A Message from the President
Dear Friends, Supporters and Members and all of you who are about to become Members,
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Thank you for all the thoughtful comments on the May Grapevine; your feedback is always truly appreciated.
So, I promise this month’s letter won’t be a full-blown tearjerker again, but I do have to note that I am writing this on the 27th anniversary of the untimely passing of my father, Jerome Laval, at the age of 56. Since I can no longer get him the most ridiculous card possible, which he loved, I want to pay tribute to the author of the three As Pop Saw It books as well as Second Alarm which chronicled the centennial of the Fresno Fire Department. His adamance and vision in understanding that our past must be protected and shared, particularly in the days before digitization, was the modern impetus for much of the historical preservation that people around the Valley are undertaking. My dad had a very close relationship with his grandfather, Pop Laval, and both provided an unparalleled visual journey into our region. I know they would be grateful and amazed at the honor and appreciation you bestow on them and their irreplaceable work. And yes, like many of you, I really do miss my father all the time.
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Jerome Laval. Courtesy of the Laval Family. |
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Transition…we often talk about the history of Mother’s Day, but have you ever seen a description of how Father’s Day began? According to an article published online recently at almanac.com, the history is all but forgotten… |
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Richard Nixon and family at Hotel Fresno, 1962.
Courtesy of the Pop Laval Foundation.
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“Father’s Day was not immediately accepted when it was proposed, and it did not become a national holiday in the U.S. until 1972 during President Richard Nixon’s administration. Why was it a hotly contested debate? With America’s history, you might think that a holiday recognizing men would be perfectly acceptable. After all, men dominated American society in the early 20th century. In addition, a ‘Father’s Day’ or day that recognizes the role of fathers in the family is an ancient tradition. In history books, there is mention of a Southern European tradition dating back to 1508.
“Certainly, in modern days, we do not give Father’s Day a second thought. It’s been almost 50 years since President Richard Nixon’s administration declared the third Sunday in June a day to recognize and honor the role of fathers in society (that occurred in 1972).
“Interestingly, Father’s Day was not immediately accepted when it was proposed. Why not?
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“Mother’s Day came first (it was officially recognized in 1914), so men in the early 1900s associated such a tribute to women and found the idea too effeminate to their liking. To be fair, Mother’s Day was couched in terms of femininity. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson called Mother’s Day a way to recognize “that tender, gentle army—the mothers of America.” |
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“Men viewed the idea of Father’s Day as similar to Mother’s Day, which was popular with florists; for fathers it didn’t have the same sentimental appeal. As one historian writes, they ‘scoffed at the holiday’s sentimental attempts to domesticate manliness with flowers and gift-giving, or they derided the proliferation of such holidays as a commercial gimmick to sell more products—often paid for by the father himself.’
“Also, according to Lawrence R. Samuel, the author of American Fatherhood: A Cultural History, men had a different role in the family during the first half of that century. It was patriarchal, so they felt that a special day to exalt fatherhood was a rather silly idea, when it was mothers who were underappreciated.
“However, that sentiment changed over time for several reasons. The first known Father’s Day service occurred in Fairmont, West Virginia, on July 5, 1908, after hundreds of men died in the worst mining accident in U.S. history.
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Father with his family in the drying yard.
Fresno County Historical Society Archives.
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“Grace Golden Clayton, the daughter of a dedicated minister, proposed a service to honor all fathers, especially those who had died. However, the observance did not become an annual event, and it was not promoted; very few people outside of the local area knew about it. Meanwhile, across the entire country, another woman was inspired to honor fathers …
“In 1909, Sonora Smart Dodd of Spokane, Washington, was inspired by Anna Jarvis and the idea of Mother’s Day. Her father, William Jackson Smart, a farmer and Civil War veteran, was also a single parent who raised Sonora and her five brothers by himself, after his wife Ellen died giving birth to their youngest child in 1898. While attending a Mother’s Day church service in 1909, Sonora, then 27 years old, came up with the idea.
