Inventory of the Carolee Gardner Trefts Pasadena School Board Collection SPC.2018.013

Louanne Heintz

California State University Dominguez Hills Archives and Special Collections

November 2017

University Library South -5039 (Fifth Floor)

1000 E. Victoria St.

Carson, CA 90747

archives@csudh.edu

URL: https://www.csudh.edu/libarchives/

Language of Material: English

Contributing Institution: California State University Dominguez Hills Archives and Special Collections

Title: Carolee Gardner Trefts Pasadena School Board Collection

creator: Trefts, Carolee Gardner

Identifier/Call Number: SPC.2018.013

Physical Description: 3 linear feet

Physical Description: 9 boxes

Date (inclusive): 1963-1979, 1981, 1983, 1999, 2004

Date (bulk): 1970-1979

Abstract: This collection is comprised of various research items compiled by Carolee Gardner Trefts, including her own writings. It mainly documents the history of the Pasadena, California School Board's controversy regarding desegregation and busing effecting the minority students and the internal turmoil within the school board itself between members and school parents. The research also includes a manuscript by Harry Tyler from the 1950s and 1960s, which provides background information for some of the issues that are brought to the forefront in the 1970s. Additionally, there is material from the NAACP, school board members, newspaper articles as well as many other pieces of information referencing civil rights issues in the Los Angeles area and across the United States.

Biographical / Historical

Carolee Gardner Trefts, the creator of this collection, was involved in many civil rights issues in Southern California during the 1960s and 1970s. She was an employee of the Watts Labor Community Action Committee (WLCAC). She also garnered support from the NAACP, parents and students in the Pasadena School District against the unjust actions towards the minority students by some of the Pasadena School Board members.

Scope and Contents

The collection is comprised of a variety of pieces of writing, some of which were written specifically by Carolee Gardner Trefts, including her correspondence, notes and research compiled from newspapers, city organization meetings and agenda minutes. There is a typed manuscript from the 1950s and 1960s written by the head of the teachers'union, which provides historical background into the issues of the school district. There are also court case papers from 1974-1975 regarding modifications to the "Pasadena Plan". In 1970, the District Court, ordered the Board to submit a plan for desegregation of the Pasadena schools. The "Pasadena Plan" was developed and implemented in 1971. Some teachers, parents and students wanted modifications to the plan, which was the basis of these court case papers against the Pasadena City Board of Education. The newspaper articles mainly cover the Pasadena School Board elections, meetings and the issues surrounding the court cases from the early to mid-1970s.

Arrangement

Arranged in 9 boxes.

Conditions Governing Access

There are no access restrctions on this collection.

Preferred Citation

[Title of item], Carolee Gardner Trefts Pasadena School Board Collection, Courtesy of the Department of Archives and Special Collections. University Library. California State University, Dominguez Hills.

Processing Information

Collection processed by Louanne Heintz in November 2017.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

Busing for school integration

Civil rights

Desegregation

Education, Secondary

School boards

Pasadena (Calif.)

Greater Los Angeles Community Action Agency

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People

Pasadena (Calif.). Board of Education

Pasadena Unified School District

Watts Labor Community Action Committee (Los Angeles, Calif.)

Young Women's Christian Association

Community Care and Development Services

Pasadena Education Association

Clark, Steve

Cortines, Ramon C.

Johnson, Charles B.

Johnson, Lionel

Lanterman, Frank

Lester, Herbert

Lester, Nora Jean

Robinson, Inez

Sheats, Samuel C.

Spangler, Nancy Anne

Smith, Pia

Smith, Shirlee

Tejeda, Judy

Tyler, Harry E.

