A school without steers? Unthinkable, said Mason Tucker, a 10th-grader at Madera South High School north of Fresno.

“When I found out there were all these animals here, I thought, I can do this in school? I have to be here,” said Tucker, who commutes 40 minutes each way to attend the school’s agriculture program. “Why hate school when you can love it?”

Steers, sheep, horses, pigs, rabbits, chickens, a sweet-smelling tangerine grove and acres of rotating crops are part of Madera South’s agriculture pathway for students — one of thousands of career-focused courses in California high schools that are part of a renaissance in career and technical education. Aimed at preparing students for skilled, high-wage jobs, the pathways are a step beyond the vocation ed courses of generations past.

First: Rows of citrus trees lined up in a field. Last: Sophomore student Brianna Ramirez checks on the sheep in their pen at the Madera South High School farm on April 2, 2024. Photos by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local

Since 2015, California has invested well over $3 billion to expand career and technical education in high schools, making it a leader nationwide. That money has translated to state-of-the-art robotics labs, welding shops, film studios and other career-preparation programs intended to spur the economy and offer students more options for their futures, whether it includes college or not.

Students seem to appreciate the opportunities. Enrollment in career pathways has jumped from 18% of all students six years ago to 23% last year. Native American, homeless and low-income students had the highest rates among student groups.

Budget uncertainty could imperil career pathway expansion

More expansion is on the way, unless the initiative falls victim to upcoming state budget cuts. Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposed budget, released in January, calls for career education to stay intact, although that could change as negotiations continue. Last August, Newsom signed an executive order creating a Master Plan for Career Education, intended to link K-12 programs to those in community colleges and 4-year universities and streamline the dozens of career training pathways and funding sources.

Despite the surge in funding, Newsom is still a ways off from achieving his goal. While thousands of high schools in California have added or expanded their career education courses in recent years, some high schools still have scant — if any — offerings. Some courses don’t include academic content or lead to meaningful careers.

And while more students are enrolling in career preparation courses, the number should be higher, education advocates said. Ideally, all students should be taking college preparatory classes as well as career education courses, so they have the widest range of options after they graduate.

‘Once in a lifetime opportunities’

At Madera South, nearly all students are in a pathway, one of the highest rates in the state. And most of them are enrolled in the agriculture pathway, a mix of academic classes like biology and chemistry and hands-on courses such as animal science, floral design, welding and engine repair.

First: Sophomore student Saray Madriz demonstrates how students show rabbits in competitions. Last: Students assembled a flower arrangement for a class career pathway course on April 2, 2024. Photos by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local

The school includes a 20-acre farm with ample space for livestock and raising crops. Much of the program is self-supporting, as students sell eggs, produce, floral arrangements and animals to their classmates and the community. State grant money has allowed the school to invest in field trips to local nurseries, processing plants and farms, and new equipment, such as a pair of ultrasound machines for students to see how many babies a sheep is carrying.

“It used to be, money was tight,” said Kristin McKenna, the district’s director of college and career readiness. “We couldn’t do a lot of things we wanted to. But now we have state-of-the-art equipment that’s comparable to what’s actually being used in the industry. … It gives students once-in-a-lifetime opportunities they’re not going to get elsewhere.”

“Why hate school when you can love it?”
— Mason Tucker, 10th-grader at Madera South High School

Tucker and his classmates spend hours a day, even in the summer, tending to livestock and growing pumpkins and corn. Brianna Ramirez, a sophomore, said she’s motivated by the gratitude from community members.

“When I see the families line up for our corn, and they tell us how good it is, it’s just an amazing feeling,” Ramirez said. “People say I’m crazy for being out here at 6 a.m. pulling weeds all summer, but I love it.”

Ramirez, who aspires to be a horse trainer or veterinarian, said her grandparents were farmworkers for years and were initially baffled by her interest in agriculture.

Sophomore student Brianna Ramirez checks on the sheep in their pen at the Madera South High School farm on April 2, 2024. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local

“At first they were like, why is she always with the sheep? Now, it’s ‘Damn, that girl is always busy,’ ” Ramirez said. “My goal is to always make them proud. … I want to keep the ag part of my family going.”

From vocational ed to career ed

Career programs, once known as vocational education, have been in high schools for at least a century, but were often criticized for tracking students — particularly those who were low-income – into auto shop, for example, rather than college preparatory classes.

In the 1980s, employers started pushing for stronger academic preparation in high schools so workers would be better equipped to tackle fast-changing technologies. In 1990, the federal government updated the Carl T. Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act to require schools to integrate academic and vocational programs in order to get grant money.

These days, high-quality career preparation pathways are supposed to include academic courses as well as reflect the local job market, with input from industry leaders. In the Bay Area, that means lots of computer science pathways. Los Angeles high schools are replete with entertainment pathways to prepare students for careers in Hollywood, from acting to camerawork.

Pathways in marine transportation and global logistics

At least two schools in the Los Angeles area focus on global logistics, with support from the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. In Long Beach, Cabrillo High School, which is in a largely low-income area, has a global logistics pathway where students take courses in supply chain management, international business and other topics to prepare them for careers at the port.

In one project, students analyze a country’s imports, exports and biggest trade partners. In another project, students examine a hypothetical solar panels company – where it manufactures the panels, how it ships the panels across the globe, and how logistics impact revenues.

More than 425 students are enrolled in the program, making it one of the district’s most popular.

