I Spy . . . Delightfulness in Downtown Hollister

I spy with my little eye the darling window display in the ARTspace Gallery, 240 Fifth Street, in Downtown Hollister. It is part of the Joy of Art Soup Exhibition that features students from San Benito High School and Hope Services participating in the Life Skills Art Program. The exhibit continues until February 24, 2017.

I Spy . . . Raindrops and a Schoolbus

I spy with my little eye this morning happy raindrops and a happy yellow elementary school bus.

Didn't you love all the rain this morning? Hope there's a lot more on the way.

Loving the Children' Art

School: Mi Escuelita Pre-K

Some awesome artwork is currently on display at ARTspace (240 Fifth Street) in Downtown Hollister. Each painting is bound to melt your heart. I dare you to go look for yourself and not say "Aaaaaaah!" Or, "How cuuuuute!"

School: Little Baler

Sponsored by the San Benito County Arts Council, the 4th Annual Children's Art Exhibition goes through December 12, 2015.  School children from different local schools painted pictures inspired by children's books, such as Winnie the Pooh, The Little Prince, and If You Give a Moose a Muffin.

School: Calaveras TK

All of the paintings are on sale. Proceeds go to the San Benito County Arts Council's Arts in Education Program. Any one of the paintings would be a wonderful fun gift for art lovers and children's book fans.

School: Calaveras TK

ArtSpace is open from 12 to 4 p.m. this Saturday, December 5, and Saturday, December 12. For other gallery hours, call 831-636-2787 or email info@ sanbenitoarts.org.

School: Little Bridges

100+ Year Old Palm Trees in Tres Pinos

These very, very tall palm trees stand in front of the old Tres Pinos School, which today is a private residence. Designed by Frank Delos Wolfe, the building is a beautifully crafted example of California prairie architecture. The trees were planted when the school was built around 1915. Click here to see a photo of the old school 100 years ago.

By the way, generations of Tres Pinos School children left their marks on the trunks on the old palms. Some of them are still visible.

Fremont Memorial Tunnel

A long time ago, a tunnel was built beneath Fourth Street so that schoolchildren could safely cross the busy street to go to and from Fremont School, which used to be where the present-day courthouse stands.



Recently, a mural honoring the memory of Fremont School and the schoolchildren was painted on the Fourth Street underpass. It's an amazing mural, full of life and brilliant colors.

The designer, Arturo Rosette, the Fine Arts Chair at Gavilan College, based the mural on photos he found in the San Benito County Historical Society's archives. The silhouettes are of children who went to Fremont School, including the mural's painter, Roy Darr II.

For more about the mural, check out this story by John Chadwell at BenitoLink.com. And, to check out another Downtown Hollister mural designed by Arturo Rosette, click here.

Today is the Monday Mural meme, hosted by Oakland Daily Photo. Click here to check out other murals from around the world.

Good Morning, Tigers!

Nearly every school day, around 8 a.m., I hear the starting bell ring at Sunnyslope School and, a few seconds later, the noise of the PA system. A cheerful voice (I presume the principal) comes on and says, "Good Morning, Tigers!" When the weather is just right, I can also hear the announcements and  the daily joke, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance led by one of the Tigers. I love it!

Sunnyslope School is where I went to fourth and fifth grades in the ancient days. We had no school mascot. But, we did have more running and play space. Today, a lot of the open school yard and field that we played in are covered with buildings full of classrooms.

Yesterday, when the Husband and I walked by the school, we noticed the colorful murals hanging on the outside walls. Many of them look like the work of the Tigers. And, yes, I wish we could've painted outdoor murals back then.

 

Today, I'm linking up with Monday Mural hosted by Oakland Daily Photo. To see other murals from other parts of the world, please click here.

A Sunday Concert

Yesterday, the Rancho-Maze Band and the Pacific Brass Band joined together to give an enjoyable afternoon concert at the Rancho San Justo gymnasium.  It was a fundraiser for the Hollister middle school band composed of student musicians from Rancho San Justo and Marguerite Maze Middle School.

Performing first was the Pacific Brass Band . It's an authentic British-style brass band, one of a few in the western United States. The band plays traditional brass band songs, as well as marches, rags, American folk songs, and songs from musicals.  The band is composed of musicians from San Benito, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, and Monterey counties.

