HomeMy WebLinkAboutSLO What Dec 2016
History of San Luis Obispo
Joseph A. Carotenuti
City Historian/Archivist
Vision is often a lonely occupation. While those around you are anxious about what to do with an empty acre or two,
you’re already picking apples from the trees growing there. What today is most often called “long-term planning” will
clash with those who want “results” or those who see such planning headed for a steep cliff.
And so, Myron Angel continued to rigorously propose a “hands-on” school as a community (and statewide) need. All
the effort and energy finally made its way in April 1898 to the desk of Governor James Budd. Budd, who is the
legislative ancestor of Cal Trans, vetoed the bill citing that the school was unnecessary and would increase taxation.
Reality in Sacramento requires careful attention and, once again, vision suffered a setback.
What many didn’t realize (then or now), “vision” is tenacious. Using his power with a pen, Angel compared a school to
other noted universities. “What Freiberg and Heidelberg are to Germany and Cornell to New York, the Polytechnic
School of San Luis Obispo is designed to be to the Pacific Coast.” There was no question in his mind that advanced
education was more than the accumulation of knowledge. Higher education also meant learning the “art of making a
living.”
Thus, once again, the battle was resumed, conversations continued, support rallied reminding all that “labor is the
source of all wealth.” A new governor promised a new opportunity. Again, defeat came upon the heels of disputes in the
legislature as local Assemblyman Burnett became involved in legislation to pay a bounty on coyote scalps! This time
the bill to create the polytechnic institution never made it to the governor’s desk.
For a visionary, “surrender” is rarely an option.
If the local politician was the problem, the answer was to elect a different one. In 1900, Warren M. John joined the State
Assembly and the next year An Act to Establish the California Polytechnic School in the County of San Luis Obispo
was passed by a near unanimous vote and made its way to the desk of the new governor, Henry T. Gage (1899-1903)
who signed the measure on March 8, 1901. Angel’s vision became a reality…at least on paper.
Given the Southern Pacific Railroad’s control of California politics, an institution of higher education would
complement their closing of the “gap” finally uniting the coastal route between the northern and southern portions of the
state. Indeed, plans were being made for President William McKinley to travel the nation. He would expect that rails
would precede his special train due to arrive May 10. While the 25th President didn’t mention the new venture during
his hour visit, locally, its site was as yet to be determined.
His successor, Theodore Roosevelt, did include mention of the polytechnic school during his one-hour visit two years
later. The youngest man (to his time) to be the Chief Executive knew a few painful lessons about agriculture.
It must have been a proud day for Myron Angel.
CONTACT: jacarotenuti@gmail.com
HISTORY of SAN LUIS OBISPO