“Students see the cranes at the port, now they know the story behind them,” said teacher Jim Dowding. “You see students’ eyes get big and you know you’re changing lives. Not just their lives, but their family’s lives and the entire community.”

In San Pedro, a charter school called Port of Los Angeles High School offers several pathways that can lead to port jobs. Among them is a marine transportation pathway that includes classes in sailing, boat-building and navigation. Pathways in welding and construction also prepare students for jobs in the maritime industry. Partnerships with local unions allow students to enter apprentice programs after graduation.

The school is in high demand. Last year 420 students applied for 250 spots in the freshman class. Winners were chosen through a lottery.

“You see students’ eyes get big and you know you’re changing lives. Not just their lives, but their family’s lives and the entire community.”
— Jim Dowding, teacher at Cabrillo High School in Long Beach

Danica Nelson, a senior in the welding pathway, said she’s grateful to gain practical job skills. Her primary interest is theater, but she’s been able to merge the disciplines in a way she thinks will lead to a meaningful career in set construction. At school, she welded a table for a production of “Clue” and a counter for “Little Shop of Horrors.”

“I wanted to study theater but those jobs are hard to get and don’t pay that well,” Nelson said. “But with welding, I can make a good living and still be involved in theater. It’s a perfect fit for me.”

A film studio at Hollywood High

Across the county at Hollywood High, a $1 million state grant allowed the school to transform an abandoned auto shop into a state-of-the-art film studio. Students in the performing arts and media academies learn everything from animation to documentary filmmaking to stage design. One recent graduate, Cheyenne Williams, won an Emmy in 2021 for a short children’s program she directed, “Girls’ Voices Now.”

The academies are a way to guide Hollywood High students — the vast majority of whom are low-income and Latino — toward lucrative careers in the entertainment industry. Surrounded by Hollywood landmarks like the Walk of Fame and the El Capitan Theatre, the high school offers a natural training ground for future actors, lighting designers, key grips and other film set staples.

“Our students see (the entertainment industry) every day, it’s literally right in their backyard, but they don’t know how to access it,” said teacher Ali Nezu, who coordinates both academies. “We try to open those doors, give them opportunities and skills they’d never have access to otherwise, whether they decide to pursue entertainment or not.”

Higher graduation rates, better employment outlook

Research has shown that students in career education programs have higher graduation rates, improved academic achievement and higher rates of employment and enrollment in community college, said Miya Warner, a senior principal researcher with the research firm SRI.

Another benefit of high school career pathways is that the stakes are low if students change their minds. It’s relatively easy to change pathways in high school, while changing majors in college is more complicated and can cost thousands of dollars in extra coursework.

She also pointed out that college enrollment has been declining in California since 2019, as student loan debts climb and completion rates remain low. For many students, going straight from high school to a career is an appealing option.

“People are questioning college in a way they did not previously,” Warner said, adding that is happening in spite of projections that ​​an increasing share of jobs over the next decade will require a college degree. “I think (career education) is definitely having a moment right now. It has bipartisan support, and there’s a lot of good research showing its benefits.”

She cautioned, though, that not all career education programs have the same positive outcomes. The most successful programs are tied to the local labor market and offer a sequence of linked classes, not “a la carte” offerings. Pathways should also link to high-wage careers in growing industries, not low-paying jobs with little future.

Students learning to weld in a classroom at the Madera South High School farm on April 2, 2024. Welding is one of thousands of career-focused courses in California high schools. Photos by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local

Challenges with accountability and communication

Another hurdle with career education is accountability, said David Stern, a professor emeritus at UC Berkeley who’s extensively studied the topic. Currently, the state’s main accountability measure, the California School Dashboard, uses a “college/career” indicator to count the number of students who meet the state’s college admission standards or finish a career pathway, not both. In 2023, only about 11% of students met both criteria, according to the state.

“To really reach the golden age of (career and technical education), every student should be prepared for college and career,” Stern said. “It shouldn’t be one or the other.”

He also questioned how well schools are communicating with students about their options. Most schools have skeletal counseling staffs, and some students undoubtedly sign up for a pathway because their friends are enrolled, or because someone picked it for them.

At Madera South, Tucker enjoys his time outdoors tending to animals on the campus farm, but he also loves another class in the ag pathway: welding. He recently built a steel table in six hours for a class competition, emblazoned with intricate “Madera FFA” lettering.

In addition to working on farm machinery, welding students learn to make barbecues, fire pits and other metal items. Tucker hopes to continue welding at the local community college after he graduates.

Sophomore student Mason Tucker tying his rope halter to a bar after using it on a steer at the Madera South High School farm on April 2, 2024. Photo by Larry Valenzuela, CalMatters/CatchLight Local

“This program is what I look forward to every single day,” Tucker said. “I feel like I’ve accomplished so much. It makes me think, what else can I accomplish in life?”

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Financial support for this story was provided by the Smidt Foundation and The James Irvine Foundation.

The Calmatters Ideas Festival takes place June 5-6! Find out more and get your tickets at this link.

CalMatters.org is a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.

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Statement from Cal Poly Humboldt:

Since the beginning, the University’s concern has not been the protest itself.  We have a long history of activism and civic engagement on this campus, and we unequivocally support the rights of students and others to assemble peacefully, to protest, and to have their voices heard. 

The concern in this case is the ongoing unlawful occupation of campus buildings by students and non-students and other criminal acts (e.g., vandalism, theft, destruction of state property and intimidation of University employees).  These ongoing occupations have also created safety hazards for those who have barricaded themselves inside, blocking exits to the building.  

