52 Ancestors: On the Map - Stanford University

This week's blog prompt is On the Map.  Last week I wrote about my dad attending Stanford University - you can read it HERE.  As I was preparing the post, I scanned a map of Stanford in 1941 that I found in his things and intended to include it but - I forgot.  Was it that damn age thing or did I 'intentionally' forget so I could put it in the blog this week?  I like to think it was the latter.

Here's the map from 1941.  It was folded neatly so not sure if this was just some sort of memento or if he actually used it.

I'm pretty sure my dad lived in Buchanan Hall when he first arrived in 1944 but I don't see it on this map.  I found a map for the present day but I don't see it here, either.

From Buchanan Hall, he went to Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity.  I remember him telling me that people suggested he not join that fraternity because it was too "Jewish".  I don't see it on either map but I did find a photo of it from the 1949 yearbook.

During the 1944-1945 academic year, Dad was an Associate Sports Editor for the Stanford Daily.  That's him on the left with the crazy sweater.

1947 Stanford Daily Staff

He stayed a member of Phi Sigma Kappa until he completed his MBA studies but I'm guessing once he graduated in 1949 he no longer lived in the house.  But he was the first-term president, a role he must have loved because he was always serving in one way or another throughout his life.

Here's the portion of the page showing some members of Phi Sigma Kappa in 1949.  I remember as kids my sister and I would pour over the pages looking for missing students and scream with delight when we'd find the Indian (they were the Stanford Indians in those days).  Poor Norman Miller must have been sick the day photos were taken but the Indian was only too happy to take his place.

Dad always liked to be on the Debate team and in 1947, he was a member of the Delta Sigma Rho team.  Here he is, second from right.  

1947 Stanford Debate Team - Delta Sigma Rho
H. Hawkes, M. Gray, Professor Emerson, J. Soares, G. Levy, M. Thompson

Dad may not have been "on the map" but he did have the map!

52 Ancestors: Back to School - Gordon goes to Stanford

As I've been organizing the ephemera that my family saved, I ran across some interesting things related to my dad's college experience at Stanford University.  One item I come across nearly every day is this Stanford jacket that hangs in my closet - it prompts a smile even though I wonder why I keep it and how much more dust it can collect.

Dad was a proud Stanford grad

Dad graduated from Fresno High School in June, 1944 and by July was off to start the next phase of his life at Stanford University.  I found MANY letters that Mom wrote to him beginning July 8, 1944 but I don't know why he moved onto campus so early.  And there are also lots of letters to him from his parents.  What's interesting, though, is that Mom apparently didn't have the "save everything" gene because I haven't found one letter that he wrote to her.

Dad received a scholarship of $400 for his freshman year.   That equates to about $6,000 in today's dollars and with tuition now over $50,000 per year, that would still leave a lot for a family to manage.  

After about six weeks, Dad apparently discussed joining the Army Reserve Corps.  It's interesting to note that based on his military records, he enlisted on 1 July, 1944 and entered into the Army Air Force on 16 June, 1945.  I hope he let G.F. Sensabaugh know that he would not be joining them.

After 18 months in the Army Air Force, Dad was back at Stanford to finish his studies.  

Dad was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa Fraternity and even saved a statement from June, 1948.  As our first grandchild heads off to college this week, I'm sure her parents would love to see the first housing statement look like this.  Look at that - 35 cents extra for a towel!

On 5 February, 1948, the College Entrance Examination Board mailed him a "ticket" to take the Law School Admission Test on 28 February, 1948.  I vaguely remember hearing about him wanting to go into law but I would have buried that in my mind if I hadn't found this.

And just a month later, his results were in the mail.  Law School 617 was Stanford University which, apparently, was the only school he had his results sent to.  Thankfully, there was an interpretation of scores on the back so I could figure out how he'd done on the exam.

It's hard to read but with a score of 451, it looks like only 32% of candidates received a lower score for that testing period.  I'm guessing that's why we never heard much about Law School and why he decided to obtain a MBA from Stanford, graduating in 1951.

