Before Wendell Pleis came to California where he would teach at Campolindo, Del Valle, and Acalanes, he started his high school teaching career at Scottsbluff High School in Nebraska. Out of the 40+ years of teaching and coaching, arguably his biggest legacy is shepherding to creation and advising the student-run FM station, KCEQ. This was […]
Oral History: Wendell G. Pleis — May 21st, 2021
Summary: Wendell G. Pleis was interviewed by Andree Duggan on May 21, 2021. Mr. Pleis was born in Fairbury, Nebraska, in 1929. He served for three years with the U.S. Air Force in Europe, starting his education and training in electronics during that time. He then continued his studies in this field when he returned […]
Oral History: Mickey Meyers — April, 1977
Summary: Mickey Meyers, who operated Meyers Groceteria on the site of the present-day Starbucks for many years, discussed his history in Lafayette in a speech in 1977. He came to town in 1936. He was originally recruited to help upgrade the main road through town in anticipation of the opening of the Bay Bridge and […]
Lafayette History Rabbit Holes – Acalanes Radio Station KCEQ: Del Valle 1962-1963 Electronics Club
In the 1963 Troiana… we find that there was an Electronics Club during the 1962-1963 school year. The Electronics Club became very active this year. Among its activities were making shortwave foreign language broadcast recordings for the language department, building an applause meter for rallies, and helping students obtain ham radio licenses. The members are […]
Lafayette History Rabbit Holes – Acalanes Radio Station KCEQ: Del Valle 1961-1962 Electronics Club
Del Valle was the third school in the Acalanes Union High School District. It opened in 1959. The first yearbook we can find is for the 1961-1962 school year. In the 1962 Troiana… we find that there was an Electronics Club during the 1961-1962 school year. The members are listed as follows: Richard N. Clevenger […]
Oral History: Shigeko and Harry Ide, Jiro Nishimoto, Harry’s Nursery — April, 2006
Summary: Shigeko Ide and Jiro Nishimoto were interviewed by Julie Sullivan in April, 2006. Harry’s Nursery, which had been founded over 50 years earlier by Shigeko and her late husband Harry, was thriving under the management of Jiro Nishimoto. Jiro had begun working at the nursery as a teenager and had been careful to continue […]
Lafayette History Rabbit Holes – Acalanes Radio Station KCEQ: Moving Into The Second Phase
We’ve reached the year 1962. This is a good point to stop and summarize where we’ve been and where we’re going. Up until now we’ve looked solely at Acalanes, Las Lomas, and Miramonte. Acalanes At Acalanes we saw early examples of radio clubs. Acalanes also introduced us to the undocumented radio/electronics clubs. Sometimes these clubs […]
Lafayette History Rabbit Holes – Acalanes Radio Station KCEQ: Miramonte 1961-1962 Electronics Club
Because of a lack of a 1962 Miramonte yearbook–at the time of this posting–we don’t have a picture of the club. What we do have is an entry in the Fall 1961 Amateur Radio call book. Fall 1961 amateur call book The entry states the following: Miramonte H S Elec. Club, 750 Moraga HWY, Orinda […]
Lafayette History Rabbit Holes – Acalanes Radio Station KCEQ: Las Lomas 1961-1962 Electronics Club
In the 1962 El Caballero… we find that there was an Electronics Club during the 1961-1962 school year. The members are listed as follows: Richard S. Harrison Warren A. Ronneberg David H. Schilling It doesn’t give the name of their faculty advisor. However, Eugene Melville is still listed as teaching “Industrial Arts”. It’s likely he […]
Oral History: Mickey MacPherson — August, 2004
Summary: Mickey MacPherson was interviewed by Julie Sullivan in August, 2004. He was very industrious from a young age, hauling and delivering first coal, then gas and diesel to businesses and homes in Alameda County. In 1940 Mickey moved from Oakland to Lafayette where he and and his wife Helen built a house in Happy […]