This has nothing to do with free speech or freedom of inquiry.  It is lawless behavior that has harmed the vast majority of our students whose education has been interrupted, damaged the reputation of our school, and drained resources from the accomplishment of our core educational purpose.

Individuals inside Siemens Hall were repeatedly asked to move their demonstration outside into the University Quad, which is in the heart of campus directly in front of the building. When they refused, they were warned multiple times to leave the building or face arrest for trespassing.  When police attempted to enforce the order to disperse, individuals resisted arrest, which ended in a confrontation. When it was clear the situation was escalating, police withdrew for the safety of those inside the building and law enforcement officers.

The  University’s goal has always been to bring a peaceful end to the occupation, and we continue to talk to anyone willing to have productive and respectful dialogue.  

While it’s too early to assess the cost of illegal activities, we estimate it to be in the millions. That includes damage done by theft, vandalism and graffiti, and the supplies and personnel needed to repair that, in addition to the loss of revenue from disruption to University operations. 

But the true cost has been the disruption of the education of our students who came here to learn and get a college degree.

PREVIOUSLY: 

• Cal Poly Humboldt University Senate Passes Resolution Calling for a Permanent Ceasefire in Gaza
• DAY SIX: Cal Poly Humboldt Issues Hard Closure of Campus; Law Enforcement Converges
• DAY FIVE: Protesters Open Cal Poly Humboldt’s Siemens Hall After Day of Tension Waiting For a Raid That Has Yet to Come
• DAY FOUR: Occupy Cal Poly Humboldt Protester Details Group’s Demands, Motivations and Views on President Tom Jackson, Law Enforcement and Their Campus Impact
• Cal Poly Humboldt Faculty Pass Vote of No Confidence in President Tom Jackson Amid Ongoing Student Protest
• DAY THREE: (PHOTOS) Student Protesters List Demands, Expand Graffiti Messaging and Voice Camaraderie on Third Day of Cal Poly Humboldt Campus Occupation
• Cal Poly Humboldt Says Campus Will be Closed Through at Least the Weekend Due to Ongoing Pro-Palestine Protests
• DAY TWO: The Morning After Cops Clash With Student Protesters, CPH Campus is Closed, Occupied Building Barricaded
• Legendary Rebellious Rapper Chuck D’s Cal Poly Humboldt Event Canceled By In-Progress, On-Campus Rebellion
• DAY ONE: Major Pro-Palestine Protests at Cal Poly Humboldt Provoke Massive Police Response; Protesters Occupy Siemens Hall; Reports of Violent Force Between Activists and Law Enforcement

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As pro-Palestinian protesters continue to occupy portions of the Cal Poly Humboldt campus, which is currently under an enforced hard closure due to the ongoing demonstration, the University Senate Executive Committee has passed a resolution calling for a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. 

The executive committee is a subset of the full University Senate, which is a deliberative body composed of elected and appointed members of administration, faculty, staff and students. But the resolution says the committee is acting on behalf of the full body.

The document also offers a brief overview of the events in the Middle East that have inspired protests at campuses across the country. It says the state of Israel “has maintained a disproportionate response” to the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack, killing tens of thousands of civilians, a majority of which were women and children.

Six days into the occupation, the university itself has yet to acquiesce to the protesters’ demands, though on Friday it issued an initial response that addressed six of their requests – one of which is a call for the university to what the senate has done: publicly call for a ceasefire and end to the occupation of Palestine.

The university’s response to that particular demand was essentially a general statement of values, reading, in part, “We are supportive of a peaceful and just world which affords the opportunity for all human beings to flourish and achieve their potential.”

Here’s the text of the University Senate’s resolution:

CAL POLY HUMBOLDT

University Senate

Sense of the Senate Resolution on

A Call for Permanent Ceasefire in Gaza

25-23/24-EX — April 26, 2024

WHEREAS, The vision of Cal Poly Humboldt states: Cal Poly Humboldt will be a campus for those who seek above all else to improve the global human condition and our relationship with the environment; and

WHEREAS, Since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel that killed 1,163 Israelis, and captured still held 134 hostages, the state of Israel has maintained a disproportionate response killing more than 42,500 Palestinians, including 38,621 civilians, of which 10,091 were women and 15,780 were children [source] , and

WHEREAS, UN independent human rights experts have determined that 5,800 students and teachers have been killed, “more than 80 percent of schools in Gaza [have been] damaged or destroyed,” and 625,000 students are left without places to study and learn due to attacks on schools and universities [source]; and

WHEREAS, The Students, Faculty, and Staff of Cal Poly Humboldt are deeply committed to peace and humane treatment of all people; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That Cal Poly Humboldt Senate Executive Committee, acting on behalf of the University Senate, calls for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza; and be it further

RESOLVED, That this resolution be distributed to:

The Office of the Chancellor of California State University
The Academic Senate of California State University
The Cal Poly Humboldt University Senate
The Faculty, Staff and Students of Cal Poly Humboldt
Governor Gavin Newsom, State of California
Senator Mike McGuire, President Pro Tempore of the California Senate
Representative Jared Huffman, US House of Representatives

PREVIOUSLY: 