“Within a few months, Sonora had convinced the Spokane Ministerial Association and the YMCA to set aside a Sunday in June to celebrate fathers. She proposed June 5th, her father’s birthday, but the ministers chose the third Sunday in June so that they would have more time after Mother’s Day (the second Sunday in May) to prepare their sermons.
Thus, on June 19, 1910, the first Father’s Day events commenced: Sonora delivered presents to handicapped fathers, boys from the YMCA decorated their lapels with fresh-cut roses (red for living fathers, white for the deceased), and the city’s ministers devoted their homilies to fatherhood.
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“The widely publicized events in Spokane struck a chord that reached all the way to Washington, D.C., and Sonora’s celebration put the idea on the path to becoming a national holiday. However, the holiday did not catch on right away, perhaps due to the perceived parallels with Mother’s Day.
- In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson and his family personally observed the day.
- Eight years later, President Calvin Coolidge signed a resolution in favor of Father’s Day 'to establish more intimate relations between fathers and their children and to impress upon fathers the full measure of their obligations.'
- In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson signed an executive order that the holiday be celebrated on the third Sunday in June.
- Under President Richard Nixon, in 1972, Congress passed an act officially making Father’s Day a national holiday. (Six years later, Sonora died at age 96.)
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“Two economic events pushed Father’s Day forward:
- The Great Depression. With so many people pinching their pennies, the economy needed reasons for people to spend money. Father’s Day was promoted by struggling stores as an occasion to get fathers some of the clothing and material goods they needed. It was a way to invite people to get Dad the necktie or pair of socks that he probably would not buy for himself.
- World War II. Men were on the front lines. The desire to support American troops and the war effort provided another reason to support and show appreciation for dads."
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Father with his children stringing tobacco at Schishmanian Ranch, Fresno, CA,1913. Pop Laval Foundation. |
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If you are lucky enough to have someone you want to share Father’s Day with this June, even if it is a friend, your single mother who played both roles, or even yourself, get past the trappings and ties and sit down with that person to learn their story. Talk about what their life was like in their younger years – what jobs did they have, what dreams did they hold as children? So much more than a physical gift, time with others is something we cannot get back. Spend the day wisely and, for heaven’s sake, write it down or tape the conversation! And take some photos, too. |
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Until July, my best wishes to all,
Elizabeth Laval
President, Fresno County Historical Society
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A BIG P.S. – FCHS is feeling a little guilty of being just a tad discriminatory since we have many High Teas and a Fashion Show coming up, so be on the lookout for a big announcement about our own Sip and Smoke event on the Veranda of the Mansion later this year…this was a huge hit at the Gala so we are planning a fun evening at OUR house! |
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FARM TO FASHION EVENT TICKETS NOW ON SALE |
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fashion noun - fash·ion | \ ˈfa-shən \
: the prevailing style (as in dress) during a particular time
And this is according to Merriam-Webster. If one thinks about fashion, one tends to gravitate towards style. Though, if you ask someone their preference, it could be anyone really, they may say it’s their individual style, not necessarily what is in fashion, that they prefer. But is it? Does fashion get its influence from society - or rather, would you say fashion may even be the originator of influence, which eventually forms the styles by which people find themselves drawn to? There is much to support both ideologies - it really just depends on who you ask.
One thing we cannot argue is the fact that fashion has become entrenched in our lives, everywhere we look. Come join the Fresno County Historical Society, in partnership with Bebe O's Vintage Boutique and Talene Karkazian, in taking a walk on the wild side with some designers and stylists that will tell a very special Origin Story of the Fruit Vale Estate through design and fashion involving the concept of upcycling in fashion with an agricultural theme. You really don’t want to miss this unique opportunity to see cutting-edge designs and some fantastically distinctive styling options.
Just imagine a summer evening on the Veranda of Kearney Mansion, stunning designers and models, add in a DJ and you will be part of an instant party on Saturday, July 23rd. Make this a night to remember! Hor d'oeuvres and welcome cocktail included with ticket purchase.
Tickets are $90; $15 early bird discount when purchased before July 9th, 2022.
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MARK YOUR CALENDARS
GREAT KEARNEY BBQ SMOKE OUT
COMING THIS SEPTEMBER
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The Fresno County Historical Society is excited to host our premiere barbeque competition to be held on September 24, 2022 from 11am to 9pm, The Great Kearney BBQ Smoke Out, a KCBS Sanctioned Master Series event.
