Centennial Westridge school 2013-2014
Volume 6 | December 2013
Westridge Athletics: An Illustrious History by Fran Norris Scoble
There is no way Mary Ranney could have imagined the passage of Title IX, which became law on June 23, 1972. Senator Birch Bahy said at the time, “This...is an important first step in the effort to provide for the women of America something that is rightfully theirs — an equal chance to attend the schools of their choice, to develop the skills they want...” Title IX ushered in the modern era of women’s sports. Such a statement from a United States senator would have been unimaginable in 1913, a year when women did not yet have the right to vote in national elections. Nevertheless, from its earliest beginnings, Westridge had a robust and lively tradition of athletic competition. Mary Ranney herself created an intense intra-school rivalry between Greeks and Romans that resulted in many hard fought and closely contested athletic events. Perhaps one early indication that Westridge School would have a long, illustrious history of athletic achievements was the fact that Mary Ranney located the school adjacent to an
existing family gymnasium, which she promptly rented from the Fleming family to serve as a meeting space and as an athletic venue. Later, Tod Ford, whose daughter Marian ’27 was a Westridge student, purchased the “Old Gym” and donated it to Westridge. In 1919, equipment for basketball and volleyball was installed on campus and a diamond laid out for baseball. According to Helen Dakin Forve ’23, “everyone played baseball... We played all the time—before school, after school, at recess and at noon…after gobbling sandwiches on the back steps.” Westridge produced many dominant tennis players from the early ’20s. In 1920, four Westridge students competed in the annual Ojai tennis tournament. In the 1930s the athletic program blossomed. Ruby Bishop ’31 and Jane Sharp ’32 represented Westridge in regional and national tournaments winning numerous titles. In 1931, Ruby won the girls national singles championship by defeating the number one nationally ranked player at the time, Alice Marble!
westridge beginnings
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1969 | Roland E. Coate, architect, guides the building program for 10 years and proposes three phases for the school’s growth. In phase I, the study hall becomes an expanded library and lockers are provided for storage. Phase II, a building campaign which includes a science center, a fine arts center, a performing arts center (in the old gym), a new gymnasium, an athletic field and tennis courts, and a parking lot, is approved with a projected cost of $1,467,000.
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1970 | Mrs. Herrick describes 1971 | Westridge applies for a use permit to remodel the student body: “They still want Pitcairn House as an arts center. uniforms but they would like to embellish them whatever way they 1973 | Mrs. Katherine B. Trower follows Elizabeth Edmundson Herrick as Westridge’s sixth headmistress. choose... they do desire more The Herrick Quadrangle is dedicated. School opens with freedom in their daily lives, specifically freedom to come and go from 327 students, including 40 sets of sisters, 30 alumnae school during the day. This is known daughters, and an increasingly diverse student population. as ‘Open Campus’.”