The Ocean Beach Historical Society presents:
The OB Elementary School Celebrates Its 100 Year Anniversary
The Alumni Rejoice in the School’s History from 1909 – 2009
Thurs., Nov. 19th, 7 p.m., at PL United Methodist Church, 1984 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., O.B.
FEATURING JOHN DEBECK & PRESENTED BY ALUMNI THROUGH THE GENERATIONS
San Diego School Board Member John deBeck will help us celebrate the 100th anniversary of our award winning “2008 California Distinguished School.” Mr. deBeck will be joined by many Ocean Beach Elementary Alumni of all ages as they share their memories and the history of the school. This event is FREE and all are invited.

Katheryn Rhodes of La Playa Heritage Presented
HISTORIC DESIGNATIONS AND HOW TO WRITE A HISTORIC DESIGNATION REPORT
Oct. 15th, Ms. Rhodes discussed the beautiful historically designated homes in the La Playa neighborhood which was established in 1849.
The City of SD, State, and Federal government all have the same basic guidelines for Historic Designation report. Katheryn Rhodes of La Playa Heritage will give a talk on the required steps and research needed to write your own
Historic Designation Report in order to qualify your home for Mills Act status and a reduction in property taxes. A template for Historic Reports and a Step by Step guide will be available free to anyone who would like to research their home for possible historic designation.
KATHERYN RHODES is a Civil Engineer with a Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering from San Diego State University. Ms. Rhodes has written many geotechnical investigations, and provided forensic research for many projects including the Naval Training Center, Battery Wilkenson, and many building at UCSD. Visit Katheryn’s website at: laplayaheritage.com

THE PRESIDIO DE SAN DIEGO: ABU GHRAIB, GUANTANAMO BAY OR CITADEL OF CIVILIZATION?
Author Richard Carrico: Thurs., Sept 17th, at 7 p.m.
At PL United Methodist Church, 1984 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., O.B.
In their review of frontier colonial history, many scholars, and especially more recent revisionist views, following the lead of Sherburne F. Cook, have portrayed the Spanish system in California as particularly rigid and inhumane. By contrast, mission apologists, many with Boltonian roots, have found little to criticize in the Spanish colonial system and the treatment of Indians (cf Guest 1978 and the writings of Nunis). Rather than examining specific examples of situations thoroughly, the tendency of many of these historians has been to paint a rather generalized depiction of the overarching colonial system using a broad brush approach or to focus on those examples that best support the claimants view.Believing that we must analyze on emission and one presidio at a time if we are to gain any true understanding of the colonial system and the California Indian, this presentation focuses specifically on the Spanish colonial system as implemented at the Presidio de San Diego from 1770 to 1810.Emphasis will be placed on howlaws and regulations were applied toIndianprisonersandallegedcriminals,the
methods used to extract testimony,instances of oral valorand of moral turpitude,and the effects of these policies on the individuals and on then ativepeopleas a whole.It will be strongly suggested thatt helegal and moral system practiced at the presidio included torture,leniency,close adherence to the law,and wild variation sin the application of Spanishlaws— in other words an out of balance,often in coherent system of law and justice.

The Masonic Center was packed for the August 14th program on “ Our Legendary Men and Women Surfers from the 1930s-Early 1960s”. This was the 2nd annual local surf program with the Sunset Cliffs Surfers. Due to previous year’s huge attendance this years event was be held at the Masonic Center. Surfer Cher Pendarvis was be our featured presenter and did a great job. Other local legends were part of the program with their great tales, humor and photos.

We  started this annual event in front of OB Library. The Tour was given by Ned Titlow and Carol Bowers. Ned, a former OB Elementary alumni, spoke about the “100 Year Anniversary” of the school and his personal accounts. At the foot of Newport Ave., OBHS Pres. Pat James showed our newest addition to our large historical photos. These gave attendees a chance to see what the area use to look  like. Included  was a bonus tour by Louie Williams of the “Hidden Garden” recently featured on “Wonderland  Ocean Beach IV”

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Dedi Ridenour presented fascinating personal accounts of local history of pottery.
Dedi ’s father Dr. PaulWedgewood helped legitimize pottery as an art form by demonstrating pottery making at the Panama Exposition of 1935 that took place in Balboa Park.
Dr.Wedgewood turned the garage of his Sunset Cliff Spanish style home into a studio where he “threw pots” on a kick wheel, created his own glazes, and with the help of his wife, fired the pieces. Dr.Wedgewood won many awards for his pottery, and was very active in the art community.
Also, Kathy Blavatt spoke about Izzy Elizondo, our renowned local Ocean Beach potter (featured in Wonderland) and gave the history of “Falling Sky” the store-front studio, located across the street from the OB lifeguard station.
Izzy runs and teaches at “Falling Sky”, which opened in 1969. He and a number of talented and prominent potters have worked at “Falling Sky” over the years.

