WINDSOR SQUARE : 100 Awards Given on Ebell Centennial

The Ebell of Los Angeles, a social, educational and philanthropic organization, continued the celebration of its 100th anniversary last week by awarding scholarships to 100 students from 23 local colleges and universities.

The award ceremony at the group’s historic Wilshire Ebell Theatre at Wilshire and Lucerne boulevards also included the dedication of a time capsule, to be opened in 2044, commemorating the group’s centennial.

The Italian Renaissance-style theater and clubhouse, built in 1927, are designated as historic cultural monuments in Los Angeles and last month were recommended for listing in the National Register of Historic Places by the State Historical Resources Commission.

In 1894, Dr. Adrian Ebell, who advocated widening the scope of women’s education and organized a number of women’s societies, founded the Ebell of Los Angeles.

Since 1920, the organization has awarded more than $9 million in scholarships to young men and women, said Gloria Carroll, the scholarship program’s chairwoman. This year’s scholarship winners will receive $2,000 a year for up to three years.

The organization’s facilities are used frequently by a number of community and cultural organizations.

At various times in the past, the Ebell housed a Red Cross unit, served as an air-raid shelter, was the site of USO dances and featured performances or speeches by such notables as Judy Garland, Madame Chiang Kai-Shek, Ronald Reagan, Carl Sandburg, Liberace and Amelia Earhart, in her last public appearance.

Information: (213) 931-1277.