(right) Charlie Brown. Fishing catch, circa 1930.
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Bardsdale Grammar School class circa 1925. These children would have benefitted by the Bardsdale School “Congress of Mothers” who provided lunches for school children.
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Clarence Critton, Venison, circa 1912.
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Courtesy Fillmore History Museum

One of our readers asked what people ate “back then” and particularly about what children took to school for lunch.
The “White House Cookbook”, first published in 1887, has an extensive section using game which would probably have been one of the primary meat sources in this area. Professional hunters such as Al and Nate Stone and Herman Keene would supply the locals with fresh game. Venison was prepared in many of the same ways beef would be used, but with the caveat “see that no hairs are left dried on to the outside.”

It was also quite easy for ranchers and others to bring in small game, so the housewives needed to know how to cook it. The cookbooks all contained recipes for fried rabbit as well as rabbit stew and hasenpfeffer (rabbit stewed with onions, cloves and cinnamon). In the 1924 “Cook Book” put out by The Ladies’ Aid Society of the Piru M. E. Church, Mrs. S. L. Glaze recommended stewing the rabbit, making a gravy and pouring the meat and gravy over hot biscuits. Game birds, including geese, ducks, snipe and woodcocks would be roasted, stewed or baked in a pie.

If you either didn’t have or didn’t want meat, there were other alternatives for a main dish such as Boston Roast, a recipe given by Mrs. Frank Padelford:

“Three cups red or kidney beans, put through grinder or sieve; one cup bread or cracker crumbs; one tablespoon finely chopped or ground onion; one cup finely grated cheese; one and one-half teaspoon salt; one-fourth teaspoon paprika or pepper. Mix and add milk enough to make it soft enough to pack together. Bake in buttered pan or casserole thirty minutes in a slow oven. Serve with a tomato or onion sauce. It is good served plain.”

In the “People’s Home Library” published in 1920, Mrs. Alice G. Kirk of Cleveland, Ohio, gives extensive directions on how to prepare sandwiches for school lunches.A different kind of bread should be used for each day, or a combination of breads to relieve the monotony. She suggests the following fillings:

“Meat sandwiches. - Cold roast beef chopped and slightly salted, between slices of white bread. Chicken, cut very thin and salted; white bread. Boiled ham, chopped very fine, mixed with a very little dry mustard; brown bread. Roast veal, finely chopped, with a few olives mixed in; brown bread. One very thin layer of chopped ham and a slice of chicken; wheat bread. Corned beef shaved very thin; white bread.

Salad sandwiches. - Lettuce leaves on white buttered bread, with a very little French dressing made by mixing a teaspoon full of oil with few drops of lemon juice and a little salt. Chopped watercress on buttered bread, white or brown, with salt. Very thin slices of cucumber, with salt; white bread. Nasturtium leaves, with French dressing or salt. Lettuce with a little cream cheese spread on it, and salt or lemon juice.Watercress and cream cheese. Celery, chopped very fine and mixed with either French dressing or a little mayonnaise, or merely with salt and lemon juice; whole wheat bread. Chopped green peppers mixed with cream cheese.”

It is unlikely a housewife in the Santa Clara Valley sent her children to school with a sandwich of nasturtium leaves or finely chopped roast veal.

Bardsdale School “Congress of Mothers” (a forerunner of the PTA) was organized in 1925 or 1926.Soon the group noticed that many of the small children who walked to school each day arrived without breakfasts and sometimes with little lunch. They decided to do something about it. The mothers began to take turns bringing the children hot lunches which they prepared at home. After lunch two of the mothers would stay and wash the dishes. Soon they raised enough money with cake sales to purchase cooking utensils and hot plates. They cooked lunch in the hallway and served the children on tables built for that purpose.

At Sespe Elementary School in the 1950s and earlier, before there was a cafeteria, the children ate their lunches under the pepper trees at the west end of the school yard. This was the location come wind, cold weather or 100+ degree heat. The only time when lunch was eaten inside was when it was raining. Milk was purchased each morning by sending your lunch money to the office. Students vied to be the person collecting the lunch money. (Anything to get out of class for a few minutes.)