• DAY SIX: Cal Poly Humboldt Issues Hard Closure of Campus; Law Enforcement Converges
• DAY FIVE: Protesters Open Cal Poly Humboldt’s Siemens Hall After Day of Tension Waiting For a Raid That Has Yet to Come
• DAY FOUR: Occupy Cal Poly Humboldt Protester Details Group’s Demands, Motivations and Views on President Tom Jackson, Law Enforcement and Their Campus Impact
• Cal Poly Humboldt Faculty Pass Vote of No Confidence in President Tom Jackson Amid Ongoing Student Protest
• DAY THREE: (PHOTOS) Student Protesters List Demands, Expand Graffiti Messaging and Voice Camaraderie on Third Day of Cal Poly Humboldt Campus Occupation
• Cal Poly Humboldt Says Campus Will be Closed Through at Least the Weekend Due to Ongoing Pro-Palestine Protests
• DAY TWO: The Morning After Cops Clash With Student Protesters, CPH Campus is Closed, Occupied Building Barricaded
• Legendary Rebellious Rapper Chuck D’s Cal Poly Humboldt Event Canceled By In-Progress, On-Campus Rebellion
• DAY ONE: Major Pro-Palestine Protests at Cal Poly Humboldt Provoke Massive Police Response; Protesters Occupy Siemens Hall; Reports of Violent Force Between Activists and Law Enforcement

How should we react when we learn that someone who has brought us great pleasure — as an author, movie star or producer, comedian, poet, cartoonist — is a terrible person in “real life”? Although the last decade has brought ugly news about a host of well-known personalities, this is hardly a new phenomenon. From the slave-owning “Fathers of the Republic” to renowned 19th century novelists such as Charles Dickens (an awful husband and father) the (sadistic!) Marquis de Sade or hypersexual Victor Hugo to, more recently, misogynist Pablo Picasso or the author of my beloved A House for Mr Biswas, the racist V.S. Naipaul — such towering icons of my education and beyond have been shown to have been desperately flawed human beings.

I’m going to list a few more that come to mind, but you’ll easily be able to come up with your own list while asking, Should we spurn the works of awful people, or take a deep breath and simply enjoy the fruits of their labor?

Harvey Weinstein, movie producer and convicted rapist, currently serving a 39-year prison sentence. With his brother, he was responsible for a host of award-winning movies via Miramax and The Weinstein Company including Chicago, Shakespeare in Love, Bridget Jones’s Diary, Django Unchained and Silver Linings Playbook.

Orson Scott Card, author of Ender’s Game, a fabulous sci-fi novel that won both the Nebula and Hugo Awards. Card, great-great-grandson of Brigham Young (who isn’t, in Utah?) is an outspoken homophobe.

Carl Orff, composer. Orff’s 1936 cantata Carmina Burina features a rousing chorus that’s become a standard in the modern classical repertoire. Orff was the musical darling of the Nazi party, and Carmina Burina has been described as “…the single universally important work produced during the entire span of the Third Reich.”

Bill Cosby, comedian. AKA Cliff Huxtable, “America’s Dad” was found guilty of multiple charges of aggravated sexual assault. Rolling Stone commented, “…it’s damned near impossible to watch anything the tainted comedian has done and not think of the headlines, the heckling, the revelations and what is, by any definition, monstrous behavior.”

William S. Burroughs, author. Burroughs shot and killed his second wife Joan Vollmer in Mexico City in 1951 in what he described as a drunken “William Tell stunt.” He subsequently became a favorite of the Beat Generation with such novels as The Naked Lunch.

Juliet Hulme, detective writer. Writing under the pseudonym Anne Perry, Hulme authored the Thomas & Charlotte Pitt and William Monk novels. When she was 15, she and her 16-year-old friend murdered the friend’s mother. Kate Winslet portrayed Hulme in the movie about it, Heavenly Creatures.

Then there are anti-Semitic writers and poets galore, including Patricia Highsmith (self-described “Jew hater”), T.S. Eliot (“…any large number of free-thinking Jews [is] undesirable”), Ezra Pound (“The Jew alone can retain his detestable qualities…”), Virginia Wolfe…not to mention Hitler’s favorite composer Richard Wagner.

The list goes on. Any wavering doubts about the flaws of such beloved geniuses as Voltaire, Roald Dahl, Eric Gill, Ayn Rand, Tintin’s Hergé (Georges Remi), Charles Dickens or Lord Byron can be dispelled with a quick trip to Google or Wikipedia.

So that’s my dilemma: Should I judge someone by the worst they did, or the best they did?

UPDATE, 9:47 p.m.: As promised… Gooseneck.

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UPDATE: 7:42 p.m.: Protesters have spent the past hour or so gathered at the site of the police barricade at the intersection of Plaza Avenue and LK Wood Boulevard. As they were chanting, a U-Haul truck parked across the street. The occupants exited the vehicle and rolled up the vehicle’s rear door to reveal… a drum set. And guitars. 

Yes, the members of Arcata hardcore band Gooseneck have arrived at Cal Poly Humboldt and plan to bring the noise for the demonstrators. They are setting up now, but seem to be having trouble with their generator.. We will update when their shredding is commences.

— Andrew Goff

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UPDATE, 6:15 p.m.: A crowd continues to hold space on the UC Quad, dining together, listening to music, and adding to the collection of chalk art. Another group of protesters has opted to take the message to the streets of Arcata (see above).

Meanwhile, a pair of Arcata City Council members have released a statement in support of a non-violent resolution to the continuing situation. Read that below:

As City Council members, and more importantly as humans, we support peaceful resolutions and open dialogue. It is essential to respect the rights of our community members, including and especially students, to peacefully express their views. We believe in the power of de-escalation and constructive conversation to promote understanding globally and foster solutions locally.

