La Cañada History: 5 months behind schedule, new elementary school campus opens to students

Ten Years Ago

It was announced the La Cañada Variety store, which had served the community since 1949, would close its doors permanently. Founded by Ed and Ida Glynn, the shop’s first location was on the 1100 block of Foothill Boulevard, where it remained until 1966, when it moved into the strip center anchored by Ralphs. Ida Glynn passed away in 1974 and her husband continued to run the Variety until his retirement in 1989. It was then operated by their daughter-in-law Pam Glynn, with help from her husband, Pete. Customers could find everything from sewing notions to gifts in the store, which was also popular with kids due to the variety of candies stocked there.

Twenty Years Ago

With the first increase in four years, U.S. Postal Service postage went up from 32 to 33 cents per first class stamp. The increase prompted locals to visit the La Canada Post Office to stock up not only on the new stamps, but also on one-cent stamps.

Thirty Years Ago

Terry Terrazone, then head football coach at St. Francis High School, announced he would resign from the post. His six-year record coaching the Golden Knights was 24 wins, 39 losses and two ties.

Forty Years Ago

La Cañada Junior Women’s Club sponsored its second annual bicycle licensing clinic in the parking lot at Foothill Intermediate School on Cornishon Avenue (where the LCUSD offices are today). For a donation of 75 cents, a youth could get her or his bike licensed by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department as a deterrent against theft.

Fifty Years Ago

With the town’s oldest elementary school having been demolished to make way for the Foothill (210) Freeway, a new $1-million school was built immediately north of the site of the previous building. Principal Larry Kemper welcomed students to the new La Cañada Elementary School campus in January 1969, about five months behind the original schedule. In the interim, the students had attended classes in other area locations, including Foothill Intermediate School.

Sixty Years Ago

A residential section of La Cañada was left without power for several hours after a lightning bolt struck during a rainstorm. The thunder clap shattered three 24-inch-by-49-inch windows at a home in the 4400 block of Oakwood Avenue and knocked a clock off a dining room wall. That homeowner’s next-door neighbors lost a kitchen window and their telephone was damaged during the same lightning strike. The brief storm brought more than 3 inches of rain with it.

Compiled from the Valley Sun archives by Carol Cormaci.