Graduation from 6th grade meant moving on to the Junior High School then located in the same buildings as the High School. Lunch was hot and in the cafeteria. The women employed in the cafeteria made all lunch meals from scratch, even the hamburger and hot dog buns.

We have come a long way from the early days of school lunches. Today the staff may not make every meal from scratch but every child who needs a lunch or breakfast will get one at school, even during covid when meals were still provided in a drive setting.

Leonard Herrera Lopez, Fillmore, Ca.

District Attorney Erik Nasarenko announced today that former Ventura County Sheriff’s Deputy Leonard Herrera Lopez (DOB 08/06/71), pled no contest to two misdemeanor offenses involving a female inmate at the Ventura County Jail. Lopez was charged with engaging in consensual sexual activity with a female inmate, a violation of Penal Code section 289.6(a)(2), and with entering the cell of the same female inmate without another employee present, in violation of Penal Code section 4021(b).

On September 6, 2019, the female inmate was assigned to a custody unit under Deputy Lopez’s control and supervision. Lopez entered the inmate’s cell unaccompanied by other jail staff in the early morning hours of September 6, 2019. Lopez kissed and touched the inmate, which constituted the sexual misconduct with her. The inmate later reported Lopez’s conduct to other jail staff. The Sheriff’s Major Crimes Bureau immediately launched a comprehensive investigation. Under state law, inmates are incapable of providing legal consent to engage in any sexual activity with custodial staff.

Lopez is scheduled to be sentenced on June 24, 2021, at 1:30 p.m. in courtroom 14 of the Ventura County Superior Court. Lopez faces a maximum possible sentence of 180 days in jail and one year of probation.

The Santa Clara Valley Wellness Foundation Scholarship Committee have selected their 2021 class of Alan Peterson Scholars. For the 11th consecutive year, four outstanding high school seniors will be awarded $1,000 renewable scholarship for their college education in the field of medicine. The candidates were selected not only for their overall grades but also their participation in the community, leadership, and desire to help their community when they complete their college degrees.

Applications were accepted from students who reside in the cities of Fillmore, Piru, and Santa Paula. Each scholarship recipient went through an application process including submission of personal essay, letters of recommendation, and a board panel interview.

The 2021 class of students who will receive scholarships are from Fillmore High School - Mariam Bazurto, attending UC Davis, Evan Alamillo, attending CSU Channel Islands, Olivia Palazuelos, attending Fresno State, and Estefany Gonzalez, attending Ventura College.

“Every year that we go through the interviews, the bar is raised by the students themselves. All students are so bright and of such high caliber. It makes it hard to choose the finalists.” says Gloria Camarillo, Executive Director for the Santa Clara Valley Wellness Foundation. “The Foundation is able to support local youth in furthering their college education through the generous donations from private and community donors.”

Visit the website www.scvwf.org to find out more information on the various programs for the community.

Medical professionals, have you been wanting to give back to your community and don’t know where to start? We are actively scouting for medical professionals that share the vision of providing the opportunity to youth to experience what the medical field has to offer. Please contact the Executive Director, Gloria Camarillo, telephone 805‐320‐9049 or email gcamarillo@roadrunner.com to discuss the opportunity.

Rey Laureano, Citrus Coast League Champion 800m.

On Thursday, May 27th, 26 individuals from the Fillmore Track and Field team traveled to Carpinteria to compete in the Citrus Coast League Track and Field Championships. In order to be able to compete in this meet, athletes had to meet qualifying standards during the shortened competitive season. These 26 individuals raced, jumped or threw 53 times and established many personal best throughout the day.

The first running event was the Girls JV 1600 Meter. Andrea Laureano circled the oval 4 times to capture second place in this event with a time of 6:44. 20. Later in the meet, Andrea ran a personal best in the 800, by finishing in third place in a time of 3:02.74.

The Frosh-Soph Boys 1600 Meters followed with Kobe Lizarraga finishing in third place and posting a personal best of 5:12.13, he was followed by teammate, Josh Estrada who finished in 4th place in 5:16.06. Kobi would also run a personal best 800 in 2:20.51, placing second in this event. Josh would double back in the 3200 meters, running to a second-place finish in 11:49.79.