Join us for a full day of mouth-watering BBQ along with side dishes and desserts that showcase the bounty of the Valley. We anticipate that more than 30 competitors from around the country, and many from right here in Fresno County, will be competing for a prize purse of $8,000 awarded over four categories and Grand Champion. Local sides and dessert competitions will also be held during the event.
Guests will see professionals and amateurs at work on the grill, feast on BBQ and all the fixings. The event also includes local artisans and exhibitors along with community booths, a kids zone, games, food trucks each with a specialty BBQ menu item, local breweries and stroll through our Fields of Fresno - A Century in the Soil outdoor agriculture exhibition; all presented in the lush, shade of historic Kearney Park.
Additionally, the event's main stage will feature a full day of live music including headliner Rudy Parris who will bring that Bakersfield Sound to Kearney Park as we celebrate all of the flavors that make the Valley great.
This exciting day is sure to be fun for the whole family. Don't wait get your tickets today!
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VOLUNTEERS WANTED
Sign Up Today & Lend A Hand
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Do you have a little free time and love history? Then we are looking for YOU!
The Fresno County Historical Society is in need of a helping hand. Opportunities include: Tour Docents, Event Volunteers and Administrative Volunteers; as well as Membership and Education Outreach Volunteers. Time commitments vary from a few hours each week to just one day a year - you are sure to find the right fit for your schedule and ability so please don't hesitate, sign up today. Thank you!
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SIKH VIDEO ORAL HISTORY PROJECT UNDERWAY
WITH STUDENTS TAKING THE LEAD
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The Fresno County Historical Society is enabling Sikh Jr. High and High School students to become the collectors and curators of their personal and family histories. A series of educational workshops and intergenerational public history projects will record, preserve and make the little-known history of the Sikh and South Asian communities in Fresno County more visible. A cohort of teen participants are working to acquire skills in family history research, oral history collection, digitization, and exhibit design while developing a deeper understanding of the international context of their family histories.
Video oral histories and digitized family photographs and documents will be incorporated into digital exhibits and shared via presentations and Google Arts & Culture. A cumulative community viewing event will provide the public with the opportunity to watch the young peoples’ work, and all project-produced materials will be saved and shared through the physical and online archives of the Historical Society.
Our public viewing event will take place in September 2022.
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FROM THE ARCHIVES: An Overdue Graduation
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June is often known as a month of celebration due to graduations. Whether it is kindergarten, high school, college, trade school, or military, graduations are known as events that celebrate accomplishment. Graduations began in the 12th century in Europe during the rise of the University. The term graduate actually comes from the latin word, gradus, which means "step,” basically marking the completion of that step in one’s educational development.
Our Valley actually has some great history in terms of honoring graduates. During WWII, the attack on Pearl Harbor sparked a rise in fear for America's national security. This fear sadly created Executive Order 9066 by then President, Teddy Roosevelt, that resulted in the internment of Japanese Americans. This order created an intense racism against Japanese American citizens. Many were interned to camps, often out of their home state, in part to deter them from returning home once the internment was lifted. During the internment, Japanese American Nisei were not permitted to participate in graduation ceremonies whether they were interned or not. Nisei literally means “second generation” in Japanese. The term was used to describe second generation Japanese Americans.
