete White moved that the Nominations be closed. Motion
passed. Warren moved that the officers be made the same by aclimation. Motion
seconded. Motion passed.
Soup Night: Claudia announced that the dinner is sold out. She also asked that the
donations for the raffle need to be in by Friday. Set up will start at 10:00 that
morning.
Membership: Tel LaBelle reported that we should let him know if they don’t have a
badge. Also, to make sure that our dues are current.
The raffle was completed, and the meeting adjourned at 8:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted by Janet McWilliams, Secretary
Secretary:
General Meeting
October 26, 2010
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Location: 3920 Edgevale Court Architecture: Victorian
Previous Owners:
1900 - abt 1920, George Straith
Merina West gave a great presentation on the Straith home to the Historical
Society at our July meeting, and donated her research binder to the Society.
She'll be repeating the presentation at the January meeting of the Fair Oaks
Woman's Thursday Club. For those of you who missed the presentation, and to
make sure this beautiful mansion gets in the Old Homes binder in the History
Center, we decided to do a write-up in this quarter's newsletter.
George Straith was a wealthy Chicago clothier and original member of the
Chicago - Fair Oaks Association. Straith agreed to be the first of the group to
build a home in Fair Oaks and "...pledged to inform the others about his
experiences in beginning a life here, his success in fruit growing, his opinions
about the climate and other aspects of life in the colony." He built the home in
1899-1900. The home was two stories with 14 rooms at about 5300
square feet. It also had a full cellar with 5 rooms containing the laundry, storage
and utilities. The layout was modified over the years to please various owners,
but with the exception of a room created by enclosing a porch, retains its original
shape.
Straith became ill about 1915, and he and his wife Inda decided to return to
Chicago for treatment. He sold the home to Frank Tropper, a railroad
blacksmith. The Tropper family lived in the house until about 1940. Frank died
in 1942. About 1930, Everett Reimers married Frank Tropper's daughter Elsie
and they had two children, Theresia and Everett Jr. Theresia, ten years older
that Everett, Jr., inherited the property on the death of Everett Sr. in 1978, but
had moved to Virginia for a long career with a private college and allowed Everett
Jr. to live in the house. Marilyn Pearce recalls visiting the house in 1977 and
finding Everett Jr., his wife and two children there with Theresia visiting for the
summer. She says the place was starting to become overgrown even then.
Everett Jr. got divorced sometime after 1977, fell into ill health, and the property deteriorated
continuously from the 1980's forward, until the place was so overgrown
that many of the neighborhood residents didn't know there was a house there.
In 2009, Theresia decided to sell the property to next-door neighbor Kevin Hutton.
He cleared all the brush and rubbish, emptied the house of a mountain of trash,
and began the work of developing the property. He moved the old home back
further from the bluffs and began the necessary structural improvements which will go
on for some time.
Abt 1920 - 1942, Frank Tropper
1942 - 1978, Everett Reimers, Sr.
1978 - 2009, Theresia Reimers
2009 - present, Kevin Hutton
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____New Member Application |
____Dues Payment |
Name_________________________________Address_____________________________ |
City___________________________ |
State_______ |
Zip_______ |
Phone___________________ E-mail____________________________________ |
Individual...$15.00 Family (2 Persons)...$20.00 Supporting...$40.00
Single Life Member...$150.00 Family Life Member...$225.00
Dues are payable on January 1st, and shall become delinquent on May 1st
Amount enclosed $__________ Check number_________ Date of check____________
Please mail this form and check made out to Fair Oaks Historical Society, Inc.,
P O BOX 2044, Fair Oaks, CA 95628
For more information call Tel Labelle at 966-7732 (tels4@aol.com)