Alianna Tapia was the lone distance star for the Flashes in the Varsity division. Alianna ran two personal bests by perfectly pacing both the 1600 meters and 3200 meters in times of 5:35.23 and 12:41.93.

Perhaps the feature race of the meet was the Boys Varsity 1600 Meters where Fabian Del Villar, Rey Laureano, and Camilo Torres swept the first 3 places. Rey and Camilo posted personal best times of 4:34.26, and 4:34.28. Fabi Del Villar, Fillmore’s standout distance star, once again rewrote the record books, by taking down the 1600 Meter Record (converted) of 4:20.23. This record was held by Gerardo “Yayis” Vaca and established in 1988. Fabi ran to the front and in a solo effort, never looked back posting his new school record of 4:20.02. Dave Bustos and Matt Munoz also ran the 1600 and finished in 10th and 12th in 5:14.62 and 5:19.62, both season bests in this event for both athletes.

Fabi, Camilo, and Erick also captured a one, two, three finish in the 3200. Fabi and Camilo subbed 10 posting times of 9:36.03 and 9:48.48. Teammate Erick Gutierrez ran a 10:31.89.

Probably one of the most exciting races was the Varsity Boys 800 Meters. Senior Rey Laureano appeared to be completely out of the race right from the beginning. In a two-lap race, with only four competitors, Rey seemed to fall further behind as they passed through the 200-meter mark, it didn’t look much better at the end of the first lap where he trailed the leader by 3 seconds. With 100 meters to go, Rey turns it on and caught the 3rd place runner, never slowing down and quickly approaching the two Santa Paula runners who were battling it out for first. In a Flash, he was by them, and won the race going away. This was as I’ve said, an exciting race. Rey stirred the cheering crowd and ran a personal best of 2:03.93.

Angel Garcia ran a personal best 2:36.40 in the frosh/soph 800 meters.

In the sprints, coached by Coach Frances Barnes, several athletes achieved personal bests. Top finisher in the 100 meters was Juan Alfaro 6th in a time of 11.93, followed by Angel Martinez 13th in 12.84, Alotl Aparicio 15th in 13.13. All three athletes established personal best times. Angel Martinez followed up his hundred running to a 14th place finish of 26.5 in the 200 meters.

Alotl Aparicio ran the boys varsity 110 meter high hurdles and placed 4th in 19.39.

Fillmore’s sprint ace, Amani Hooker captured 1st. place in both the 100 meters and the 100-meter hurdles. She clocked personal best times of 13.34 and 16.32. She followed this up with a second-place finish in the high jump, where she clear a high of 4’6”.

Angel Laureano was the lone competitor in the frosh/soph 400 and ran a personal best time of 63.43 to place second.

The frosh/soph contingent of Kobi Lizarraga, Josh Estrada, Angel Laureano and Angel García placed second in the 4 x 400 in 4:18.31. The Varsity boys team represented by Rey Laureano, Fabi Del Villar, Juan Pablo Alfaro, and Matt Munoz also placed second in 3:44.13.

The jumps coached by Mr. Dabbs saw several athletes perform well. In the boys varsity triple jump Brandon Gonzalez placed 3rd, in a personal best jump of 35’11.75. He was followed by Alotl Aparicio in 5th place, also in a personal best jump of 34’2”. Alotl followed that up, with a personal best in the long jump of 16’10” to place 6th. Teammate Juan Pablo Alfaro took third place in a personal best leap of 18’6.5 inches.

Evan Alamillo tied for 4th place in the varsity high jump, reaching a height of 4’8”, and Natalie Cobian placed 5th in the varsity girls triple jump with a leap of 26’ 8”.

In the weight events, coached by Tony Tafoya, the athletes continued the year-long tradition of placing among the best in the league. In the varsity shot put, Nathaniel Ocegueda placed second in a personal best of 46’10”, followed by Joesef Vargas 4th in 41’3”, Diego Meza 5th in 40’ 2”, and Justice Rodriguez 6th in 38’ 11”.

In the frosh/soph discus, Sebastian Landeros tossed the implement 85’6” to capture first place in this division. He also placed second in the shot put with a toss of 32’ 2”.

