Most of our readers are aware that 2014 is the 90th anniversary of the incorporation of the City of Signal Hill. To commemorate the event, we published a 24-page, full-color special section on June 20. We printed and delivered 5,000 issues to the residents of Signal Hill and have also made extra issues available at the Signal Hill Library and City Hall, as well as at the City’s special events like the picnic on June 21. Issues have also been available at the summer concerts in the park at Signal Hill Park and at our office. We also made sure that a large stack of the issues were made available to the Long Beach Historical Society in Bixby Knolls and that the full special section was available to read on our website, signaltribune.com .
Nevertheless, in spite of our distribution efforts, we know that many of our Long Beach readers did not have the opportunity to see the Signal Hill historical photos or read the educational articles that filled that special section. Given that, we are starting, with this issue, to reprint those articles and photos in our regular issues over the next several weeks. We begin today with my “Memories from the Publisher” that ran in that issue (see below).
I hope you enjoy learning more about Signal Hill, known by Vice Mayor Larry Forester as “The little city that could, and did.”
Memories from the Publisher
Signal Hill is my hometown, and most of my milestones took place in this little 2.2-square-mile city.
I learned to walk, talk, skate, bike and make friends here. I attended Signal Hill Elementary School from kindergarten through grade six. As an only child whose parents both worked, I relied on my classmates and the neighborhood kids to take on the role of surrogate siblings. I am still in touch with some of those kids and/or their families: Becky Silva Burleson, Desi Dold, Susie Gomm Manning, Brandt Authier, Eddie Sandsteadt, Keith Larsen, Kris Kemner-Cranton, Mike Eselen, Gary Wilson, Sandy Badgett and Ralph Sirignano, just to name a few. I find it quite heart-warming that so many of us still want to keep in contact and reminisce about our childhoods. These are the young people who taught me to share, laugh and do some of the things of which my parents would not have approved— although I was usually the instigator. I never was much of one to fall for peer pressure.
I attended a little Baptist church near the corner of 20th and Cherry with neighbor girl Tina Wilson (her mother was later my junior-high Spanish teacher). Although I loved spending time with my friends, I was very independent and also enjoyed my alone time. After school or on weekends, I walked down to the corner to Surlow’s Market (later named Jackpot) for gum, red licorice or comic books. It was a different time back then. Our parents didn’t worry about us biking or walking around the neighborhood. From about age 8 to 10 on Saturday mornings, I often hiked up Pacific Coast Highway a few blocks to Lapin Brothers School of Beauty and had my hair done. Yep, for a quarter tip I could get my hair washed and curled. I also loved playing in Mom’s makeup. My dad said I was a glamour-puss, but I also did my share of playing basketball and catch with the neighborhood boys. My friend, and still neighbor, Becky and I often took the bus downtown Long Beach to go to a movie, shop at Sears or go to the Pike— don’t tell our parents! We also walked up to the Signal Hill Library on a regular basis to check out books from our librarian, Mrs. Brady, who, by the way, kept a strict eye on all of us kids. If she didn’t approve of a book we chose to borrow, she’d call our parents to get their permission. She was tough but fair, and we all loved and respected her.
Things changed when the neighborhood group of us entered junior high school. With no middle schools within city limits, we had to attend Jefferson Junior High in Long Beach. I felt disconnected from my city because the short bus ride I experienced going to elementary school had become a junior-high ordeal. Most of the time my mom drove a carload of us to Jefferson, and we had to either walk home or take two busses to get back to our houses. Nevertheless, we all survived. When we completed junior high school, we Signal Hill kids transferred to the halls of Woodrow Wilson High School, also in Long Beach. It was even farther away than was our junior high school.
My family always enjoyed attending and participating in local activities. We loved going to Tod “Kid Mexico” Faulkner’s yearly Christmas party where he handed out toys to every child in attendance. One year I had the honor of serving as his “Princess of Signal Hill” — tiara and all! The next year I was crowned Queen, and my best friend Charlene Hopkins was the princess. We also never missed the annual Model-T Climb up Hill Street or the happenings at the once-a-year Fiesta de Oro Negro (later dubbed the Roughneck Roundup) that took place every summer at Signal Hill Park. I loved the games, music, raffles and watching the folks trying to scramble up the greased pole to grab the $100 bill at the top!
Our family’s involvement with the city of Signal Hill became more pronounced when my father, Al Posner, ran for, and was elected city treasurer in early 1970. I was so proud to see him sitting in his seat at the council meetings. I guess that early exposure to politics has really stayed with me. I still attend most Signal Hill council meetings and get pretty pumped up on election nights! A year or so after being re-elected for a second term, my father, suffering from extreme depression, took his own life. A very short while later, the City decided to appoint my mother, Marjorie Posner (now Grommé) to fill out what was left of Daddy’s term. She loved her City Hall family, and at 94 years of age, she still comes to council meetings when she can. They treat her royally to this day.
Decades later, I own the home I grew up in and just celebrated my 24th wedding anniversary with my wonderful spouse Steve. We were married in our driveway— the same one where, as a child, I played tag, tetherball and basketball with my dad. We have now owned the local newspaper for a little more than 14 years, and Steve has served as a city civil service commissioner for nearly 16 years. We love our city and are proud and happy to be residents as well as business owners.
I want to thank the City of Signal Hill for giving me such deep roots and a sense of belonging as well as purpose. Happy birthday, old girl— you look great for 90!