We send our young people to universities such as Cal Poly Humboldt to foster critical thinking and encourage them to make the changes in the world that they deem necessary. This is what they are doing.  In this emotionally charged situation, a non-violent approach should, and must be used by all parties involved. As a council, we heard from and worked with community members, including students, to have an open dialogue and create a cease-fire resolution for Arcata. This type of dialogue and conversation can bring our community together without violence.

Stacy Atkins-Salazar & Sarah Schaefer, Arcata City Council

—Andrew Goff

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UPDATE, 5:00 p.m.: The Outpost just received word from Michihiro Clark Sugata, an associate professor of sociology who has been helping students with negotiations, that the student protestors are willing to leave Siemens Hall if Cal Poly Humboldt administrators meet the following demands:

• Descalate: The students want the police and the threat of police violence to be removed. As a part of that, they want to ensure there are no academic penalties, according to Sugata.
• Disinvest: The students want the university to disinvest from all interests connected to Israel.
• Declare: The students have also asked for the university and CSU leadership to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.

The Humboldt Chapter of the California Faculty Association (CFA) has released the following statement in response to the university’s decision to shut down the campus. The CFA is calling for the resignation of Cal Poly Humboldt President Tom Jackson and his Chief of Staff, Mark Johnson. The CFA has also asked for law enforcement officials to leave campus.

Press release from the CFA:

The Cal Poly Humboldt Chapter of the California Faculty Association (CFA), a labor union that represents teaching, counseling, library, and coaching faculty of the California State University System, strongly condemn today’s actions of Cal Poly Humboldt (CPH) Administration as yet another dangerous escalation of their response to a peaceful campus demonstration.

Just after 12:30pm, Saturday, April 27th, CPH Administration sent an email that the campus was officially under a “hard” closure. As of the writing of this email, a strong police presence has been sighted on campus, barricades have been erected to prohibit access to campus, and students who live on campus are being restricted to the resident halls and the dining hall. 

This campus closure represents a dangerous escalation of the administrative response to this week’s student demonstrations against the Israeli government’s relentless assault on the people of Palestine. Student protestors and their numerous allies including faculty and staff, are still in the central campus area, now isolated and vulnerable to the kind of police violence that occurred April 22nd, the first night of the demonstration. The students and their allies are engaged in a peaceful protest, closing campus and introducing unneeded police presence puts students and others at an unnecessary risk of both physical and emotional harm.

Last evening, student protesters opened Siemens Hall, the administrative building they have been occupying, so that all could see that, while there is graffiti on the walls, there has been little other property damage. Contrary to what was insinuated by CPH administration earlier this week, no confidential files have been compromised. Nearly all administrative offices remain locked. Students are demonstrating on behalf of the people of Gaza and all Palestinians and are not interested in administrative paperwork.

CFA Humboldt demands that: 

• Tom Jackson, who has been asked to step down from his role as CPH President, must immediately resign.

• Mark Johnson, who has been asked to step down from his role as Chief of Staff of President Tom Jackson, must immediately resign.

• Barriers to Campus need to be immediately removed and campus needs to be reopened.  All members of the university community need access to campus.

• Police officers must leave their stations on campus and return to their home offices.

• Cal Poly Humboldt administration needs to commit to student safety and agree to continue to respectfully and in good faith negotiate with student protesters.

In the words of CPH Professor Gabi Kirk, “I have seen this happen in Palestine to restrict freedom of mobility and attempt to quash protest. Our students who are protesting for justice, peace, and an end to killing in Palestine are now having it happen to them.” Restricting freedom of movement, speech, and peaceful demonstration will not make our campus safer nor will it heal our campus community of recent events. CFA Humboldt asksCPH Administration to open the campus, support students, and allow faculty to do the job we were hired to do, teach students.

— Isabella Vanderheiden

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UPDATE, 4:10 p.m.: As protestors wait for the cops to show up, Michihiro Clark Sugata, associate professor of sociology at the university, urged protestors to be realistic about what happens next.

“Any stand at this point is symbolic,” he said to a crowd gathered around the UC Quad. “You can choose to deal with that however you want but … [for] legal counsel to protect you as best they can, the most effective thing you can do is to sit down, lock arms and not resist. … Once you fight back – even hitting with another water bottle – you will be charged with assault and everything escalates.”

—Ryan Burns

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UPDATE, 3:40 p.m.: One of the protestors – as seen in the video above –provided some additional information about the administration’s decision to end negotiations, adding that police intervention is imminent.

“We don’t know when that is, but we can confirm it is going to happen,” she said. “So, do with that information what you feel is best. I don’t want anyone to compromise their safety more than they are willing, but if you plan on staying make sure you have a plan.”

UPDATE, 2:30 p.m.: Michihiro Clark Sugata, an associate professor of sociology at the university, told the Outpost’s Ryan Burns that he’s been working with the protesting students to “push for some form of negotiation” with administrators. Students were in active negotiations with administrators when the police showed up this afternoon and “disrupted that process,” he said.

“This is incredibly disheartening because there was engagement,” he said. “There was a good faith effort by the students there to actually consider very tangible outcomes to try to bring this to a close.”

A student protestor shared the following statement in response to the administration’s decision to impose a hard closure on campus:

We are disappointed to receive an email from campus administration announcing a “hard close” of campus. Allowing only those with permission to enter campus at this time. Anyone on campus is subject to citation or arrest. Police were present at the time the email went out, setting up concrete barriers at all campus entrances. Students living on campus are restricted to their dorms and residential areas.