The varsity boys discus, Diego Meza led Fillmore’s weight men by placing second with a toss of 121’ 10”. Justice Rodriguez placed 4th in a personal best of 119’ 11”. He was followed by Joesef Vargas 5th in 116’ 8”, and Nathaniel Ocegueda 6th in 102’ 5”.

The girls also competed well. In the shot, Ashley Yepez placed second putting a distance of 32’2”. She was followed by Kara Ebell 3rd in 28’4”, and Sadie Rico 5th in 26’ 4.5”. In the discus, Ashley Yepez placed first with a throw of 95’ 11”. Kara Ebell was 3rd in 28’ 4”, and Sadie Rico 5th in a personal record of 81’7”.

On the day, Fillmore athletes claimed seven individual league crowns. This was accomplished by each of these athletes winning their individual event. Amani Hooker claimed league titles in two events, the 100 meter hurdles, and the 100 meters. Fabian Del Villar also claimed titles in two events, the 1600 meters and the 3200 meters, Rey Laureano claimed his title in the 800 meters. Sebastian Landeros won the boys frosh/soph discus, and Ashley Yepez also claimed her title in the discus.

Our top three athletes in varsity events will next compete at the same venue on Saturday, June 5th at the CIF Southern Section Division 4 Prelims.14 Fillmore Athletes will compete at this event with the goal of qualifying to compete the following weekend at the CIF Southern Section Division 4 Finals.

Resilience, and perseverance are two words that come to mind, when you think of our athletes, staff and families that found a way to make this season a possibility and also a success. Certainly, we were able to adapt to the circumstances of this difficult period of time, but we couldn’t have done it without your help, so for this, and for all you do, we thank you. This is the Fillmore Spirit.

Sanitary Dairy set for Chaplin.
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Yellow signs direct crews to filming locations.
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Fillmore Chief of Police Earl Hume with Tom Mix.
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Courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum

From the earliest days of film Hollywood has loved Fillmore and the Santa Clara Valley. Historic Rancho Camulos was the setting for Ramona one of the first feature films. Directed by D W Griffins in 1910, starring Mary Pickford as Ramona and Henry B Walthall as Alessandro the film is based on the book written by Helen Hunt Jackson. It uses the story of two young lovers to illustrate the poor treatment of California’s Native Americans. Camulos became known as the “Home of Ramona.” Due to the popularity of the film it became a regular tourist stop for travelers.

Because of our rural charm and proximity to Hollywood our little town is regularly transformed with props and sets. A 1924 photo shows Cowboy film star Tom Mixx astride amotorcycle on Central along with Fillmore Chiefof Police Earl June. Central Avenue was filled in with sand and cactus to transform Fillmore into 1940’s Arizona for the 1987 film In the Mood, starring Patrick Dempsey. In the 1984 IMAX documentary Speed by director Greg McGillivraya hot rod races around town, outruns the police, crashesinto a bale of hay at the Sanitary Dairy, and Fillmore is Fresno. For the 1990 film Almost an Angel starring Paul Hogan many parts of Fillmore were used including a house on Foothill Drive, Roan Mills Bakery’s building, and the Town Theater. An entire church was built over Dr. Beer’s office on Kensington.

Dustin Hoffman was the main character in the 1992 film Hero. For the plane crash scene at the beginning of the movie a wrecked 727 airplane was trucked from Mojave to the site by the bridge on Center Street in Piru. Gas lines and explosives filled the river bed with smoke and fire for this dramatic scene. Two large sets were built for the 1982 film Chapman. A replicas of the studios used by Mack Sennett was built on a bare field in Bardsdale and the Sanitary Dairy had a face lift for another part of the movie. Watch La Bamba and you will see many Fillmore sites including the row of palm trees on highway 23 and the green bridge crossing the Santa Clara River.

What do Seabiscuit, the Lone Ranger, and Fear Factor have in common? They all used the Fillmore and Western Railway for filming. In 1991 Short Line Enterprises moved their filming from Newhall Ranch to Fillmore and in 1996 it became a division of FWRY. Using tracks leased from the Ventura County Transportation Commission over 400 films, TV series, music videos, student films, and commercials have been filmed using the Railway. Disney built the tunnel on the east end of town for filming in 2008.

