La Cañada History: Kiwanis Club hosts Greater Los Angeles All American Soap Box Derby

Ten Years Ago

The Kiwanis Club of La Cañada hosted the eighth annual Greater Los Angeles All American Soap Box Derby that drew more than 40 competitors, ages 8 to 17, to the steep “Michigan Hill” on Foothill Boulevard near St. Francis High School. The event included an opening ceremony, car parade and VIP races featuring area dignitaries.

Twenty Years Ago

Flintridge Prep sophomore Wendy Crumline became the first female track and field athlete in that school’s history to win a CIF individual championship when she placed first in the 800 meters in a school record time of 2:18.71 at the Southern Section divisional finals.

Thirty Years Ago

The La Cañada school board voted unanimously to reopen Palm Crest Elementary School as a K-6 facility beginning in September 1988, terminating the district’s lease with Ribet Academy, which was then operating at the site. Projections indicated that La Cañada and Paradise Canyon elementary schools would begin the 1988 school year with about 470 students each and Palm Crest would reopen with approximately 300 students.

Forty Years Ago

With the formation of the city of La Cañada Flintridge having taken place just six months prior, the county library system was said to be considering adding “Flintridge” to the local library’s official name.

Fifty Years Ago

Teacher Mildred More was promoted to principal of Palm Crest Elementary School and Lawrence Kemper, then a newcomer to the La Cañada Unified School District, was named principal of La Cañada Elementary.

Sixty Years Ago

The county Board of Supervisors, after hearing an appeal, upheld a Regional Planning Commission decision that permitted Gethesemane Lutheran Church to build a new church on residential property west of Descanso Drive. Three dozen residents of the area expressed their concerns that a church campus would be a liability rather than an asset to their neighborhood.

Compiled from the Valley Sun archives by Carol Cormaci.