We have and remain to be a peaceful protest. In negotiations with administration yesterday we were given the impression that negotiations would continue however, they have recently informed us that they refuse to negotiate further. We are concerned for the potential of police escalation at this time. We showed good faith in our negotiations and deescalation yesterday but reopening Siemens Hall. Administration has not kept their end of the agreement.

We love and care for our community and continue to stand in solidarity with other campuses for a free Palestine. Shame on administration for silencing the free speech of our brave students. We, as ever, are not afraid.

— Isabella Vanderheiden

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UPDATE, 1:29 p.m.: The Outpost is at Cal Poly Humboldt where numerous officers with California State University insignia have begun staging on the outskirts of campus. We will continue to update. 

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Original Post: Cal Poly Humboldt administrators have imposed a “hard closure” of campus in response to the ongoing pro-Palestine occupation of Siemens Hall, prohibiting any individuals from entering campus without authorization from University Police. According to the full announcement:

A hard closure of campus is now being enforced. Individuals are prohibited from entering or being on campus without permission.
This includes road closures at Harpst and B as well as Plaza and LK Wood.

This closure means that nobody without authorization by University Police is allowed on the campus. Anyone on campus without permission is subject to citation or arrest.

Students who live on campus in residence halls are presumed to have permission to remain in the limited area of the hall they live in and dining facilities. Until further updates, student residents do not have permission to be in other parts of campus.

The campus is closed due to ongoing occupation of Siemens Hall and Nelson Hall, as well as continued challenges with individuals breaking laws in the area surrounding the buildings and the quad.

Ongoing updates are available at humboldt.edu/emergency.

— Isabella Vanderheiden

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University administrators and protestors were in active negotiations on Friday afternoon, according to Jackie, one of the students involved in the occupation. Protestors spent much of the morning preparing for a police attempt to expel them from the building, but the anticipated raid never came. Instead, protestors decided to remove the barricade from the main entrance of Siemens Hall and allow other campus dwellers to come inside.

In an interview this morning with the Outpost’s Andrew Goff, Jackie confirmed that the occupation is ongoing and criticized administrators for mischaracterizing protestors’ actions.

“We opened [the barricade] mainly to show that the university is lying about our actions,” she said. They have accused us of looting and mass destruction of property and we [wanted] to show that that wasn’t true. … There is no destruction beyond graffiti which we are discussing painting over right now. … We haven’t been destroying computers … or taking anything.”

As of this writing, the Outpost has received word that law enforcement has been seen on campus. We’ll continue to update this post.

— Isabella Vanderheiden

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PREVIOUSLY: 

• DAY FIVE: Protesters Open Cal Poly Humboldt’s Siemens Hall After Day of Tension Waiting For a Raid That Has Yet to Come
• DAY FOUR: Occupy Cal Poly Humboldt Protester Details Group’s Demands, Motivations and Views on President Tom Jackson, Law Enforcement and Their Campus Impact
• Cal Poly Humboldt Faculty Pass Vote of No Confidence in President Tom Jackson Amid Ongoing Student Protest
• DAY THREE: (PHOTOS) Student Protesters List Demands, Expand Graffiti Messaging and Voice Camaraderie on Third Day of Cal Poly Humboldt Campus Occupation
• Cal Poly Humboldt Says Campus Will be Closed Through at Least the Weekend Due to Ongoing Pro-Palestine Protests
• DAY TWO: The Morning After Cops Clash With Student Protesters, CPH Campus is Closed, Occupied Building Barricaded
• Legendary Rebellious Rapper Chuck D’s Cal Poly Humboldt Event Canceled By In-Progress, On-Campus Rebellion
• DAY ONE: Major Pro-Palestine Protests at Cal Poly Humboldt Provoke Massive Police Response; Protesters Occupy Siemens Hall; Reports of Violent Force Between Activists and Law Enforcement

In the year 1853, the only way people had of getting to Arcata was by boat across the bay. By 1860 a road was built starting in Eureka around the bay and ending in Arcata. Now known as Myrtle Avenue, it was the only road connecting the two towns until 1920.

People traveling this road after 1915 — and even up until today — could not help but notice the large, beautiful house located at the bottom of Ryan’s Slough Hill, nestled in a likewise beautiful but small valley. (Ryan’s Slough Hill is just a short distance east past the Worthington School, on the outskirts of Eureka.)

When I was a very young boy I would pass by this place and marvel at the beautiful park-like yard, complete with a lake, bridge and pergola, miniature lighthouse, archway and carved figures that adorned this picturesque estate. I often wondered: Who could have created all this beauty? I was later to find out …

In the year 1927, I was a young carpenter working for Halsby and Lax Contractors. They had a job building a two-story building on the southeast corner of Fifth and L streets in Eureka. The building permit issued October 21, 1927, was in the amount of $3,975. The owner of this building was Herman A. Lund, known to most of his friends as Harry. A sign painter and artist, this building was to be his studio and workshop with his residence located upstairs. Lund came to see our progress with his building almost every day, so I got to know him by sight. Upon investigation I found this same Mr. Lund had been owner, designer and builder of the beautiful estate at the bottom of Ryan Slough Hill.

Petra and Herman Lund with Shirley Anderson.

Herman Alfred Lund was born in 1859 in Petrograd, Russia, of Finnish parents. He attended school in Turku (Abo), Finland, where he learned the trade of sign painting. He came to San Francisco in 1881 as a sailor on the ship Young America. He married a young Finnish girl, Aurora, in 1882, and they came to Eureka in 1883. He loved this part of the country and decided to make his home here, opening a small sign shop in Vance Alley downtown.

