Los Angeles County
Biographies
JOHN
B. MONLUX
Identified with the schools of Los Angeles since 1894, the late John B. Monlux endeared
himself to everyone with whom he came in contact and he left behind him a record seldom equaled for constructive work with the pupils that passed through the circle of his influence. He had celebrated his seventy-seventh birthday in July, 1932, having been made deputy superintendent emeritus the previous year, and was rounding out a half century of educational work when he was called to answer the final roll call on January 12, 1933.
John B. Monlux was born at North Salem, Ohio, July 18, 1855, a son of Samuel and Agnes (Clark) Monlux. The days of his boyhood and youth were spent in his native heath, where he received his early education. Later he attended the University of Iowa, where he received his B.A. degree in 1878, and the M.A. degree in 1881. He specialized in educational work and at once entered the pedagogic field as a teacher while he was preparing for his Master’s degree. From 1879 until 1881 Mr. Monlux was principal of the Oskaloosa high school at Oskaloosa, Iowa. From 1881 until 1885 he was superintendent of schools at Fairfield, Iowa, and in the last named year he responded to a call from Nebraska and served as superintendent of the city schools of Hastings until 1892. It was in 1894 that he came to Los Angeles and from that year until his death was a factor in the building up of the schools in this city. The first year he taught in the grammar schools, and the following year was made principal of the Twenty-eighth Street school, serving in that position until 1903, when he was elected to the position of deputy city superintendent. Mr. Monlux had become a favorite with the teaching staff of the schools and was active in all the affairs of the teachers both educationally and socially. After the schools in the San Fernando Valley had become a part of the Los Angeles school system, Mr. Monlux was placed in charge of all the schools in that section and was a factor in promoting the welfare of the schools to a high state of efficiency. In 1930 the teaching staff presented him with a handsome gold watch in appreciation of his sympathetic attitude towards them and as a testimonial of their high esteem.
John B. Monlux was united in marriage with Miss Matilda Elizabeth Creeth, the ceremony taking place at Hastings, Nebraska, on August 8, 1888. Mrs. Monlux is well known in Los Angeles and possesses a wide circle of friends. Both Mr. and Mrs. Monlux were active in church and charitable work and had their membership in the first Congregational Church in Los Angeles. One daughter, Hortense, Mrs. Washington McLean, was the result of their marriage. She is the mother of two children, Marian H. and John W.
The following tribute was paid by Susan M. Dorsey at the time Mr. Monlux was made deputy superintendent emeritus:
“The recent promotion of J. B. Monlux to the status of deputy superintendent is a fitting recognition of his long and fruitful educational career.
“From the little country school at North Salem, Ohio, where Mr. Monlux studied the rudiments, he moved on to the grammar and high school of Monroe, Iowa, and in 1878 was graduated from the Iowa State University. After a brief experience as a teacher in a rural school Mr. Monlux became principal of the Oskaloosa high school. Here the superintendent with whom he was associated was Homer H. Seerley, the recently retired president of the Iowa State Normal school, (sic) Out of this early association, which Mr. Monlux considers one of the great privileges of his life, there developed a friendship which has lasted through the years. The next step upward came in 1885, when he was elected superintendent of schools of Hastings, Nebraska. Later, after a brief break in school work, Mr. Monlux moved to Los Angeles, where for nearly forty years he followed the fortunes of the city and its public schools, first as a critic teacher in the old normal school, when it was located where the public library now stands, then as principal of an elementary city school until 1903, when he was appointed deputy superintendent of the Los Angeles city schools from which honorable position he was recently promoted to the emeritus status. During a period of great restlessness in the educational world, of ceaseless questioning of old matter and methods and of almost frenzied striving for better results, at a time also of great professional rivalries, it is significant that Mr. Monlux has remained so long in one position. Not only has the length of his services been unusual but the quality of his contribution to education and the profession of teaching has always been sane, wholesome and constructive. His career has been marked by fidelity, patience and a certain wise unwillingness to part company with the old way until the newer plan had proven itself to be the better way. Always at his desk before others, he has never hastened away in the evening until the last case had received attention and the day’s work might be fairly called completed. Mr. Monlux has deservedly held the confidence of thousands of teachers and other co-workers through all the years, largely for two reasons: First, in his work of supervision he has allowed reasonable latitude to teachers to initiate and try out their own plans within the bounds of good sense and educational honesty. With trifling and senseless experimenting, just to be doing something different, he has shown little patience. Every honest effort in the direction of progress has received his warm encouragement. A second reason for the abiding confidence of teachers in Mr. Monlux as a man and their acceptance of his practical judgment is found in the sincere and human interest he has taken in teacher welfare. More than any other school official he has consistently encouraged teachers to plan wisely for the future so as to escape financial and other embarrassments. The Teachers Loan Association, through which teachers may in all emergencies secure a small loan, is only one example of his efforts to safeguard the happiness and reputation of his co-workers.
“An exact memory for detail has always made Mr. Monlux an invaluable repository of rules, regulations and school laws. ‘Ask Mr. Monlux,’ has been the reply to everyone seeking exact information about any school regulation.
“This appreciation would give small pleasure to the one herein commended if no mention were made of the delightful woman who has shared with Mr. Monlux his life responsibilities, and of a cherished daughter and two grandchildren, who complete a family circle of such charm as to merit more than passing comment. So it is small wonder that thousands of teachers and citizens rejoiced when the board of education promoted Mr. Monlux to the status of emeritus and saved to the Los Angeles schools an indispensable personality.”
One of the Los Angeles newspapers had this to say upon the death of Mr. Monlux:
“At the time of his death Mr. Monlux was deputy superintendent emeritus of the Los Angeles city school system. The death of the veteran educator came as a shock to teachers and citizens throughout the city. At his side when he died was his widow and his daughter, Mrs. Washington McLean, and his two grandchildren, Marian and John.
“On the wall of the principal’s office at Van Nuys elementary school hangs a framed portrait of the late deputy superintendent emeritus, John B. Monlux, of the Los Angeles city school system officiating over the tree planting ceremony for Arbor Day here a few years ago. With the passing of Mr. Monlux, Van Nuys and the San Fernando Valley loses a real friend and a man who has been of inestimable service to the schools of this district.
“Mr. Monlux’ hobby was trees. He was a great lover of trees. He owned a citrus and nut orchard here in the Valley (San Fernando) and through his influence schools here were given acreage for the planting of trees and gardens. Somehow the trees seem to symbolize the life of the educator emeritus who devoted twenty-eight years to the advancement of the younger generation. Trees have been spoken of as, ‘silent witnesses of the ages, towers of strength and beauty created by God.’ So stands a tree on our campus, its leafy nested branches spreading shelteringly over children at play, a living monument to honor the memory of the man who planted it.”
Mr. Monlux was a member of Southern California Lodge No. 248, F.A.M; Signet chapter, No. 57, R.A.M; Los Angeles Council No. 11, R. & S.M.; Los Angeles Commandery No. 9. K.T.; and Al Malaikah Temple A.A.O.N.M.S. He was given a Masonic funeral, the ceremonies being conducted by the Masons selected from his friends among the personnel of the city schools.
Mr. Monlux was presented with a life membership in the National Education Association by the superintendents and teachers of the city schools and J. M. Crabtree secretary of the Association, during institute week in December 1932.
Transcribed
3-10-12 Marilyn R. Pankey.
Source: California
of the South Vol. II, by John Steven McGroarty, Pages
147-151, Clarke Publ., Chicago, Los Angeles, Indianapolis. 1933.
© 2012 Marilyn R. Pankey.
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