The Depot at the Fillmore Historical Museum has been featured in many movies. It has been an Eastern European town for JAG in 1998 and 2003. Using model trains and real trains the depot and other Fillmore locations were used for a Coke commercial. The train station in City Slickers 2 features the Depot. Buffy the Vampire even paid a visit to the Depot. An internet search for “Film Production List, Fillmore, California” will bring up pages of films, TV shows, and commercials that have been filmed in Fillmore. White trailers and yellow parking signs are a regular sight around town. They let us know that film crew has come to town again.

Christine Schieferle

After conducting a nationwide search and a lengthy process of gathering input from employees of the district and members of the community, which included the review of over 21 applicants, the Fillmore Unified School District Board of Education is honored to announce Christine Schieferle as the finalist to replace Interim Superintendent Dr. Chuck Weis.

The Fillmore Unified Board of Trustees will be entering into contract negotiations with Mrs. Schieferle and is expected to confirm an offer of employment at its June 1, 2021, regularly scheduled Board meeting. Mrs. Schieferle currently serves Santa Paula Unified School District as the Deputy Superintendent of Educational Services and has previously served as Director of Curriculum and Instruction at the Ventura County Office of Education. She has also served as an Elementary Principal, Continuation High School Principal, High School Assistant Principal and Middle School Teacher in Fillmore Unified. In each of these roles, she has achieved high expectations with compassion, dedication, comprehensive support, and a commitment to strong collaboration and communication with students, families, staff, and the community.

Fillmore Unified Board President Tricia Gradias stated “We are excited to bring our strong leader, Christine Schieferle back home to lead our district. We are very fortunate to have selected Christine Schieferle as our finalist for the Superintendent position. After our extensive search and interview process with many very strong competitors, we found Christine, who comes from our school district. She is an excellent instructional leader, cares deeply about Fillmore and Piru and our children and brings us new perspectives and an excellent vision for Fillmore Unified. She is known as a strong communicator and collaborator who exemplifies transparent leadership, integrity, and respectful relationships. Her expectations for herself and others are very high and always centered on accelerating student achievement. In addition, her leadership goals are centered around creating inclusive and equitable learning opportunities for all district students. She embraces challenges that improve the organization and is driven to constantly improve relationships and bring people together to improve the lives of students.

Mrs. Schieferle was born, raised and currently resides in the community of Fillmore. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from San Diego State University and a master’s degree in educational leadership from California State University, Northridge.

“I care deeply about our community and believe in our students. I look forward to the 2021-22 school year and am ready to welcome our students and our families back to full-time, in-person instruction after the many challenges and trauma our community experienced during the past year. I am also committed, as your new Superintendent, to build trust and belonging among our students, families, and staff, while holding high expectations and accountability. I stand by the vision of the Fillmore Unified School District to ensure that each student is recognized, valued and inspired to be a life-long learners and prepared to be a contributing member of society.”

Michael Mobley, 65, Moorpark

In mid-March of 2021, an agricultural corporation identified as the Winchester Water Well group contacted deputies from the Moorpark Sheriff’s Station and reported that they were the victims of embezzlement by their property manager. The Winchester Water Well group was comprised of five ranch owners whose property was located in the unincorporated area just outside the city of Moorpark. Deputies obtained the basic facts, completed a theft report, and the case was forwarded to the Moorpark Investigations Bureau.

Over the next several weeks, investigators learned that the ranch owners hired a property management firm that specialized in agricultural land management, identified as Progressive Land Management to manage and service an irrigation water well for the ranchers. The ranch owners initially contracted with Progressive Land Management in mid-2014. Investigators determined that over the course of several years, the owner of Progressive Land Management, identified as Michael Mobley of Oxnard, stole tens of thousands of dollars from the ranch owners and falsified bank documents in order to conceal the thefts.