Some of the Nisei of Fowler, 60 some odd years later in 2005, finally got to graduate. The Fowler High School graduating classes from 1942 to 1945 were invited back to Fowler to participate in the 2005 graduation ceremony. This graduation was made possible by a young woman, Jordan Maldanado, who chose her freshman community service project to locate as many of the Fowler Nisei that were not permitted to graduate, and to provide an opportunity to take the legendary walk and receive their diplomas. According to The Sentinel journalist, Terry Kibler, in her 2005 article, Maldanado is the grand niece of Harriett Shirakawa Ishibashi, a member of the Class of 1943, who received her diploma at the 2005 graduation ceremony. Maldanado spear-headed the California Nisei High School Diploma Project after the 2004 AB 781 bill was passed by the State Assembly, signed by then Governor Schwarzenegger, that authorized all public school districts in California to issue diplomas retroactively to any Japanese American citizen whose high school education was interrupted because of the internment during WWII. Kibler wrote,
“Through more than five months of research and searching, she (Maldanado) located 81 of 87 Nisei who attended Fowler High and would have graduated with one of the classes from 1942-45. She discovered that 23 of the Nisei were deceased and six could not be located. She made contact with the remaining 58, of which 27 applied for their diplomas under AB 781.” (Graduation Long Overdue, Kibler)
This amazing project brought new meaning to the joy of graduation for the 27 Fowler Nisei graduates pictured above in an image from the Fresno County Historical Society Archives.
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MAKING HISTORY EVERY DAY
FRESNO COUNTY ROTARY CLUBS VOLUNTEER FOR DAY AT THE PARK TO HELP FCHS AND KEARNEY MANSION
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What happens when you take Rotarians from eight clubs, 30 student Rotary Interactors from Garza High School, the Fresno County Historical Society and our grand dame – the Kearney Mansion? You get beautification, painting, inventory, organization and, most importantly, community involvement and new friends.
On Saturday, May 21st, all the above groups generously banded together to begin the unending task of sprucing up the Kearney Mansion and Museum. As you can see from the photos, everyone pitched in to make the day a tremendous success. Special thanks to Rotary Assistant Governor Jeff Dippel who put A Day in the Park together along with Assistant Governors Michael Rabara and Harold Phillips and Governor Bruce Mackey.
Despite our lack of proper tools and sustenance for the crowd, the Mansion and, indeed, M. Theo himself, were surely smiling with joy at the loving care the beloved landmark, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, received. We hope the Rotarians and the Interactors will come back soon to continue their amazing work.
Rotary’s motto includes the words Service Above Self and on this day, that was apparent and overwhelmingly appreciated by your FCHS staff.
The Society is in desperate need of volunteers in every area of our operation – from events to archiving and tour docents to just general maintenance. Please consider becoming a Volunteer by signing up HERE.
Students of high school age and older are welcome to participate and can receive crucial service hours for their job and college applications. You will truly be making a difference for the community for years to come and, really, we do have a lot of fun!
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WHY JUNETEENTH?
by Candice Hill Troutman, Tour Director
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Why should we know about it or teach it to all children? Juneteenth is a core piece of American history. It is not “extra” information or just a good trivia question. Without it, America could not be the America it is today with all of our freedoms to move about, speak, learn, work, vote, participate in any commerce that we can afford, and express our thoughts, as long as it doesn’t injure someone else. Juneteenth should be a story memorized by all. Imagine a law or declaration that sets you free…but you don’t know you’re free yet due to slow messaging or you are not allowed to (initially) live, move and “walk” in that said freedom until two and a half years later. We know that living and walking in that said freedom did not occur until almost a 100 years later during the Civil Rights Act of 1965; and even now as our modern society combats redlining and works against modern-day subtle injustice, we are still striving to walk in that freedom declared on Juneteenth…June 19, 1865.
Juneteenth celebrates the final news given in Galveston Bay, Texas announcing the Union’s victory which allowed the Union’s military to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation in enslaved States. That was just the continuation and for more battles for justice in America for African Americans. The beauty of the fight for justice for African Americans is that our stands against injustice in court, at the workplace, in schools and even the right to travel and enjoy hospitality such as sitting at a café, or visiting a museum, or sharing a public swimming pool, is that our victories within the Black community brought all people of color and women forward in society as well.
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I think of my late grandmother, Merle Phillips, born in the Mid-West in 1941 who use to share stories with my siblings and me. Also, I think of my parents, Tate and Carla Hill, who shared history, faith and politics with us at the 5:30 pm dinner table. Families and schools must make it a point to share multi-cultural information with our youth. It’s shameful for our youth and young adults to be unsure of what Juneteenth is about; or why it matters; or to have a half-confused expression of what occurred. Let’s be intentional about teaching Juneteenth and Black history as Black history is American history. The victories that Black Americans have won, we didn’t win them all by ourselves. Other ethnicities joined the fight. That’s why it is everyone’s business to know the stories.