Trefts, Carolee Gardner

box 1, folder 1

"The New Pasadena Story" Manuscript: Foreword and Postscript "1955-1969" undated

box 1, folder 2

"The New Pasadena Story" Manuscript: Chapter One "How It Began" undated

box 1, folder 3

"The New Pasadena Story" Manuscript: Chapter Two "I'm the Editor" undated

box 1, folder 4

"The New Pasadena Story" Manuscript: Chapter Three "Who's the Boss?" undated

box 1, folder 5

"The New Pasadena Story" Manuscript: Chapter Four "Teachers' Salaries and Evaluation" undated

box 1, Folder 6

"The New Pasadena Story" Manuscript: Chapter Five "Preparing for Political Action" undated

box 1, Folder 7

"The New Pasadena Story" Manuscript: Chapter Six "The Campaign for School Board Members in 1957" undated

box 1, Folder 8

"The New Pasadena Story" Manuscript: Chapter Seven "The Pasadena 'Inquisition' of 1957" undated

box 1, Folder 9

"The New Pasadena Story" Manuscript: Chapter Eight "The Interrogation of Harry E. Tyler, June 3, 1957" undated

box 1, Folder 10

"The New Pasadena Story" Manuscript: Chapter Nine "What Happened to Superintendent Stuart F. McComb" undated

box 1, Folder 11

"The New Pasadena Story" Manuscript: Chapter Ten "The Aftermath" undated

box 1, folder 12

"The New Pasadena Story" Manuscript: Chapter Eleven "Choosing a New Superintendent" undated

box 1, folder 13

"The New Pasadena Story" Manuscript: Chapter Twelve "Improving Teachers' Salaries" undated

box 1, folder 14

"The New Pasadena Story" Manuscript: Chapter Thirteen "Recruiting Membership in the Association" undated

box 1, folder 15

"The New Pasadena Story" Manuscript: Chapter Fourteen "Assisting in Bond and Tax Elections and Other Issues" undated

box 1, Folder 16

"The New Pasadena Story" Manuscript: Chapter Fifteen "The Story of Pasadena's Tax and Bond Elections Continues" undated

box 1, Folder 17

"The New Pasadena Story" Manuscript: Chapter Sixteen "School Integration and Ethnic Balance" undated

box 1, Folder 18

"The New Pasadena Story" Manuscript: Chapter Seventeen "School Integration and Ethnic Imbalance... " undated

box 1, folder 19

"The New Pasadena Story" Manuscript: Chapter Eighteen "I've Had It! I Am Wasting My Time Here!" undated

box 1, folder 20

"The New Pasadena Story" Manuscript: Chapter Nineteen "The Long-Range Plan for Integration" undated

box 1, folder 21

"The New Pasadena Story" Manuscript: Chapter Twenty "Social Issues, Problems and Personalities... " undated

box 1, folder 22

"The New Pasadena Story" Manuscript: Chapter Twenty-One "The Personal Touch and the Friendly Approach" undated

box 2, folder 1

Carolee Gardner Trefts' Writings 1974-1975

box 2, folder 2

Correspondences To or From Carolee Gardner Trefts April 1971 - February 1977

box 2, folder 3

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) - Reports, letters and flyers for meetings 1973-1978

box 2, folder 4

Pasadena Unified School District Agendas and Letters 1971-1975

box 2, folder 5

Pasadena School Board Members - Pamphlets, Letters and Voting Documents 1975-1979

box 2, folder 6

Community and School Newsletters 1973-1978

box 2, folder 7

Reports about Issues in Pasadena Schools 1963-1977

box 2, folder 8

School Board Voting Information 1975-1977

box 3, folder 1

Court Case Filings for Spangler et al. vs. Pasadena City Board of Education (Part 1 of 4) 1974-1975

box 3, folder 2

Court Case Filings for Spangler et al. vs. Pasadena City Board of Education (Part 2 of 4) 1974-1975

box 3, folder 3

Court Case Filings for Spangler et al. vs. Pasadena City Board of Education (Part 3 of 4) 1974-1975

box 3, folder 4

Court Case Filings for Spangler et al. vs. Pasadena City Board of Education (Part 4 of 4) 1970-1975

box 3, folder 5

Court Case Filings for Defendants: Lionel Johnson (a minor) and Charles Johnson 1974-1975

