By Kate Thorman
Imagine living in Los Altos 50 years ago when it first became incorporated. For many Los Altos residents this was a reality, while many children can’t fathom it.
In honor of Los Altos’ 50th anniversary last year, the Los Altos Historical Commission’s 19th annual Margaret Thompson Historical Essay Contest directed Los Altos students to travel back fifty years and imagine life in a newly consolidated Los Altos.
Open to students in grades 3 through 6, the contest asked students to write a letter to someone in their “former” home — Los Angeles — detailing some aspect of their “new” life.
The three options for students consisted of:
1) a letter to the student’s grandparents in Los Angeles, discussing three positives and/or negatives of 1952 Los Altos;
2) a letter to a classmate in Los Altos, praising the new Loyola Elementary; and
3) a letter from October 1952 to a best friend in Los Altos., explaining the incorporation issue that Los Altans will vote on in November, and the student’s feelings on the subject.
The commission not only aimed to help students learn about early Los Altos, but also emphasized strong, coherent writing.
Commission members encouraged students to be creative in creating a life for themselves in 1952 Los Altos based, on research they did using the Los Altos History Museum and friends and family members who lived here at that time.
While first, second and third place winners will receive monetary awards, the money was mostly an incentive to get students interested in Los Altos history.
Winners in all three places were chosen for each grade. A list of winners follows:
First Place
Third Grade - Sean Gospe of Almond School
Fourth Grade - Alyssa Jacobson of Oak School
Fifth Grade - Tierney Lang of Springer School
Sixth Grade - Holly Yort of Santa Rita School
Second Place
Third Grade - Allie Coscove of Almond School
Fourth Grade - Alex Ghanma of Oak School
Fifth Grade - Sahil Luthra of Almond School
Sixth Grade - Jeremy Chen of Oak School
Third Place
Third Grade - Pamela Yan of Oak School
Fourth Grade - Ian Iordemann of Oak School
Fifth Grade - Shefali Luthra of Almond School
Sixth Grade - Katherine Robertson of Bullis Purissima School
The winners will be honored at a private ice cream social with the Los Altos mayor on May 13, along with their parents, teachers, and principals.
The following are the essays of the first-place winners.
September 22, 1952
Dear Grandpa and Grandma,
I like it here in Los Altos. We have a brand new big house and it isn’t crowded like the apartment. I like running around the cherry and apricot orchards. Our new house even has a big black piano that I like to play. I’m even taking lessons.
Guess what we did yesterday? The movie theater on Main Street in Los Altos is playing “The Greatest Show on Earth.” Mom and Dad took me to see it, and then we went to Clint’s Ice Creamery where I got a double-dipped chocolate, strawberry mix on a waffle cone. We also saw A. Watson Conner, who is running for mayor, having ice cream- a small scoop of plain vanilla in a paper cup. How boring.
My new school is twice as big as my old school. They say that the school enrollment has increased 70% in the last two years. My best friend is Wesley who happens to live next door. I’ve also met Zachary, Jon, Nathan, and Aaron. We play baseball in a small field next to Adobe Creek, but we keep losing the ball. Wes has had to go wading in the creek three times to get it so far!
Dad likes his shiny red corvette. Mom says he’s having a mid-life crisis, whatever that is. We went across the Golden Gate Bridge this weekend and even saw Alcatraz through the fog. We were so excited about seeing San Francisco and exploring.
Although I like it here I miss you, my friends, and the beach. I miss playing dominoes with Grandpa and card games with Grandma. I’m working on making Los Altos my new home.
Love, Sean
P.S. I would like Monopoly or Gilbert’s “Fun With Chemistry” for my birthday.
By Sean Gospe,
Grade 3, Almond School
July 4, 1952
Dear Grandma and Grandpa,
I’ve been thinking about you and miss you since we moved from Los Angeles to Los Altos. I would love to show you around our new home that has four bedrooms, three baths, a pool and apricot trees in our back yard. You would also like visiting Loyola School, the school I attend, and downtown Los Altos. When can you come?
The summer has been busy and fun! Kate, my neighbor and best friend, and I have been busy picking apricots from the trees in her backyard and mine. We put the apricots on trays, so we can put them in the sulfur shed to preserve the cots. After the cots go in the sulfur shed, they go in the sun to dry. Los Altos in the past had more apricot, cherry and plum trees, but houses have replaced most of the orchards. When you come, you can taste Mom’s delicious apricot pies and jam
To earn extra money, Kate and I had a lemonade stand on Golden Way. We bought the lemons from De Martini’s Market. Lemons were four dozen for one dollar.. The money I earned from the lemonade stand I spent at Kahn’s Pharmacy at the soda fountain!. Their Root Beer floats are delicious! Last Saturday Jenny and I saw “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs for fifty cents each at the Altos Theater
I’m trying to save enough money to buy a ticket for the train so I can go to San Francisco to visit Aunt Beth. Mom and Dad will go too. In the past Aunt Beth had a summer home in Los Altos and came by train, but today most people drive their cars to San Francisco. Dad would rather take his new red Hudson Hornet which he bought from Mozart Motor Company. I like the new car but I’d rather take the train.
