El Retiro School for Girls

Last updated

El Retiro School for Girls was a boarding school for girls who had been made wards of the Los Angeles County court system. It opened in 1919 and closed in 1961.

Contents

Establishment

El Retiro sanitarium, under private ownership, 1916 1916 advert for El Retiro Sanitarium in San Fernando Valley.png
El Retiro sanitarium, under private ownership, 1916

The school was established on the former property of the San Fernando Sanitarium Company, which in 1915-16 had offered "A Beautiful Remedial Home for the Treatment of Non-Infectious Diseases" like "anemia, stomach and bowel troubles, nervous disorders, liver and kidney affections, rheumatism, eczema and other skin diseases, high and low blood pressure, certain forms of heart disease, constipation and emaciation." The property was purchased for $15,000 by the county in 1918–19 to provide an "institution for unfortunate women" over the objections of many residents, the Olive Growers Association and County Supervisor Jonathan S. Dodge, who represented the district. [1] [2]

The county institution was not put into operation until 1919, when it was described as an "industrial home" for girls. [3] The school was organized under county auspices by Miriam Van Waters of the Los Angeles Juvenile Court to provide a shelter for girls who "were in no way connected with crimes or misdemeanors." [4] Besides academic subjects, the girls "composed and typed a school paper" and were able to study typing, shorthand, booking and business methods, as well as home management, cooking, table service, laundering and similar subjects. They even put on a fashion show. [5]

In 1919 authorities of the Los Angeles City School District rejected complaints by San Fernando businessmen against the attendance by El Retiro girls at San Fernando High School. [6] There were no complaints in future years.

Shakeup and walkout

In 1927 and before El Retiro girls had a large measure of self-government and, according to Assistant City Schools Superintendent Helen Watson-Pierce: "did all the work on the place, took care of the poultry, the cows, worked in the laundry, and their services were equivalent to home economics courses such as are given" elsewhere in the city. She and Elizabeth Wood, head of the department of psychology for the school district, said that the girls had shown an "exceptionally high order of conduct and scholarship." Orfa Jean Shontz, acting probation officer for the juvenile court, said that the girls were not considered delinquent and the school was in no way a correctional institution. In August 1927, however, a change of emphasis was made with the discharge of the school's director, Alma Holtzschuh, and a number of other faculty members. This action led to a boycott by more than forty girls, many of whom walked some eighteen miles toward their destination of juvenile hall in Downtown Los Angeles before they were picked up by county automobiles and driven the rest of the way, The girls complained that the new superintendent, Rosemary B. Good, took away their self-government, began a stricter disciplinary system and posted male guards around the campus. Only ten or eleven girls remained behind. [7] [8] [9] Charles D. Lusby, chairman of the county's Probation Committee, later said that Holtzschuh has been fired for insubordination and other failures. He also said the girls were not properly trained and that "there was too much freedom without thought of necessary discipline." [10]

A grand jury investigation followed, and in November 1927 Helen Montigrifo, a prominent Los Angeles social worker, was appointed superintendent, with the school to be reopened and operated "along lines agreeable to county officials, members of the county Probation Committee and the girl inmates themselves." [11]

End of the school

In 1956, Retiro was described as "an institution for youngsters who have run afoul of the law," and school Principal Robert Sayette said the girls were "social delinquents," not criminals, most of them being chronic truants, runaways and "incorrigibles." The school had a maximum capacity of 48, and in March 1956 there were 32 residents. There were no guards, but gates were locked and a watchman was on duty at night. Parents were allowed to visit once a month, and the girls could go home at most two days a month. [12] They lived in three cottages, with a county probation officer as a "mother." They had access to a swimming pool, a softball field and a gymnasium that doubled as an auditorium. Besides academic subjects, they could learn homemaking, typing, crafts and journalism. [13]

The Sylmar Civic Association carried on a campaign in 1956 to end the use of the El Retiro site as a "county corrective institution" and instead turn it into a city park. They objected to the school on the grounds it was a "bad influence," especially since a new junior high school was to be built nearby. [14] El Retiro officials agreed that the school should be relocated because some of the buildings were more than fifty years old and its ten acres of land and "over-all facilities were simply too large for its small enrollment." [15] A $15.8 million bond issue for improvements to the county's juvenile-aid program was approved by voters on November 7, 1956, [16] and forty-five girls were moved from El Retiro in February 1961 to a new $2.23 million Las Palmas School for Girls in the city of Commerce. [17] [18]

The former campus is now part of the Sylmar Recreation Center, a public park operated by the City of Los Angeles, California. [19]

Runaways

Two El Retiro girls, both wards of the court, were sufficiently notable to receive newspaper publicity when they absconded from the campus without permission. They were:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Fernando, California</span> City in California, United States

San Fernando is a general-law city in the San Fernando Valley region of Los Angeles County, California, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. It is an enclave in the City of Los Angeles. As of the 2020 census the population of San Fernando was 23,946.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Fernando Valley</span> Valley in California, US