It is still astounding to know that Juneteenth has become a national holiday. Personally, if felt like Congress said “Ok, this really matters” publicly to the U.S. and the world. This paves the way for more cultural days of importance to be celebrated on a national level. In our Fresno region we have a grand tradition of welcoming cultural celebrations. Know that Juneteenth is recognized at the Fresno County Historical Society within our newsletters. We are a diverse tapestry here in the Valley; so, we extend an invitation for organizations to coordinate celebrations of Juneteenth at the Kearney Mansion Museum and Park.
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This national message should be encouraging to the African American community and all communities. So many victories have been accomplished since January 1, 1863 (Emancipation Proclamation), June 19, 1865 (Juneteenth) and until today. The mission of the Fresno County Historical Society has been to engage, inform and educate the public through the collection, preservation and interpretation of the stories, images and resources of our unique region. Juneteenth is another day to celebrate and preserve history.
I don’t believe that Juneteenth is just a one-day event from June 19, 1865; It is an ongoing announcement that we are free and should live as such! It’s an ongoing celebration and I encourage you to join your community’s local Juneteenth celebration this month.
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ROOTS OF THE VALLEY: Fresno’s Long Summer of Discontent
Click "VIEW ENTIRE MESSAGE" below to read this complete story
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As summer descends once again on the Valley, some of you smile, farmers are generally grateful, some of you head to the coast and let’s face it…ALL of us sweat.
In 2022, there are many remedies for the heat, except getting into that boiling car after work and frying your hands on the steering wheel. But think of our settlers in this area. Ladies in long dresses and corsets, with stockings and hats. Families working the fields, much as today, with little respite. Children drenching themselves in whatever water is available – hose, pool or pond. Everyone longing for a tall, cool beverage and that inevitable “AHHHH” that emerges. But what if it was literally life-threatening to visit a bar to get that drink?
Let’s take a look back at the summer of 1900 when, it appears, that might have exactly been the case. Despite glaring facts to the contrary, many Fresnans for a long time would cling to the notion that all that happened during the summer of 1900 was the result of the damnable hot weather. Since the community’s first years of existence, the heat had been hard on the people of Fresno. Oh, yes, it did make the crops grow, and it brought prosperity. The irrigated lands and the heat made Fresno an incredible Eden in the Sun. But it was also harsh on the men who tilled the soil and labored to make the town prosper.
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Mariposa Street, Fresno, CA, circa 1875. Courtesy of Fresno County Historical Society Archives. |
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Was it inevitable that this must always be the way? Was it the price the community had to pay for its bounty? An increasing number began to think otherwise as the end of the 18th century neared. The summer of 1900 had been a particularly hot, dry and exhausting one. Nothing had been made easier by the influx of new settlers. |
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Late every day, especially on weekends, the growing number of saloons, gambling dens and brothels filled with desperate men seeking escape from heat and boredom. Electric fans and newfangled “swamp coolers” provided some coolness. But cheap liquor and expensive games and even more expensive women provided the mind-numbing diversions that made the nights more tolerable for the pleasure seekers.
Farmworkers and businessmen mingled in the smokey pleasure houses in not always peaceful coexistence. The heat made some of them crazy. The long, hot days, relieved by cooling evening breezes only after a late sunset, brought more than prosperity. They brought rampant vices and near anarchy to the booming, but still not entirely tamed, town-city.
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Meca Bar in Fresno, CA, 1913. Courtesy of the Pop Laval Foundation. |
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A growing number of citizens, however, were no longer willing to quietly sit back and accept the so-called inevitability of the old wisdom that a “wide open town” was the key to business success. Such a concept seemed to these “meddling reformers,” as their opponents saw them, to be bad business.
In their view, the new emerging city urgently needed effective city services and, most important of all, strong law and order. As it was, the only ones who were really benefiting at all were the vice elements. Fresno in 1900 was still firmly in their grip.
