University of Northern Iowa - Old Gold Yearbook (Cedar Falls, IA)

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two musical organizations, two French clubs and one German club. It lias, also, a quoit pitching association. Every day, in a corner of the park appro- priated by them, may be seen from fifty to one hundred gray-liaired men assiduously pitching horseshoes. Young man, what higher aspiration ( ?) could one have than to spend the declining years of life pitching quoits under the sunny skies and in the genial climate of Southern California'( Year the pier is the “Pike,” a miniature Coney Island or White City, with its curio stores, moving picture shows, merry go-round, roller coaster, theaters, Japanese auction, shooting gallery, vaudeville, etc. Hero also is found a fine bath-house. The car service is good. If the cars stopped here at the sight of snow, as they have been known to do “in the east ’ they would never run, for “Old Ihildy” always wears his cap of glistening snow. The climate is fine, but during the winter months there is a decided chill in the air. Fuel is very high. Californians are said to buy coal by the “quart” and wood by the “sack.” Very few of the houses arc provided with proper heating facilities; consequently, indoors, the atmosphere is cold and chilly, while out of doors, in the sunshine, it may be as warm as summer. Any one contemplating a trip to California at this time of the year should 1x3 sure to bring warm underclothing and a few surplus dollars to pay for “extra heat.” Long Beach lias three parks, which serve not only as pleasure resorts, but afford ample means for the study of new plants and trees. These parks contain eighty varieties of trees, twenty varieties of shrubs, and flowers of all kinds that bloom the year round. Bixby Park is the most beautiful of the three. Many varieties of birds make their home here. Mocking birds, linnets and meadow larks are very numerous. Gulls abound on the beach. Robins and bluebirds have not yet found their way to Southern California, and their absence detracts from the nature lover’s enjoyment. Long Beach lies between the ocean and the mountains. The latter are now covered with a mantle of snow, but in the summer they wear only their white caps. The ocean, with its white-crested breakers and ever-changing colors, is a constant delight. Since coming to California 1 have seen verified the deep colors in the pictures which hang in the corridor at the Normal, and of which I have heard so many persons speak as being unnatural. Thirty miles across the ocean lies the Catalina Island and “Fair Avalon,” with its marine gardens. Often, at sunset, sky, clouds, island and white- capped mountains are tinged with a beautiful pink, salmon or blue—a sight, once seen, to be remembered. Anxa M. Baker. March 6, 1008.

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Long Beach, California, March 7, 1008. My Student Friends: Southern California is fast lxung made a resort by people from all part of the country. Nearly every State is represented, and each lias its rallying; day. Iowa representatives are most numerous. They came to the Iowa Winter Picnic, on February Twenty-second, twenty thousand strong. Los Angelos, “City of the Angels,” is the chief city. Besides the many interests within the city, railroads and electric car lines radiate to many inland cities and beach resorts, each with its special interest and attraction. On the north lie the Sierra Mad re Mountains, overlooking the valley in ealm grandeur, and affording every facility for camping and mountain climbing. Between Los Angeles and the mountains is Pasadena, one of America’s most beautiful cities. It is situated in the center of the San Gabriel Valiev, t 1 and is called “Crown of the Valley.” In this valley was laid the seeno of Helen Hunt Jackson’s “Ramona.” To the east is found the fruit country, with its splendid groves of orange, lemon, olive, fig and walnut trees, and its extensive vineyards. West and south are the beach resorts. Those that can he reached bv direct line from Los Angeles are Santa Monica, Ocean Park, Redondo Beach, Terminal Island, Venice, San Pedro, Huntington Beach, Catalina Island, Long ISeacli. Long Beach is about twentv-five miles south of Los Angeles, and is con- nected with it by two lines of railways and one electric car system with a double track— a ride of about three quarters of an hour. This gives it all the advantages of the city. It has a population of twenty-two thousand and is visited by thousands of tourists during the year. The greatest attraction at Ixmg Beach is its fine stretch of hard, level beach, ten miles in length. Surf bathing is fine all along the coast. While bathing, it is well to guard against two dangers, the undertow, which at times is very strong, and the “stingaree.” It “will get you if you don’t watch out.” Its sting is not dangerous, but extremely painful. Another attraction is its double-decked pier, extending eighteen hundred feet, into the ocean, with a fine sun pavilion at its outer end. At the entrance to the pier is an auditorium, with a seating capacity of six thousand. Here for the last two or three years have been given two concerts daily, of highly classical music, by Marco Vessala’s celebrated Italian band. Long Beach is a city of churches, having fifteen in number. Its school system is excellent. The public library is good and well patronized. A new Carnegie building will soon he erected. The usual quota of fraternities and woman’s clubs are found here, also an active V. M. C. A. and Y. W. C. A.,

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W. B. Geiter, Instructor Studio open from 12 p. m. to 12 a. m. Instruction free to apt pupils