Los Angeles County
Biographies
FLORENCE
BELL ERWINE
The
words of George E. Bettinger, formerly principal of
Alhambra High School and later superintendent of the district, aptly describe
Florence Bell Erwin as, “Sincere, loyal, friendly and an inspirational teacher,
loved by her pupils as she loved them and recognized by her co-workers and
community as one dedicated to the education and welfare of those who came under
her care.” A former biology teacher of
Alhambra High School who retired in 1948, Miss Erwine devotes much of her time
to the California Retired Teachers’ Association. As chairman of its history committee which
spent two years on research, Miss Erwine, with the help of a superior
committee, completed a history of the association covering the years 1921 to
1961, which is now off the press and in circulation.
Miss
Erwine was born in Schoolcraft, Michigan, the daughter of Wilson P. and
Josephine R. (Allen) Erwine. Her mother
was born in New York of English and Welsh ancestry; her father was born in
Pennsylvania of German and Scotch ancestry dating back to the formation of the
Irving Clan in the Scottish Highlands.
The old Bonshall Castle which stands on the
site has been burned down three times and rebuilt each time. The original watchtower made of stone, still
stands intact with new structure surrounding it. Commodore Irving of the Queen Mary now lives
in the castle; Miss Erwine visited Scotland in 1938 and took a guided tour of
the castle and its gardens. Miss Erwine’s father was a coal mine inspector until his health
was impaired by a mine explosion, and he subsequently moved to a farm in
Schoolcraft Township where he raised pedigreed stock.
In
Schoolcraft, Miss Erwine received her elementary and high school
education. The next two years she spent
at the State Normal College to receive her life diploma for teaching elementary
grades. The next four years were spent
in teaching primary school in the Schoolcraft area.
On
taking up residence in Alhambra in 1909, Miss Erwine taught first grade at
Garfield School for four years, and then became principal, remaining there
until 1921, when she took a leave of absence to attend the University of
California at Berkeley. Receiving her
Bachelor of Arts degree in 1922 and her Master of Arts degree in 1923, Miss
Erwine stayed for another year as supervisor of the training of university
students at University High School in Oakland.
On June 4, 1961, Miss Erwine became
a member of the International Senior League by being chosen as “The Teacher of
the Community for 1961.” At a luncheon
she was presented a Golden Apple – the emblem of the Senior League.
The Order of the Eastern Star Number
193 in Alhambra has given Miss Erwine her fifty-year pin. She is also a life member and past president
of a national honor society, Delta Kappa Gamma.
She was its president for two years.
She has been a member of the American Women’s University Club for
several years. In the past she has found
time to be a leader of girls’ clubs and civic clubs in Alhambra.
Traveling to Europe in the summer of
1928 and 1938 and to Japan in 1936 has resulted in two interesting hobbies for
Miss Erwine – woodcarving and Japanese flower arrangement.
Transcribed
by V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Historical Volume & Reference
Works Including Alhambra, Monterey Park, Rosemead, San Gabriel & Temple
City, by Robert P. Studer, Pages 439-441,
Historical Publ., Los Angeles, California.
1962.
© 2012 V.
Gerald Iaquinta.
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