The vocal John R. Peterson

A LOOK BACK

Many times while I’m leading a tour of families through the Newland

House, I ask the younger boy or girl what school they went to.

Many have said Peterson or Perry or Eader schools. So I would ask

if they knew who Peterson, Perry or Eader were.

Almost always, the answer is the same, “I don’t know” followed by

a blank expression.

I am amazed at how few young students know who their school was

named for. I think that this should be important information to these

students before they graduate and go onto middle school.

This week we’ll look at John R. Peterson, who gave his name to one

of our local schools.

In the mile-high city of Denver, John’s father, Marian, was a

well-known architect in 1901, when John was born. It was hard for

John because his mother died in childbirth. John’s father’s health

wasn’t to good, and his father took his son to live in California in

1903 where the weather was warmer.

They settled in the Simi Valley near Ventura on a 12,000-acre

ranch owned by Ralph Lloyd. This property was not very fertile, and

it was hard work.

John went to the Simi Valley Elementary School and when his father

retired in 1914 they moved to Ventura. It was there that John

received his high school education at Ventura High School.

During these high school years, John helped with the family income

by selling newspapers and by singing at local concerts and clubs.

In 1918, fresh out of high school, John moved to San Francisco

with his father.

America entered World War I in Europe, and John enlisted as a

signal corpsman in the army. He was sent to Fort Still, Okla.

During this time, John’s father moved to Chicago. When the war was

over, in 1919, Sgt. John Peterson left the service and went to

Chicago to live with his father.

John returned to San Francisco to see a young lady, Opal Thompson,

and the two left for Chicago, where they were married.

These two newlyweds entered Northwestern University at Evanston,

Ill. to continue their higher education. John took pre-med, science,

supervision and administration, and Opal took home economics.

In 1922, John graduated with a bachelor’s, and with sheepskins in

hand, the two returned to California to live.

John taught class in the Ventura area and later in San Bernardino

and Orange counties.

While his students were having their summer vacation John would

continue his education by attending USC.

While at USC, John became a member of the school’s Trojan Band and

Alexander Stewart’s USC Orchestra, playing in the trumpet sections.

In 1933, John became principal at Ocean View High School and

stayed there for the next seven years.

While at Ocean View, John organized the Ocean View Community Band.

After two years, he merged his band with the Huntington Beach

Municipal Band. John led this combined band for more than four years.

In 1940, he was offered the position of superintendent at Central

Elementary School here in Huntington Beach. During this time, John

and Opal lived at 225 11th St. Later, he lived at 411 Crest Drive.

Blessed with a great voice, John sang solo over radio station WKNX

and at local churches and clubs around town.

John was a member of our Rotary Club and also a member in our

Masonic Lodge.

During World War II, John served as an air raid warden here and as

a first aid instructor for the Red Cross.

He sang in L.D. Frey’s chorus in Long Beach and was a member of

our chamber of commerce, as were most of our business people here at

the time.

For 25 years, John held the post of superintendent at Central

Elementary, with more than 50 people under him. In 1965, he retired from that post.

When John worked for Ralph Lloyd on his ranch in Ventura, the land

was almost worthless, but like Huntington Beach there was black gold

under Lloyd’s ranch, making Lloyd one of California’s richest

millionaires.

John Peterson left us on Nov. 11, 1972, after enriching the lives

of so many in Huntington Beach.

* JERRY PERSON is a local historian and longtime Huntington

Beach resident. If you have ideas for future columns, write him at

P.O. Box 7182, Huntington Beach, CA 92615.