box 3, folder 6

Administrative Hearing: Inez Robinson 1974-1975

box 3, folder 7

Court Case Filings: Pia Smith, Nora Lester, Herbert Lester and the NAACP 1974-1975

box 3, folder 8

Court Case Filings: Evidence 1974-1975

box 3, folder 9

Court Case Filings: Ruling 1974-1975

box 4, folder 1

Notes from various meetings from 1971-1972 December 1971 - September 1972

box 4, folder 2

Notes from various meetings from 1973 January 1973 - December 1973

box 4, folder 3

Notes from various meetings from 1974 January 1974 - December 1974

box 4, folder 4

Notes from various meetings from 1975 January 1975 - December 1975

box 4, folder 5

Notes from various meetings from 1976 January 1976 - December 1976

box 4, folder 6

Notes from various meetings from 1977-1978 February 1977 - April 1978

box 4, folder 7

Notes from various meetings undated (1 of 2) circa 1971-1978

box 4, folder 8

Notes from various meetings undated (2 of 2) circa 1971-1978

box 5, folder 1

Pasadena School Board Minutes 1975

box 5, folder 2

Pasadena Unified School District - Special Reports 1963-1976

box 5, folder 3

Pasadena Unified School District - Handbooks 1973-1975

box 5, folder 4

Alternative School Programs - The Fundamental School 1973-1975

box 5, folder 5

Turner School of Learning 1975-1976

box 5, folder 6

Moms and Dads Action Committee (MADAC) 1964

box 5, folder 7

The Black Cultural Center of Pasadena 1970

box 5, folder 8

Issues of the New Pasadena and Pasadena Magazine 1975-1979

box 5, folder 9

Pasadena Unified School District - Site Review 1976

box 6, folder 1

Pasadena Oral History Project and Pasadena Symphony Association 1977-1978

box 6, folder 2

Research on Busing and Other Civil Rights Issues 1972-1976

box 6, folder 3

Pasadena YWCA Big Sister Program 1970-1972

box 6, folder 4

City of Pasadena Grant Funding 1972-1978

box 6, folder 5

Proposals for Funding 1971-1977

box 6, folder 6

Research Reports and Articles on Civil Rights Issues 1970-1973, 2004

box 6, folder 7

Articles on Segregation in Schools 1971-1976

box 7, folder 1

Newspaper articles written by Carolee Garner Trefts 1973-1974

box 7, folder 2

The Pasadena Guardian Newspaper January 1975 - February 1975

box 7, folder 3

The Pasadena Guardian Newspaper March 1975 - May 1975

box 7, folder 4

The Pasadena Guardian Newspaper June 1975 - July 1975

box 7, folder 5

The Pasadena Guardian Newspaper August 1975 - February 1976

box 7, folder 6

Altadenan-Pasadenan Newspaper November 1976 - November 1977

box 7, folder 7

Pasadena Star-News January 1970 - June 1975

box 7, folder 8

Pasadena Star-News January 1976 - August 1978

box 8, folder 1

The Pasadena Eagle and The Los Angeles Times 1967-1978

box 8, folder 2

The Christian Science Monitor; The Fresno Bee; The Chronicle; The University Herald; The Follies 1975-1977. 1981, 1983, 1999

box 8, folder 3

Pasadena School Board News Clippings circa 1970s

box 8, folder 4

Newspaper clippings regarding Pasadena School Board Issues circa 1970s

box 8, folder 5

Newspaper clippings regarding issues in the Pasadena School District circa 1970s

box 8, folder 6

Segregation, Busing and other Civil Rights Issues - News Clippings circa 1970s

box 8, folder 7

Newspaper clippings regarding Busing Issues in Pasadena and other parts of the United States circa 1970s

box 8, folder 8

Newspaper clippings from various newspapers across the country about Civil Rights Issues circa 1970s

box 8, folder 9

Newspaper clippings of Civil Rights Issues from across the United States circa 1970s

box 9

Carolee Gardner Trefts' cassette tapes circa 1970s