On Jan. 2,1891, when he was 32 years old, he and his wife had a baby girl named Marcella Neva, after the Neva River in Russia. The same year, Lund purchased a lot on the northwest corner of Seventh Street and Myrtle Avenue for $650. Here he built an elaborate, two-story home, proof that he had prospered in his trade as sign painter during the relatively brief period of time he had been here.

It is thought that Lund was influenced in his design by the house across from the Carson Mansion, The Pink Lady, and indeed there is a similarity in the stairway and other architectural features. Lund could in no way duplicate the elegance of the Carson home, but he did manage to create a beautiful house on a smaller scale on Seventh Street.

The Lund house featured a life-sized wood carving of a woman’s head with a smiling face, presumed to be of his wife, mounted in the front gable of the house. Over each window on the first floor, outside, were smaller carvings of the Empress Josephine wearing a Spanish mantilla. In one of the arches of the front porch stood a carving of Napolean, complete with his familiar tri-cornered hat. These carvings, all done by Lund, were finished in gold leaf, an art which is nearly lost today.

Inside the house stood the front staircase which was also elaborately carved by Lund. On the walls were stencils and plaster castings of the “Rampant Lion,” double-headed eagle of the House of Romanoff (czars of Russia) and the French fleur-de-lis. Also featured were Napolean’s laurel wreath of victory, some 10 inches in diameter, complete with a rampant lion on a rectangular shield, and a side view of Napolean on a circular background. All was covered in gold leaf done by Lund, an artist who never lost his affection for the czars of Russia and the affluent life they led.

During the year 1900, Lund lost this beautiful home due to a bank failure. Here are a few of the details:

In January 1892, Alpheus W. Randall made his way to Eureka, where he opened a new bank in the Carson Building on Third and F streets (the entrance is on F Street next to the entrance of the Ingomar Theatre). There were some very prominent local men involved in this bank, including John Vance, David Evans and J.M. Sass. Within a few years this new bank had gained a fair proportion of the patronage of the public. However, by Jan. 11, 1900, the tune had changed; the Randall Bank had fallen to its knees due to mismanagement.

Randall and his associates were subject to suit and scorn. There were foreclosure proceedings and many people were hurt in the long, drawn-out events to follow. Victims included Mr. Herman Lund and his wife, who suffered the loss of their beautiful home at 1645 Seventh Street. This beautiful house was converted to apartments by new owners and rented out to various families until the year 1960 when it was torn down. The land now stands vacant. [UPDATE, 2024: This seems to be the site of the new Laurel Canyon Apartments, a senior housing complex.]

The Lunds moved back downtown, off of G Street in the Vance Alley into his sign shop (there were several businesses housed in this alley). Nearly every business in Eureka of the 1890s and up to the 1930s engaged his services, and a few of his signs remain standing today.

Lund was a member of the Humboldt Yacht Club. He owned a trim boat on Humboldt Bay named Marcella for his daughter. He would often sail this boat up to North Bay, up Eureka Slough, then up Ryan’s Slough to his home. He had been a sailor as a young man and loved sailing ships. He made several models of sailing ships, one of which, Old Ironsides, he gave to the Eureka Elks Lodge where he was a member (this model was in the Elks Lodge Hall for many years). He made a model of Pierre La Grande, a ship in which Peter the Great, Czar of all Russia, made a trip in 1712 to visit all the rulers of Europe.

Lund also built a model of the ship Young America, in which he sailed to San Francisco in 1881. The fastest clipper ship on the seas in its day, it went down in the Atlantic Ocean in 1886. These models were carved to scale and correct to the finest detail, even with sailors on board.

Mrs. Lund had been suffering with tuberculosis for a year when, in 1908. the couple and their daughter made a visit to Mrs. Lund’s family home in Finland in hopes it might help her. They sailed on the R.M.S. Caronia. While on board this ship, Lund wrote to the editor of the Humboldt Standard newspaper, describing their train ride across the states, life on board ship, and the trouble he had getting a visa. His letter was printed in the July 8, 1908, issue of the newspaper.

Soon after her return, Mrs. Lund was forced to bed and never regained her health. Aurora died Dec. 28, 1910, at the age of 41 years.

On June 24, 1914, Herman Lund purchased a little over five acres of land from Charles W. Hall, property which commenced from Hall Avenue, thence east to the bottom of Ryan’s Slough Hill. This parcel contained several good springs of water, which he used for both a water supply and to create a small, beautiful lake at the lower end of his property.

He built a spacious, two-story home, facing east and overlooking the flatlands of the Eureka Slough and Freshwater. A fireplace along with the kitchen stove provided the heat for this home, and an arbor graced the front along with a balcony over the entrance. The exterior is stucco and the style is very similar to the home located at 2200 D St., built by the same builder, Dennis Simpson.

On his lake he built a pergola, an arched bridge, and a miniature lighthouse along with a Viking boat which could be rowed around. An elaborate paneled archway similar to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, complete with carved busts of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln set in a recess on each side, was an added attraction. All of these were designed and decorated with carvings by Lund, which could be viewed even at night thanks to special lighting. Unfortunately, all are gone today.

Herman Lund and his new wife Petra spent 12 years building up this beautiful home and estate. When he reached 67 years old, he grew tired of the work of keeping up this place. He thought he would like to retire in the “old country,” so the couple put their beautiful estate up for sale. With much regret they sold this Ryan’s Slough home to Joseph and Margaret Mabry on Sept. 28, 1926.

