Los Angeles
County
Biographies
ALICE
CANNIFF THORPE
If
constancy of purpose is the secret of success, then Miss Alice Canniff Thorpe
is truly a success. She started her
teaching career in 1912, and after a few years of teaching in Colorado and
Arizona, she taught for thirty-six years at Garfield Elementary School in
Alhambra. One of the truly prominent
women in this community, she has devoted her life to the young generation in
teaching them the fundamentals, instilling morals, ideals
and manners, and in educating them to become useful citizens and good
Americans. She has been a teacher of two
generations. She educated the parents
when they were youngsters, and then taught their children. Miss Thorpe has the great distinction of
having Thorpe Hall, the cafeteria at Garfield Elementary School, named in her
honor, a monument to her loyalty and constancy, untiring efforts and
patience—for being a good teacher and mentor.
She retired from teaching in 1956.
Miss
Alice Canniff Thorpe was born October 10, 1890, in Trinidad, Colorado. Her father, William Henry Thorpe, was in the
dry goods business. Her mother, Mary
(Minnie) Alice (Brown) Thorpe, was a schoolteacher, and apparently set the
example for her daughter. Miss Thorpe
had her fundamental schooling at elementary and high schools in Trinidad,
Colorado. She matriculated at the
University of Colorado, transferred to Colorado State Teachers College at
Greeley, and graduated in 1914. She
continued her studies at the University of California at Berkeley, where she
took extension courses. She taught
school in Colorado for seven years and in Arizona for two years.
When
Miss Thorpe came to California in 1920, she began to teach the fifth and sixth
graders at Garfield Elementary School in Alhambra. Later she taught the seventh and finally the
eighth grade students. After 44 years of
teaching, of which 36 years were spent continuously at Garfield Elementary
School, Miss Thorpe retired in 1956. On
retirement she was made an Honorary Member of Boy Scout Troop 209. Another honor bestowed on Miss Thorpe was
having the school cafeteria named Thorpe Hall.
She is past treasurer of Alhambra Teachers Association.
Miss
Thorpe is a member and active in many of the women’s groups of First Christian
Church of Alhambra. She was treasurer of
the Sunday School for many, many years. Presently she is president of the Kum Join Us Class of the church. She was chairman of World Community Day of
the United Church Women. She is a member
of the Alhambra Round Table and former member of the Business and Professional
Women’s Club.
Miss
Thorpe has always been and still is an enthusiastic baseball and football
fan. To her baseball was more than a
spectator sport. While she was teaching
in Alhambra, she umpired baseball games at different schools for a whole year,
after school hours. She has always
enjoyed walking and hiking, and when the trail to the top of Mount Whitney was
opened, Miss Thorpe and three courageous lady companions climbed up to the top
of the 14,495 ft. high peak, the highest in the United Sates at that time. She enjoys solving crossword puzzles, and
reading is one of her favorite pastimes.
Transcribed by
V. Gerald Iaquinta.
Source:
Historical Volume & Reference Works Including Alhambra, Monterey Park,
Rosemead, San Gabriel & Temple City, by Robert P. Studer,
Pages 685-687, Historical Publ., Los Angeles, California. 1962.
© 2013 V. Gerald Iaquinta.
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