On the morning of May 20th, detectives from the Moorpark Station contacted Mobley as he was leaving his home in Oxnard and arrested him for the thefts. Detectives then returned to Mobley’s home and served a search warrant and seized additional evidence related to the thefts. Simultaneously, detectives from the Thousand Oaks Special Enforcement Unit, working in conjunction with Moorpark Detectives, served a search warrant at the offices of Progressive Land Management in the city of Santa Paula, where additional evidence was located and seized.

To date, Detectives determined that Mobley embezzled in excess of $40,000.00 from the Winchester Well Water Group. However, the investigation is ongoing and there are potentially other clients who were victimized, who have yet to be identified or come forward. Mobley was booked at the Ventura County Main Jail on the charge of 487(a) PC / Grand Theft with bail set at $10,000.00.

Nature of Incident: Arrest of Property Manager for Embezzlement of Client Funds
Report Number: 21-35047
Location: 700 block of Owens River Dr, Oxnard 93036
Date & Time: May 20th, 2021 at about 7:00 am
Unit(s) Responsible: Moorpark Investigations Bureau, Thousand Oaks Special Enforcement Unit
(S)uspects, (V)ictims, (P)arty, (D)ecedent City of Residence Age
(S) Mobley, Michael, 65, Moorpark
(V) Winchester Well Water Ownership Group
Prepared by: Detective Sergeant Kevin Lynch

Rosie Perez and Cezalila Villanueva smiling with their bag of supplies.
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By Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley

On Thursday, May 20th, 300 children in the Fillmore, Piru, and Santa Paula communities got to take home a bag full of art supplies and Disney books thanks to a partnership between Boys & Girls Club of Santa Clara Valley and GMH Foundation! A HUGE thank you to Molly Valtin and Kelly Schau, not only for assembling the bags, but for believing in our mission to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens!

Ventura County Sheriff's Department

The Ventura County Sheriff’s Office wants to remind residents to be cautious when making purchases or conducting business deals online.

We have seen a recent increase in scams involving home rentals as well as scams involving the online purchase of puppies or kittens. The scammers will request payment or deposits up front and promise delivery. They will then request additional payments for shipping or other types of fees, often with the promise that the money will be refunded at a future date. The victim is left waiting for a pet or set of keys that never come.

These are some of the common indicators of a scam:
• The person you are in communication with will only talk through email or text.
• You are asked to send money, through an application such as Zelle or Venmo, to an account with an email address different than the one you have been communicating with.
• There is some sort of urgency or deal that can only happen if you send the money immediately.
This is not to say that every online pet sale or rental is a scam. There are a few ways to make sure that you are not about to become a victim:
• Ask the person to Facetime you with the puppy or kitten you are looking to purchase.
• Conduct a Google Image search of the pictures in the advertisement to see where else on the internet those images appear.
• Contact a separate realtor to confirm the property is available for rent.
• If the person you are in contact with claims to be with a realty agency, contact the agency to confirm the person’s employment with them.
• If you live close to the property, drive by to see if it appears to actually be for rent.
Always remember, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Do not be in a rush for what seems like a good deal. Taking these few extra steps could save you a lot of heartache in the long run.

Nature of Incident: Home Rental and Pet Scams
Report Number: N/A
Location: Eastern Ventura County
Date & Time: May 21, 2021
Unit(s) Responsible: East County Investigations Bureau / Forgery Fraud Unit
Prepared by: Detective Jennifer Bowie
Approved by: Captain Denise Sliva

Ventura County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 reward for information, which leads to the arrest and criminal complaint against the person(s) responsible for this crime. The caller may remain anonymous. The call is not recorded. Call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-TIPS (8477).

By Fillmore High Alumni Association

Please join us for the Annual Fillmore High Alumni Dinner (Celebrating 108 Years) on Saturday, October 2nd, 2021 from 3:00pm to 11:30pm. This year's dinner will take place at the Fillmore City Park, and in front of City Hall located at 250 Central Ave in Fillmore. In the past we have served well over 600 Alumni and their guests and we expect to do the same this year. Your paid dinner reservation guarantees your entry to the event, along with Light hors d’ oeuvres (for the early arrivals), Dinner, coffee, tea, and water. New this year will be a live Band along with D.J. for your dancing and listening pleasure. This event has sold out in the past, so we encourage you to confirm your reservations soon by going online, and paying for your reservations. www.fillmorehighalumni.com/events

With so many classes having their reunions at the annual dinner now, we are expecting another sell out. Classes celebrating their reunions at the Dinner this year are the Classes of 1960, 1965, 1970, 1971, 1980, 1981 and 1990! Make your plans now to come celebrate our Home Town, our long time friends, our Scholarship program, and our High School Alma Mater.

