Automobiles travel in both directions on Sepulveda Boulevard where it crosses Saticoy Street in Van Nuys; direction shown is unknown. A billboard advertises Signal Gas, pumped next door at the service station (left).
Six decades or more along Sepulveda Bl in Van Nuys, life was very different than today.
People conducted all their daily activities, from work to shopping, in automobiles. They were frustrated by traffic, and there were many accidents. This started early in the morning, before sunrise, and continued long after dark, in a slow, honking, and impatient parade of tens of thousands of trucks, cars and buses.
Photograph caption dated January 5, 1961 reads, “This modern supermarket at the corner of Sepulveda and Victory boulevards in Van Nuys is the latest addition to the expanding Dale’s Market chain which now operates 10 stores in the Valley.” (LAPL)
The buildings along Sepulveda were a motley, junky collection of fast food, auto repair, filling stations, car washes, cheap motels, hardware, liquor and supermarket businesses dropped down between billboards and wooden power poles.
There was nowhere that was pleasant, in the sense of a community, with proper landscaping, trees, amenities, or aesthetic zoning regulating signs or advertising.
There was no trace of grace, of history, of the old Spanish missions, the orange and walnut groves, the spectacular trees, flowers, and natural beauty that characterized California. Everything was garish, commercial, toxic, selling everything that polluted and sickened human beings in a circus of raucous, blind, aggressive hucksterism.
Photograph caption dated March 9, 1959 reads, “Hub Furniture Stores newest location on Sepulveda and Nordhoff in Van Nuys marks the 14th Hub Store in the greater Los Angeles area. March 14 is the opening day.”Photograph caption dated March 3, 1961 reads, “Sherman Way and Sepulveda.” This intersection tied with Century and Airport boulevards for fifth worst intersection, each with 20 accidents in 1959.;
Even with many new, lovely ranch homes, built after the war, on the residential blocks nearby, the general appearance of Sepulveda was ratty, unappealing, low class and frightening.
Mr. and Mrs. Audie Murphy and son, 6233 Orion Ave. Van Nuys, CA, 1953
Holdups at liquor stores, kidnappings, harassment of women by men driving past, littering, dumping, intoxicated drivers; in every respect related to civilized life, mid-20thCentury Sepulveda Bl. was so very different than today.
The only thing that remains the same is the presence of openly gay events, something that was even advertised on a sign in 1954.
Photograph caption dated October 20, 1954 reads “‘Gay Ninety Days’ at Builders Emporium, Van Nuys, is opened by Victor M. Carter, at driver’s seat of early-day Cadillac, firm’s president. Featuring month-long event is ‘good old fashioned prices,’ bearded salesmen, and 5,000 derbies to be given customers. In picture, left to right, are Jay Delia, Mel Goodman, Carter, Margaret Porth, Marthie Ferderer, Helen Ireland, George Blum and Lou Johnson.”
On Tuesday night, the Los Angeles school board unanimously approved a plan to allow the district to seek advertising as a way to finance public schools in our city.
School board member Steve Zimmer said he “was bothered to my core,” because of the ethical conundrums.
Schools– grammar schools and high schools– will soon be whored out to advertisers who will erect signs and billboards on the virgin lands of young people’s classrooms and playing fields.
The city of Barbra Streisand, Larry King, Tom Cruise, Steven Spielberg, Eli Broad and Paris Hilton needs the $18 million dollars from corporate advertisers that will possibly fund dying arts programs in the public schools. Flashing digital signs promoting video games, candy bars, toys, sports teams, movies, TV shows, these are the visual images that will pass in front of the eyes of captive young students in the Los Angeles schools.
What can be said in defense of this proposition? It is monstrously immoral and infinitely corrupting. The public schools, institutions devoted to the greater good of promoting learning, are now sold out for exploitation and greed. It is the advertiser who will gain the most. The schools, no matter what their needs may be, will lose their independence and respect with this sell-out.
I am tired of hearing how “poor” Los Angeles is and how we cannot afford even the most rudimentary educational programs. Why don’t we open marijuana dispensaries and massage centers inside the classroom? Maybe we can sell guns and cars on the playing fields of the schools.
Here in Van Nuys 
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