After we moved to Los Altos, we got two kittens named Snuggles and Trickster. They were frightened at first, but now they love their new home. I took Snuggles to the annual Pet Parade on May 6 in downtown Los Altos. Snuggles was dressed in a cute collar with jewels and little shoes. I pulled her in a red wagon with a leash tied to the wagon. You should have seen how pets were dressed!
When you come, I can show you my pets and my new school. There are twenty five kids in fourth grade and three hundred students at Loyola School. At school they are building thirty nine new classrooms. They will have to hire a lot more teachers! My teacher will be Ms. Lee. When you visit, we can play four square in the court on my campus. It would be fun if you could visit soon, so I can show you around. You will love Los Altos! I love you and hope to see you soon.
Love,
Alyssa
By Alyssa (Libby) Jacobson
Grade 4, Oak School
Dear Grandma Beatrice and Grandpa George,
The trip from Dad’s to Mom’s house was exciting, yet scary. Dad and I made our way north without a single word. As we reached our final destination, he kissed me goodbye and left
The air seems and smells cleaner here in Los Altos than in Los Angeles. I hear birds chirping every morning and smell the sweet aroma of the apricot orchards. In Los Angeles the only thing I could smell was the gas from the buses and their loud noises
My mom and I have really gotten to know each other over the past few weeks. So far, we have been all over town, Clint’s Ice-cream parlor, Loyola Corners, the movie theater, and Al’s barbershop.. I’d bet that in Los Angeles they wouldn’t have these wonderful things to do with a loved parent. It is certainly quiet around here, just the way I like it
I go to Loyola Elementary, a pretty new school. I usually wear long poodle skirts, nice blouses, and tight ponytails, with fluffy gray ribbons. My Mom and I go to the circus whenever we can afford it., but it’s hard since Mom doesn’t work and we have to wait for the monthly support payment. After school, I go home and do my homework and my chores. I have to help my mom with the washing and help with dinner. I go to bed and then get up to get ready and walk a mile to school. Once I get to school I go to Mrs. Beckin’s classroom and we begin the day with arithmetic.
The best surprise would be for you to come live with us!
Your dearest granddaughter,
Tierney
By Tierney Lang
Grade 5, Springer School
Dear Mary,
It’s amazing here, but I miss all my friends back in Los Angeles. Even though, Los Altos and Los Angeles are so different, it’s easy to say which one I like better!
For one, lush green fields and orchards line the streets. A small Pontiac rolling by cannot. help but notice the beautiful white daisies and wild dandelions. Everyone I know draws a sharp intake of breath at the beautiful apricot trees that change color with the seasons. If you are lucky and silent, you might just notice the timid gopher’s head rise out of his burrow so that he, too, can admire the wild and beautiful scenery and hear the orchestra of birds chirping merrily. I am ecstatic that my views on the way to school have changed from busy business streets to the wonderful, wild orchards.
The school, Loyola, is nothing like our school in Los Angeles. In Los Angeles, our school was big and our grounds were small. Here it is just the opposite! Loyola has only one classroom for each grade, but the school makes up for it. It sparkles with fresh paint and the smell of polish hovers in the air. To add to the glory of a new school, the grounds are huge! There is a big open field filled with grass and dandelions where the boys can play baseball and girls can hopscotch, jump rope, or simply stand around and talk. The teachers are nice, and the other girls are extremely friendly. I learn a lot in school and I love the security you feel in a small school where you know just about everybody. I just wish you could be here to enjoy it with me!
Though the town is small, there is a lot to do around here. Usually when I get home from school I plop myself in front of the radio and tune into my favorite program, “The Green Hornet”. I also visit the movies with my friends. It is 40 cents admission to the Altos Theater, but it’s worth it. The movies are hilarious and I always have a great time.
When you compare the pros and cons, I really am glad I moved here. What with a brand new school and the Altos Theater, it doesn’t seem like much to miss Los Angeles. Los Altos’ wonder lies in its simplicity. Though it is rather small, you couldn’t ask for anything more
Love, Emma Wilson
By Holly Yort
Grade 6
Santa Rita School