Lighthouses of San Diego by Authors Kim Fahlen & Karen Scanlon, was presented by Karen at the OBHS Meeting June 18, 2009. Twin sisters Karen Scanlon and Kim Fahlen have lived many years in San Diego. Kim’s preoccupation with lighthouses began in childhood when the family camped in the sand under Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. Karen’s fascination lay dormant until her first visit to Point Loma Lighthouse, after which-and making up for lost time-she proceeded to document its’ history!
Karen’s success in locating a few of San Diego’s former lighthouse-keeper families
has offered rich, firsthand accounts that might otherwise have been lost. Her research and writing link other historical events to San Diego’s lighthouses past: The criticalneed for the dredging of the shipping channel; the deadly explosion aboard the Navy gunboat USS Bennington in 1905; and the inception of San Diego’s island playground,Shelter Island.
The twins volunteer at Cabrillo National Monument tending its lighthouse lenses.
Each has contributed to the journals of Maritime Museum of San Diego and U.S.
Lighthouse Society. They have assisted the U.S. Coast Guard and Lighthouse Lamp
Shop with lighthouse lens-work. Kim helps edit related reports and writing.

Roughly 300 of the “WHO’S WHO” of OB attended the May 15th Friday night reception of OB Exposed.
What made this year’s event specialwas: Our local Wonderland documentarian Noah Trafolla presented the awards, a special tribute to Maddie Dibble, photographer Steve Rowell’s exhibit of his work starting in the 1960’s, and incredible food. The quality of the photos this year was extraordinary. The digital cameras have made a real difference in quality and are inspiring more people to take photos. Our OB Pier, cliffs and surf were the subject that seemed to grab the judges and the attendees (Peoples’ Choice Award) this year. Many amazing shots were taken. The parrots were also very popular subjects. After looking at this show you would think we were living in the tropics! There were also some great human interest shots. A shocked girl watching her car being towed away and two 3-year-olds protesting to keep the OB Library open, were popular with the crowd.Winning Photos can be seen at the OB Library in June
SPECIAL THANKS : OBHS President Pat James, at OB Exposed!, generously received a donation check of $2,500 in Maddie Dibble’s name from her children Judy and David Dibble
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE THAT MADE ‘09 OB EXPOSED! A SUCCESS:
Masonic Center, Noah Taffola, The Beacon, OB Peoples, Olive Tree, CJ’s Catering Concepts, SD Catering, Pepe’s European Cake Gallery Our Judges: Tom Shugrue, J im Haugh and Ed Frey and all participants and volunteers WINNERS: Best in Show, “Surfer” Joe Ewing, Best Color, “Cliffhanger” Bryce Johnson,Best B&W, “Cliffs & Pier, NW Swell, High Tide”, Roderick Michener, Best Special Effects, “OB Ier” Kathleen Blavatt, Best Vintage, “Girls Gone Wild” John Ayres, Peoples’ Choice, “OB Pier” Emily Sales

Congress of History of San Diego & Imperial Counties
Award Winners Include: the Award of Merit to the Ocean Beach Historical Society and the Media Award to Noah Tafolla, Documentarian of the Wonderland Series
These awards given at the annual History Conference are for major contributions to the preservation and development of the history of the region.
Pat James, President of OBHS, presented Noah Tafolla his Media Award at the OBHS_Wisteria Annual Tea Party.

Two Classy Dames from the old Days, was the title of the presentation at the first Ocean Beach Historical Society meeting  in February 1994. Featured was our founder Ruth Varney Held and her friend Helen Lowry Gute.
The OBHS’s meetings started at the
Ocean Beach Women’s Club and weeks at
various coffee houses around OB. We later settled into the Point Loma Methodist United Church, where we continue to have our OBHS meetings.
Ruth Held, who was raised in Ocean Beach, authored Beach Town, a very informative book on the history of Ocean Beach.
Her work and inspiration has helped keep the history of Ocean Beach alive and helped bring about the active group that OBHS has become.
Please join us on April 16th to hear more about this Ocean Beach legend as we celebrate her work and life.