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Burbank Adult School celebrates 80th anniversary

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Contributed by: Connie Trimble on 9/18/2008

This week, the Burbank Adult School celebrates its 80th anniversary with a week-long celebration of its programs, students, teachers and contributions to the education community.

The Adult Education Program began in Burbank in 1928 as the Burbank Evening School. It did not have its own site, but operated out of Burbank High School.

By 1938, it expanded to Burroughs Evening School in order to accommodate the growing program. It focused on high school diploma courses, vocational skills and personal enrichment classes, just as it does today.

Many courses trained people to work at the Lockheed Aircraft company. Upholstry classes taught skills that could lead to a job making aircraft seats. Welding and electrical led to jobs on production lines.

When women went into the workforce, as their contribution to the war effort, they attended BAS to learn skills. This also was the beginning of the school district's first day-care programs, which enabled women to confidently leave their children in safe hands so they could lend their skills to the war effort.

Throughout its history, BAS has consistently fulfilled its mission of providing viable, lifelong learning opportunities to it's community. In the 1950s, homemaking and trade skills classes were offered as well as business education and vocational apprenticeships.

A partnership with Lockheed provided courses in blueprint reading and radio repair/maintenance.

In 1958, there was the first computer training courses on IBM data processing and accounting machines. The 1960s brought ESL courses and citizenship classes and the start of the Burbank Parent Education Council as the guiding support of the new program for parent of infants, toddlers and pre-school children.

In the 1970s, programs expanded rapidly with 26 sites being used for adult education classes. In 1980, BAS began offering courses to prepare students for the GED testing program. Programs for older adults were created and a former elementary school, Henry M Mingay Elementary, was converted into what is now the home site of the program.

When Lockheed closed in 1990, the courses that served them also ended, but several other programs began to flourish, such as office occupations, parent education and the academic programs.

Since 2000, the ESL program continues to expand, the older adult program flourishes and partnerships with Boston Reed College offers online courses and with Valley College for child development courses.

The fall 2008 catalog offers academic courses, test preparation courses, career and tech education, computer courses, personal enrichment courses, ESL day, afternoon, evening and distance learning courses, parent education and a wide variety of older adult course offerings.

The BAS is a multi-facited educational facility offering job skill courses that result in the ability to enter into real work force. Jobs from professional cinema make-up to health careers to cable installation technician to masonry and handscaping are available.

You can find personal enjoyment classes like eBay, history in film and Indian cooking. Older Adults can explore painting, acting, writing and music. The Parent English class helps non-English-speaking parents perfect their English skills and help their children succeed.

The catalog can be accessed by going to the Burbank Unified School District's website at www.burbankusd.organd clicking on Adult School.

The Burbank Adult School started its 80th anniversary celebration with an open house on Wednesday, Sept. 17, where its director, Dr. Cherise Moore, unveiled its new electronic marquee sign.

There was a dinner Friday night to celebrate former and current staff. The Parent Education Program held a special reunion on Saturday, Sept. 19, welcoming all who had participated in the program.

Begining in the early 1960s, under the guidance of Helen Von Seggren, it was one of the earliest parent education programs in Los Angeles. Known affectionately as "Mommy and Me," it is a program that helps parents understand their child's development and share with other parents under the direction of the trained and dedicated staff at BAS.

For more information about any of the classes offered, please call the Burbank Adult School at 818-558-4611.

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