My favorite piece of the seven songs they played yesterday was The Old Grumbly Bear (Der Alte Brummbar), which featured the tuba. If the smoothness of butter could have a sound, it would be the loveliness that comes out of the tuba.

The Rancho-Maze Band performed four songs under the direction of Mr. Ruben Morales. The student musicians held their own alongside the Pacific Brass Band. The clarinet section had me wanting to learn the instrument. And, I really dug the spirit of the Cymbal Girl.

America the Beautiful was the last piece of the afternoon, performed joyously by both the Rancho-Maze Band and the Pacific Brass Band.

December Fundraisers

Mark your calendar for two awesome fundraisers in December for the Rancho-Maze Band.

On December 6 and 7, the Rancho-Maze Band will be taking part in the Barnes & Noble Book Fair in Gilroy, as well as the Barnes & Noble Online Book Fair through December 12. A percentage of your purchases made at the store or online will go to the band. For more details, click here. 

On December 10, at 7 p.m., the Rancho Maze Holiday Concert will take place at the Rancho San Justo gymnasium. The band will hold a raffle for such items as a candy basket, Kendamas, golf passes, tickets to the Monterey County Symphony, Happy Hollow passes, and much, much more. The Grand Prize is worth $600: four one-day hopper passes to Disneyland.  You must be present to win. For more details, click here.

Willow Creek School

The Willow Creek School is one of the several one-room schools that once existed throughout  San Benito County.  Built in the early 1870s, the Willow Creek School can be seen at the historic village in the San Benito County Historical and Recreation Park.

The school was built on the Melendy Ranch, which is a few miles north of the Pinnacles National Park. According to the local historians, the redwood lumber used for the school was brought over from Santa Cruz.

The Melendy Ranch donated the school to the San Benito County Historical Society, which moved the school to the historic village in the early 1990s. For more history and photos of the Willow Creek School, visit this page at the San Benito County Historical Park web site.

February 4 to 10 theme for Take 25 to Hollister: San Benito County Historical Park

2012 Arts Out Loud

Hey Balers!

Hey former Balers!

Hey Baler supporters and lovers!

Check out the current Baler artists at the Arts Out Loud celebration!

This 5th annual event is sponsored by the SBHS Department of Visual and Performing Arts. It showcases artwork, music, and live performances by more than 500 budding artists, musicians, and performers.

Arts Out Loud will take place from 1 to 5 p.m. this Saturday, May 12, and Sunday, May 13. It will be held at the SBHS Cafeteria.  For more details, check out this link. To see a campus map, click here.

Once a 'Baler

Always a 'Baler! Hollister Haybalers. Go 'Balers!

The sign? From a classroom window in the main building of the high school.

100 Things I Like: The Hollister Haybalers

Haybalers—Balers, for short—is the nickname for San Benito High School, aka Hollister High School. The most coolest high school nickname around. But, then, being a former Baler, I am quite biased. Want to know more about the unique nickname? Click here to read a Sports Illustrated article written in 1986 by Bruce Anderson, also a former Baler.
By the way, the Baler Homecoming Parade is this Friday afternoon, October 28. As always, it'll start at the high school and make its way to downtown Hollister. According to the high school Web site, it'll begin around 2 p.m.

For more 100 Things I Like About Living in Hollister, click on that link.

Go, Balers!

The Bertuccio's Fruit Stand at the corner of Highway 25 (Airline Highway) and Union Road is where I saw this sign. There are probably other places where you can buy the discount card. Contact the San Benito High School Athletic Department to find out where. Go to this link of the Athletics Department for contact info. You'll also find the Baler football schedule, as well as other sports schedules.

By the way: the Balers play against Oak Grove tonight at the Andy Hardin Football Field. The JVs play at 5 p.m, while the Varsity team plays at 7:30 p.m.

Also, by the way: if you shop at Bertuccio's on Sunday, and you say Haybaler Athletics, the store will donate 10% of your purchase to the athletic department.

School Starts Soon!

Before Rancho San Justo Middle School, all sixth to eighth graders in the Hollister School District went to R. O. Hardin. At least that was how it was in my day, the 1960s. I don't know know what it was like before then. Anyone know?