Butte County
Biographies
CYRIL A. STEBBINS, M. S.
CYRIL A. STEBBINS, M. S.--Of the men
who are devoting their energies toward the advancement of educational affairs
in California, mention is due Cyril A. Stebbins for the part he has taken in
inculcating in the student the idea of useful occupation. He is rapidly rising to a position of
importance in educational circles and is now connected with the Chico State
Normal School. A native of Wisconsin, he
was born at Harrisville, in 1878, a son of A. O. Stebbins, born in the East,
but who removed to South Dakota, and while he was living in that state served
as register of deeds at Miller. From
South Dakota he moved to Minneapolis, Minn., and embarked in the mercantile
business until the year 1898, when he brought his family to California and, in
Butte County, became a partner with George Gibson in the erection of a box
factory on Cohasset ridge. Then they
built a box factory in Chico, where they manufactured box shooks. Later, Cyril A. Stebbins bought Gibson’s
interest, and father and son continued the business. They then built a sawmill at Cohasset, where
they made lumber to supply their box factory.
After several years of successful business they discontinued lumber
manufacturing, and together purchased the present ranch, which they improved to
orchard; and there the father died, in November, 1916, aged seventy years. He was a member of the Odd Fellows, and was
an upright and successful business man, and a progressive citizen. He had married Bessie Fuller and they had two
children; Lillian, who is Mrs. G. A. Benham, of Anaheim, Cal., and Cyril A., of
this review. Mrs. Stebbins passed away
in 1915, and was mourned by a large circle of friends.
Cyril A.
Stebbins graduated from the Minneapolis High School in 1898. Soon after coming to Chico he bought out Mr.
Gibson’s interest and became a partner with his father in the milling business,
continuing until they sold out. He
entered the Chico State Normal and graduated from that institution in 1900,
after which he became a teacher in the schools of Glenn County. He later became principal of the Arbuckle
school and remained in that city three years; from there he filled the position
of principal of the grammar schools at Dixon for one year; finally he became an
instructor in the Chico State Normal for three years. Mr. Stebbins then entered the University of
California, and in 1910 received his degree of Bachelor of Science, and was
honored by receiving the appointment as instructor in the Agricultural
Educational Division of the University.
He taught in this department for two years, in the meantime receiving
his Master’s Degree, in 1912. In 1913 he
returned to Chico to become the head of the Biological Science Division of the
State Normal, and this responsible position he has since filled.
Mr.
Stebbins has given much time, thought and study as to how best to employ the
children in something useful and educational, and has succeeded. During his activities as one of the directors
of the State Fair, he initiated the idea of an industrial vocational department
for grammar and high school boys. It was
instituted in the annual State Fair in 1916, with Mr. Stebbins in charge,
premiums aggregating a thousand dollars being offered that year. The development and success of the
undertaking warranted premiums totaling two thousand dollars the following
year, and it has been one of the most popular and interesting attractions, and
the exhibit has now become a permanent part of the fair. Among his contributions to industrial and
vocational education, mention is made of the following texts: Principles of Agriculture Through the Home
and the School Garden, a three-hundred-page volume; and the Teaching of
Elementary School Agriculture, both volumes published by the Macmillan
Company. He is also editor of The Junior
Agriculturist, published in Chico.
Incident to his scientific pursuits, Mr. Stebbins occasionally
contributes articles to the Nature Study Review; the San Francisco Call; the
Agricultural Journal; Town and Orchard,
and Rural Press, San Francisco publications, as well as contributing to other
agricultural and educational journals.
It was undoubtedly a pleasing feature to Mr. Stebbins when, without any
solicitation on his part, the National Government took notice of his successful
efforts along industrial and vocational lines, and showed appreciation of his
work by appointing him Regional Director of the United States School Garden
Army for the Western States, in the fall of 1917, to which work he is now
giving his time, traveling in its interest.
Having been granted leave of absence, he is now engaged in organization
work, and is promoting the United States School Garden movement, with
headquarters at Washington.
Being
detailed by the Commissioner of Education at Washington, he has edited a series
of films dealing with agriculture and gardening, which are being given a wide
and general distribution, not only in moving-picture houses, but also in
schools, to supplement the use of text-books in gardening and agriculture. Governor Johnson appointed Mr. Stebbins a
member of the Recreation Inquiry Committee, composed of five members. The committee made a recreation survey of California
and published its findings in a bulletin which was published by the State for
general distribution and given a wide circulation.
The
recreation Mr. Stebbins allows himself is closely allied to his other pursuits,
for he is engaged in horticulture on his thirty-acre ranch, planted to a
full-bearing orchard of prunes, peaches and almonds, with some alfalfa. A well eighty feet deep, with fifty feet of
water, with an electric pump, provides ample irrigation for his crops. He is also the owner of some valuable
property in Chico.
Mr.
Stebbins was united in marriage, in Berkeley, with Miss Louis Beck, born in
Switzerland, the daughter of A. G. Beck.
She was educated in the public schools and the State Normal. Mr. and Mrs. Stebbins have two children: Robert Cyril, and Hubert Theo. Mr. Stebbins is state chairman of the School
Garden Association of America; a member of the California Peach Growers’
Association, in which he is trustee for the Butte County Association, and the
California Almond Growers’ Association.
Fraternally, he is a member of the Masonic Order.
Transcribed by Priscilla Delventhal.
Source:
"History of Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages 705-706, Historic Record Co, Los
Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2008 Priscilla Delventhal.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte County Biographies