About The Fillmore High Alumni Association
Since 1913, The Fillmore High Alumni Association has been bringing people together to support education, students and the community of Fillmore. Our mission is to provide scholarships to seniors and any graduate seeking to continue their education. Please help support our mission by making a donation. Thank you for your support. www.fillmorehighalumni.com.

Milton A. Smith's Fillmore High School Senior Picture, Class of 1940.

Heck Smith's Distinguished Service Cross Citation
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Every Memorial Day at Bardsdale Cemetery it is tradition to decorate Veterans’ graves with American flags to honor their service. Photo courtesy Bardsdale Cemetery District Facebook page.
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Courtesy Fillmore Historical Museum

The origins of Memorial Day are somewhat in dispute, but most agree that the tradition of decorating veteran’s grave originated in the South and was soon adopted by the North after the Civil War. The date of May 30th may have been chosen as an optimal date for flowers to be in bloom in the North.

If you walk through Bardsdale Cemetery you will see a few plots of Civil War Veterans, a few Spanish – American War Veterans, and then more and more World War I and World II Veterans, Korean and Vietnam Conflict Veterans.

At the Museum we have some memorabilia from all these wars/conflicts that tell the story of men and women from Fillmore who served. We are especially lucky to have photos of World War II servicemen and womencollected by A. H. “Painter” James.

World War I is not as well documented, but we do have a few items that tell stories. One solder we know about is Albert “Heck” Smith. Heck was born in Fillmore in 1896 to Walter and Ella Robertson Smith. His sister, Mildred, was born in 1901 and his mother passed away in 1903. His father remarried a few years later. Heck and Mildred were raised by their maternal aunts, Lucy Permelia and Neva Robertson in Bardsdale. The Robertson Family had come to the Valley in the 1870s.

When the United States entered World War I in 1917, Heck entered the U. S. Army. He left New York City on July 12, 1918 as a Private in Machine Gun Company C, 364th Infantry. He remained in France until March, 1919, returning as a Private, First Class.

Although he was not in France for a year, Heck would have seen some of the most intense fighting. His unit was involved in the Argonne Offensive which, according to Wikipedia, “…was the largest in United States military history, involving 1.2 million American soldiers. It is the second deadliest battle in American history, resulting in over 350,000 casualties including 28,000 German lives, 26,277 American lives and an unknown number of French lives.It was for his actions during the Argonne Offensive that Heck was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the second highest military honor given by the United States has.

Like most solders, he was probably most concerned with staying alive, but in a letter to his sister, Mildred, he wrote the following.

“Well, I was going to keep this a secret from you till I got home but I have decided to tell you that I am going to receive a Distinguished Service Cross. I suppose you want to know what I did. Well, I went out into No Man’s Land one night and helped bring in a wounded soldier. Went out about 500 or 600 yards and carried him in on two slickers and two rifles which were used as a stretcher…. I was surprised when my captain told me of (the award). He asked for volunteers and I said I would go. It didn’t seem any more than going on some errand I was told to do.”

At the Museum we have both the Croix de Guerre and Distinguished Service Cross citations which were issued to Heck and also the actual Distinguished Service Cross medal.

Heck returned home, married Marion Jorgenson and settled down in Fillmore. He worked at the Texaco Refinery as a boiler fireman, bought property in Bardsdale and raised citrus. The Smiths had two children, Milton and Dorothy Elaine. Milton graduated from Fillmore High School in 1940. By 1942, he was in the US Navy. He served in the Pacific as a Naval Officer. We have not been able to find his service records to give more detail to his Naval career, but we do have his Naval uniform on display along with his father’s memorabilia.

These were just two of many men and women from Fillmore and throughout the country who have served their country in its times of need. Memorial Day is our time to remember and honor them.