The San Fernando Valley, known locally as the Valley, is an urbanized valley in Los Angeles County, California. Situated northwards of the Los Angeles Basin, it comprises a large portion of Los Angeles, the incorporated cities of Burbank, Calabasas, Glendale, Hidden Hills and San Fernando, plus several unincorporated areas. The valley is the home of Warner Bros. Studios, Walt Disney Studios, and the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sylmar, Los Angeles</span> Suburban neighborhood of Los Angeles, California

Sylmar is a suburban neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley and is the northernmost neighborhood within the city of Los Angeles, California, United States. Historically known for its profusion of sylvan olive orchards, Sylmar can trace its past to the 18th century and the founding of the San Fernando Mission. In 1890, olive production was begun systematically. The Sylmar climate was also considered healthy, and so a sanitarium was established, the first in a series of hospitals in the neighborhood. There are fourteen public and eight private schools within Sylmar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheryl Crane</span> American writer

Cheryl Christina Crane is an American former model, retired real estate broker, author, and the only child of actress Lana Turner. Her father was Turner's second husband, actor-turned-restaurateur Steve Crane. She was the subject of significant media attention in 1958 when, at fourteen years old, she stabbed to death her mother's lover, Johnny Stompanato, during a domestic struggle; she was not charged, and his death was deemed a justifiable homicide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lake View Terrace, Los Angeles</span> Neighborhood of Los Angeles in California, United States

Lake View Terrace is a suburban neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley region of the City of Los Angeles, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lila Leeds</span> American actress (1928–1999)

Lila Leeds was an American film actress.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harbor Gateway, Los Angeles</span> Neighborhood of Los Angeles in California, United States

The Harbor Gateway, historically and sometimes informally known as the Shoestring due to its shape, is a 5.14-square-mile residential and industrial area (13.3 km2) in the South Bay and Los Angeles Harbor Region, in the southern part of the City of Los Angeles. The neighborhood is narrow and long, running along a north-south axis.

Winlaton Youth Training Centre was a Government owned and run female youth correctional facility located on 18 acres (73,000 m2) at 186 Springvale Road Nunawading, Victoria, Australia. The facility was designed to accommodate 14- to 18-year-old wards of the state. It opened in 1956 as the Winlaton Juvenile School, and closed in 1993 as the Nunawading Youth Residential Facility. A housing estate now occupies the site.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miriam Van Waters</span> American prison reformer (1887–1974)

Miriam Van Waters was an American prison reformer of the early to mid-20th century whose methods owed much to her upbringing as an Episcopalian involved in the Social Gospel movement. During her career as a penologist, which spanned most of the years from 1914 through 1957, she served as superintendent of three prisons: Frazier Detention Home for boys and girls in Portland, Oregon; Los Angeles County Juvenile Hall for girls, and the Massachusetts Correctional Institution – Framingham, then called the Massachusetts Reformatory for Women. While in California, Van Waters established an experimental reformatory school, El Retiro, for girls age 14 to 19. In each case, Van Waters developed programs that favored education, work, recreation, and a sense of community over unalloyed incarceration and punishment.

Thomas Jefferson Cuddy, known as T.J. Cuddy, nicknamed Tom, was a 19th-century police chief in Los Angeles, California, until bribery forced resignation, and member of the Los Angeles Common Council, the city's governing body. He served a six-month jail term for contempt of court.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mack Ray Edwards</span> American child molester and serial killer (1918-1971)

Mack Ray Edwards was an American child molester and serial killer who molested and murdered at least six children in Los Angeles County, California, between 1953 and 1970. Sentenced to death, he hanged himself in his prison cell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Los Angeles County Probation Department</span> Probation Department in Los Angeles County, California

The Los Angeles County Probation Department provides services for those placed on probation within Los Angeles County, California. Guillermo Viera Rosa is the current chief probation officer. The department is the largest probation department in the world.

El Rancho High School is a public high school located in the city of Pico Rivera, California, United States. It is a part of the El Rancho Unified School District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sayre Fire</span> 2008 wildfire in Southern California

The Sayre Fire, also known as the Sylmar Fire, was a November 2008 wildfire that resulted in the loss of 489 residences in Los Angeles, California, United States, the "worst loss of homes due to fire" in the city's history. The fire was first reported at 10:29 p.m. PDT on November 14, 2008, in the Sylmar section of Los Angeles. As of November 20, 2008, the fire was 100% contained, had burned 11,262 acres (46 km2) and destroyed more than 600 structures. The number of homes lost in the Sayre fire exceeded the prior record set in 1961 by the Bel Air Fire which claimed 484 homes. There were no fatalities, just minor injuries to five firefighters and one civilian.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Los Angeles's 7th City Council district</span> American legislative district

Los Angeles's 7th City Council district is one of the fifteen districts in the Los Angeles City Council. It is currently represented by Democrat Monica Rodriguez since 2017 after winning an election to succeed Felipe Fuentes, who resigned the year prior.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orfa Jean Shontz</span> American lawyer

Orfa Jean Shontz was an American attorney and Municipal Judge. She was the first female referee of the Juvenile Court of Los Angeles County. She was the first female in California to "sit on the bench and administer justice".

