igo HISTORY OF PASADENA. 



gational church, was at last changed and reconstructed into Mr. Daggett's 

 Columbia Hill residence as it now stands. 



THE PASADENA ACADEMY. 



In 1883-84 Prof. M. M. Parker and wife, assisted by his brother, Prof. 

 C. M. Parker, opened an academic school at his home place on east Califor- 

 nia street. But when the Sierra Madre college was started he merged his 

 private ente. prise into that. After failure of the college he. reopened his 

 Academy in September, 1886, in Williams Hall, occupying the large main 

 hall and two adjunct rooms. The school soon outgrew these close quarters, 

 and early in November it was removed to the old Central School building, 

 then standing on Raymond Avenue where the Vandevort block now stands, 

 and he occupied the entire two stories except one room used for meetings of 

 the city trustees. Thus passed the academic year of 1886-87. After that 

 the offices of city clerk, marshal, surveyor, recorder or police judge, etc., 

 were located in this building, which had been leased by the city for three 

 years. The Academy was next opened in the second-floor rooms of the 

 Grand Opera House, and its school years of 1887-88 and 1888-89 were 

 spent here. But a more central location seemed desirable ; and on Septem- 

 ber 9, 1889, it opened in the second-floor rooms of our present City Hall 

 building. This Academy won a good name, reached an enrollment of as 

 high as 150 pupils, and employed nine teachers. 



The Pasadena Standard of September 14, 1889, mentions the annual 

 opening of the Academy, and at the same time names other private schools 

 then in the city, as follows : 



"Prof. Parker's Academy opened its fourth year last Monday, corner 

 Fair Oaks Avenue and Union street. Miss Sarah Hay's Kindergarten on 

 Herkimer street, opens its third year next Monday. Miss Collamer's select 

 school, on Vallej^ street, opens its fourth year next Monday. St. Margaret's 

 school (Episcopal) for girls, on Kast Colorado street, opens next Monday 

 for its third year. Prof. S. C. Clark's classical school for boys, on South 

 L,os Robles Avenue, opens its first year, October 2. Mrs. Graham's Kinder- 

 garten on Euclid Avenue (formerly Miss Curtis') will open next Monday. 

 Mr. Coggswell's mechanical training school for boys, on West Colorado 

 street, is open for the formation of classes at any time." 



In 1891 Prof. Parker, at Father Throop's earnest desire and request, 

 co-operated with him in founding the Polytechnic Institute, and merged his 

 Academy into that. 



THE THROOP POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE. 



Hon. A. G. Throop came from Chicago and settled in Eos Angeles in 

 1880; but in 1886 he removed to Pasadena and made his permanent home 

 here. In April, 1888, he was elected a member of the city council ; and on 

 October 5, 1889, he was chosen president of the board, or "Mayor." 



By successful business enterprises in Chicago he had acquired a consid- 

 erable fortune. He had always been an ardent advocate of education in its 