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Chester Rowell, publisher of the Fresno Morning Republican newspaper. |
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It is no wonder that the editor of the crusading leading morning daily of Fresno wrote in the fall of that year with such a deep sense of moral outrage. Despite a successful charter reform battle the prior year, one that called for the establishment of a strong city government beginning in the fall of 1901, Chester Rowell knew as well as any intelligent man – boss or reformer – that the war for an honest and effective government was far from anywhere near at hand.
Beginning in early June, when farm laborers from nearby ranches and colonies were joined by miners and loggers from the foothills and mountains, began pouring into town seeking food, drink and entertainment, both of Fresno’s newspapers began to report outbreaks of crime. Tragically, the police often seemed as much a part of the problem as anyone.
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The saloons, following a tradition that extended back to Fresno’s earliest days, were open seven days a week and 24 hours a day. The saloonkeepers, also following the time-honored tradition, favored the police. These pathetic men in uniform, usually appointed by the city trustees more because of their party loyalty than any law enforcement training or experience, turned out to me more dangerous than helpful in the ensuing crisis. Badly outnumbered and outwitted, and nearly always drunk, the half dozen or so policemen on duty most evenings, were frequently reported as leading the disorders rather than curbing them.
For much of the summer, the Evening Democrat and the Morning Republican seemed to be in some kind of contest to out-report the other about the out-of-control crime occurring throughout the city. It was easily worst in the tenderloin areas, but since all parts of Fresno had its share of saloons and drunks, it was most frightening and devastating in the more respectable districts. Even the most respectable citizens who had to be out after dark carried guns. The womenfolk at home usually kept a loaded weapon by their side when the men were out.
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Fresno's first legitimate Police Force, 1901. |
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But in July, three stabbings in less than a week and some outrageous conduct by investigating police triggered Rowell into his most ambitious editorial campaign yet. The fact that the policemen involved were appointees of a Republican administration didn’t seem to deter him. He was furious and made it clear that he was declaring war on the weak city government because it only benefitted the worst side of business.
Then one Sunday, as if to confirm Rowell’s charge, three of the town’s seven officers on duty got drunker than usual and went on a rampage. According to news accounts in both daily papers, they assaulted innocent citizens and threatened to shoot up the town. No one is sure what set them off.
The city trustees made a half-hearted effort to work out rules for police conduct but nothing much changed.
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It is hard today to assess just how the readers of newspapers of the horrible summer of 1900 reacted to the outrageously lurid and tragic reports and the subsequent pathetic attempts by the trustees to do something. This was a city at war with itself and the battlelines had little to do with politics.
Rowell saw the tragedies of the summer as an opportunity. He had high hopes that the next election would finally produce an independent and honest government, despite only evidence to the contrary.
However, as new churches were built and congregations grew, there was some collaboration between the various religions to serve as a base for reform. Public schools were being constructed including Fresno High which employed more than sixty teachers and administrators who formed the nucleus of an intellectual element in the community.
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The Query Club, Fresno, CA circa 1898. Courtesy of the Fresno County Historical Society Archives. |
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Various men’s and women’s groups were increasing and, particularly the ladies found their clubs to be havens for reformers.
Through a tedious road full of setbacks, Rowell kept up the push to “civilize” Fresno. Naturally, the bosses didn’t like it and tried their best to shut his efforts down. However, Rowell supported the independent reform administration of our first true mayor, L.O. Stephens, who appointed honest (and sober) men from both parties to key city offices and forever changed the way politics was done in Fresno.
Rowell noted with pride that saloons were now closed for four hours out of each 24, and also that the front doors and windows of the infamous “cribs” of ill-repute were closed. That didn’t mean all the “fun-stuff” went away, but rules of operation were being enforced by a legitimate and serious police force.
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As we approach our own version of a long, hot summer, let’s not harken back to the early days of our town – although I am sure it all sounds really amusing to some of you! And if you start to lose your cool in the raging heat of the next few months, please don’t rampage through the city…find a nice big shade tree in Kearney Park! |
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Part of this article were originally researched by Schyler Rehart for the June 1985 Fresno Past and Present, a publication of the Fresno County Historical Society. |
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THE FRESNO COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
valleyhistory.org
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