<i>Detour: A Hollywood Story</i> 1988 memoir by Cheryl Crane

Detour: A Hollywood Story is a 1988 memoir by Cheryl Crane, the only daughter of actress Lana Turner, with additional writing from Cliff Jahr. In the book, she recounts her early life, including her alleged sexual abuse by her stepfather Lex Barker, and the 1958 killing of Johnny Stompanato during a domestic struggle. She also details her coming out as a lesbian to her parents as a teenager, a fact that had not been publicly disclosed prior. The book went on to become a New York Times Best Seller.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Killing of Johnny Stompanato</span> 1958 killing ruled to be self-defense

On the evening of April 4, 1958, 14-year-old Cheryl Crane fatally stabbed 32-year-old Johnny Stompanato, the boyfriend of her mother, actress Lana Turner, at Turner's rented home in Beverly Hills, California, United States. Stompanato, a former Marine and an associate of the Cohen crime family, had been in a year-long relationship with Turner that had been rocky and marked with physical abuse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghanaian juvenile justice system</span>

The Ghanaian juvenile justice system encompasses the processes to handle minors who are in conflict with the law or who are in need of care and protection. The formal Ghanaian juvenile justice system was created under colonial rule and has evolved greatly since the early 1900s. Three stark changes for the system are throughout the colonial period, the beginnings of independence and the 1960 Criminal Procedure Code, and the newest Juvenile Justice Act.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert E. McKee</span> American construction contractor (1889–1964)

Robert Eugene McKee Sr. (1889–1964) was an American construction contractor and founder of the Robert E. McKee General Contractor, Inc. company.

References

  1. Advertisement, Los Angeles Times, January 1, 1916, page IV-127
  2. "For Home for Women," Los Angeles Times, December 3, 1918, page II-1
  3. "Industrial Home Ordered," Los Angeles Times, April 1, 1919, page II-3
  4. "Girls' School Closing Hinted," Los Angeles Times, August 17, 1927, page A-11
  5. "File El Retiro Row Report," Los Angeles Times, August 20, 1927, page A-1
  6. "El Retiro Girls Stay," Los Angeles Times, September 17, 1920, page II-11
  7. "Ask Girl School Hearing," Los Angeles Times, August 19, 1927, page A-1
  8. "Girl School Under Inquiry," Los Angeles Times, August 14, 1927, page B-1
  9. "Girls Win Step in School Row," Los Angeles Times, page A-19
  10. "El Retiro Row Brings Retort," Los Angeles Times, August 18, 1927, page A-2
  11. "El Retiro Row Comes to End," Los Angeles Times, November 23, 1927, page A-8
  12. Lewis Little, "'Social Delinquents' Housed at El Retiro," Los Angeles Times, March 11, 1956, page K-2
  13. Lewis Little, "State Aids Girls at El Retiro," Los Angeles Times, March 18, 1956, page K-8
  14. "Park Sought on El Retiro Site," Los Angeles Times June 10, 1956, page G-1
  15. "New Site for Girls School Up to Voters," Los Angeles Times, August 19, 1956, page K-2
  16. "Latest Los Angeles City and County Returns," Los Angeles Times, November 8, 1956, page 24
  17. "Girls School Moving Set," Los Angeles Times, January 18, 1961, page 27
  18. "School Opens for Disturbed County Girls," Los Angeles Times, February 21, 1961, page 16
  19. Sylmar Recreation Center (City of Los Angeles, Department of Parks and Recreation) (accessed 2017 Jan 25)
  20. "Stormy Petrel Ward of Court Runs Away," Los Angeles Times, June 17, 1920, page II-1
  21. "Cheryl Crane Taken From Her Grandmother," Los Angeles Times, March 16, 1960, page 2
  22. Walter Ames, "Lana Tells Why Cheryl Has Been Put in School," Los Angeles Times, March 17, 1960, page 5
  23. "Cheryl Crane Escapes From Home for Girls," Los Angeles Times, April 30, 1960, page B-1
  24. "Cheryl Crane Flees Home," The New York Times, April 30, 1960
  25. "Cheryl and 2 Friends Turn Selves In to Crane," Los Angeles Times, May 3, 1960, page 4
  26. "Cheryl Crane Ordered Returned to El Retiro," Los Angeles Times, May 5, 1960, page 33
  27. "Cheryl Crane Again Flees School, Recaptured With 2 Other Girls," Los Angeles Times, June 5, 1960, page A-4
  28. "Cheryl Crane Wins Release From School," Los Angeles Times, January 21, 1961

34°18′35″N118°26′49″W / 34.3098073°N 118.4469445°W / 34.3098073; -118.4469445