He also obtained his college transcript, which may have been used to gain entrance into the Business Administration program.  It's hard to read but I see a few "C's" there, proof that he wasn't always perfect.  But boy did he strive to be and instilled that in us during our school years.

Way down on the right side it says Advanced Standing, 3/47: Allowed 6 q.u. for military service which is why he had no classes/grades for 1945-1946 or the fall quarter of 1946.  

And here's his diploma to prove that he successfully completed the program.  I remember this hanging on the wall for years - he must have been very proud.

It never occurred to me that while my parents were married in September, 1950, he didn't complete his MBA until April, 1951.  I knew they stayed in Palo Alto for the first year or so after they were married so this must be why.  

Stanford will always hold a very special place in my heart since both Mom and Dad graduated from there.  And we spent many, many Saturday afternoons watching their beloved team (Indians at the time) play football.  I'm so glad I came across these things!

Gordon Levy
Stanford grad 1949

52 Ancestors: Labor - Abe's Photos

Until I started this journey, I had no idea that my great grandfather, Abraham Gunzendorfer, was a photographer.  What I still don't know is if he did this as a paying job or just a LABOR of love.  I do know that he took lots of photos, many of which I have in my private stash, which makes it difficult, at times, to know if the subject is an ancestor or, rather, someone who might have paid Abe to take their photo.

One of the first 'Abe' photos I discovered is one of my favorites - the interior of the family store in Pacific Grove.  At one point, there were two stores - one on Alvarado Street in Monterey and the one photographed here.

The White House, Pacific Grove
prior to 1896

But the store in Pacific Grove failed and closed in 1896.

San Francisco Chronicle
5 January, 1896
page 20

What's interesting about the date of the article is that my grandmother, Loraine Gunzendorfer, was born just two weeks later on 20 January 1896.  I know that during the course of her teen years she worked at "the store" so I now know that she worked at the store on Alvarado Street in Monterey.

Abe was on hand when President McKinley visited Monterey on 11 May 1901.  I'm fairly certain that the first building, with Beeman's on the side, is The White House.

And then he captured the President on a stroll in San Francisco a few days later.

It seemed that Abe liked to photograph parades.  This must be downtown Monterey.

And another parade - not sure if this is Monterey or maybe San Francisco.  

Back of photo reads
Photo by A.B. Gunzendorfer
2040 Sutter Street
San Francisco, Cal.

I know next to nothing about Palo Corona Ranch, which was the property of Alonzo E. Allen.  Was this an important place to Abe or was he merely taking photographs for Mr. Allen or someone else?

Abe wrote on the back of this photo "A sample of my first photographs".  Wonder what/where it is?

This is an interesting shot.  Seems too large of a city to be Monterey?  The photo is clearly sepia in person but it looks colorized here.

One of the many things I remember about my grandmother was her love of abalone.  Whenever possible, she'd order abalone when we went to a restaurant.  It seems that Abe also shared that love, at least when it came to the process of fishing for them.

The back of the photo is interesting since it says "compliments of Ad. Sept 18/1900" yet has a marking of a Photographic Supplies company in Los Angeles.  "Ad" was how is brother, Adolph, was referred to at times so maybe Adolph gave the photo to Abe.  But the writing at the bottom is Abe's.  

Abe's mother-in-law, my 2x great grandmother, was Rebecca (Steen) Schwartz.  Many of the Steen family resided in Monterey so I found this photo very interesting.  Based on this, there was a reason he photographed Palo Corona Ranch.  Thank you, Abe, for labeling so many of your photos.

Abe did take photos of his children as seen here in the photo of his son, Wilton Louis Gunzendorfer, in 1900.

What makes this photo so special is the inscription on the back.

Wilton Louis Gunzendorfer
July 8th 1900
This photo property of his dad

I have so many of Abe's photos and, perhaps, photos that he took that have no marking on it.  I am forever grateful that he labeled so many of his photos.

Thanks to this blog prompt, it's caused me to bring out the box of Abe photos to scan some more and get into archival boxes.