The Lunds did make a trip back to Europe and Russia, but things had changed; it was not like they thought it would be. They eventually came back to the good old United States with Eureka as their final destination.

A year later they built a new studio and residence at 503 L St. where they lived for three years. Mr. Lund was not happy with this place and they soon sold the home to Mr. and Mrs. Amador Rossi in August 1929.

On Sept. 28, 1930, Lund took out a building permit for a new house to be built at 1518 H Street, Eureka, by a contractor, Frank Johnson. When it was completed, the Lunds moved to 1518 H Street, where they lived for a few years. Mr. Lund eventually became ill and checked into a hospital in Ukiah. Mrs. Lund moved to San Pedro, California, to be near some relatives.

An article appeared in the Humboldt Times on July 31, 1938, stating that Mr. Herman A. Lund, after a long illness, had died July 29, 1938, at the age of 79. His body was brought to Eureka.

The pallbearers were Mr. John Halsby. Axel Anderson, Leland Morgan, J. Weimars, G.Y. Henderson and J.N. Henderson. He was buried at the Ocean View Cemetery, beside his first wife and daughter in Lot #5, Block #86. Their grave markers have been removed.

So ended the life of a fantastic man.

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The Lunds’ family dog, Michailovitch, a Russian wolfhound.

POSTSCRIPT: Through friends I found that Mrs. Martha Eley now owns and lives in the beautiful home at the bottom of Ryan’s Slough Hill and has been there since 1946. She has spent a great deal of time during her 46-year residency searching for information about the first owner and builder of her home. She has accumulated vast amount of information and pictures about this man and his life, much of which was used for this manuscript.

I recently met Mrs. Shirley (Anderson) Butler who, as a child, visited the Lunds many times at their Ryan’s Slough home. She has many fond memories of the good times she had with them and told how Mr. Lund liked to play Santa for the kids. She, too, had many pictures of the Lunds and their lovely home, information which she shared in this story.

I recently wrote to Mrs. Helen (Halsby) James who, as a child, lived across the road and on the hill just above the Lund home. She and her twin sisters visited the Lunds many times and she recalls the many good times, the candy and cookies they gave to visiting children. She also recalls playing with “Michailovitch,” Lund’s Russian wolfhound.

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The story above was originally printed in the January-February 1993 issue of the Humboldt Historian, a journal of the Humboldt County Historical Society. It is reprinted here with permission. The Humboldt County Historical Society is a nonprofit organization devoted to archiving, preserving and sharing Humboldt County’s rich history. You can become a member and receive a year’s worth of new issues of The Humboldt Historian at this link.

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UPDATE, 6 p.m.: The Outpost joined curious students inside Cal Poly Humboldt President Tom Jackson’s office. Have a look. 

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UPDATE, 5:34 p.m.: And just like that Siemens Hall is open. Around 5 p.m. an announcement was made on the UC Quad that the student protesters had decided to open the occupied building to all. Protesters the Outpost spoke with wanted to make clear to us that the occupation is ongoing, just not confined to the building.

The Outpost was part of the first Siemens Hall walkthrough. Wander the halls with us below.

Photos/video by Andrew Goff.

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UPDATE, 4:40 p.m.: Humboldt County Sheriff William Honsal is on campus and hoping to speak with protestors. “We’ve been in contact with President Jackson and we are definitely trying to work on trying to find a resolution,” he told the Outpost’s Ryan Burns.

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UPDATE, 2:35 p.m.:  It appears that the university’s offer to students who surrender includes suspension from school.

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Pro-Palestine activists holding Siemens Hall at Cal Poly Humboldt are actively preparing for a police attempt to expel them. Earlier today, they erected barricades with whatever they could find and constructed riot shields from dumpster lids.

Nevertheless, university administration says the campus will remain closed through the end of the semester — the second week in May. At the same time, the administration just extended an offer to students who may wish to surrender: If they do so by 4 p.m., the administration says, they will not face immediate arrest.

Press release from Cal Poly Humboldt:

As part of an ongoing and urgent effort to protect life and safety in the ongoing crisis of occupied buildings, Cal Poly Humboldt is offering any of those currently in the buildings the opportunity to leave with a guarantee of no immediate arrest. This does not, however, eliminate University conduct-related sanctions or legal implications.

Those who walk out peacefully by the deadline will not be immediately arrested and will be able to leave campus without being arrested. In addition, voluntarily departing in this way will be considered as a mitigating factor in University conduct processes and may reduce the severity of sanctions imposed.

This offer is open until 4 p.m., Friday, April 26.

The offer applies to both students and non-students who are currently occupying buildings and illegally camping around them.

The individuals inside the buildings were told about this opportunity earlier today. They are also being notified by email and other communications channels.

A number of individuals have continued to occupy Siemens Hall since Monday, and have made efforts to occupy other buildings on campus. While the situation is largely stabilized, there is continuing destruction of property and other lawlessness in the central part of campus. This has caused complex operational challenges that require the closure of other facilities on campus. The occupation is having a negative impact on other students, who are trying to complete classes at the end of the semester

The Cal Poly Humboldt campus is closed through the remainder of the semester, and work and instruction continue to be remote. 

Riot shield training. (NOTE: The individual in the green hat is not a legal observer and does not represent the National Lawyers Guild in any capacity.)

Protesters receive the university’s offer.