JERRY PERSON -- A Look Back

This week we’ll look at a former principal of Huntington Beach High

School -- Raymond M. Elliott.

Elliott’s family tree goes back to Fort William Henry Harrison in

Indiana, where Elliott’s grandfather ran the trading post.

When the town of Terre Haute, Ind., was established, his grandfather

became its first city clerk.

Elliott’s father worked as a train dispatcher for the railroad, which

required the family to relocate quite often.

The family moved to Pasadena and then to Los Angeles, Sacramento,

Oakland, San Francisco and to Berkeley.

When gold was discovered in Alaska in 1899, Elliott’s father set sail to

strike it rich. After reaching Alaska, he found that all the good claims

were already taken and so returned to Nevada.

While in Nevada, Elliott’s father became one of the founders of the now

historic ghost town of Rhyolite.

Elliott and his brothers and sisters were sent to private schools in

Burlingame, San Rafael and down to Santa Monica.

Elliott came from a family of five children born of C.H. and Madge

Elliott.

His two brothers, Gilbert and Joe, would both live and work in Huntington

Beach.

Elliott finished his high school education in 1913, when he graduated

from Anaheim High School.

He went to work at a sugar factory in Anaheim to help get through college

in Pomona and at times would coach sports at Claremont High School.

When World War I came, Elliott served as a second lieutenant in the 12th

U.S. Infantry and was later transferred to the 31st Infantry, which took

him all across Siberia in Russia.

After the war ended, he returned to San Francisco to work at the San

Francisco Chronicle newspaper.

In 1920, he was invited to become the first athletic coach at the

University of Hawaii.

After coaching two years in Hawaii, he returned to teach at Anaheim High.

In 1923, he joined the teaching staff at Huntington Beach High School as

a math and U.S. history teacher.

By 1929, Elliott had become its vice principal, a position he held for 16

years.

When M.G. Jones retired as superintendent of Huntington High in 1945,

Elliott took over as its new principal and superintendent.

He and his wife, Margaret, lived for many years in downtown Huntington

Beach, at 404 9th St., and 1715 Main St.

Elliott joined our Chamber of Commerce in 1945 and was a proud member for

many years.

In 1953, Orange Coast College awarded Elliott its Outstanding Citizen of

the Year award.

Although he and Margaret are no longer with us, part of Margaret’s

wonderful doll collection can be seen on display at the Newland House

Museum.

JERRY PERSON is a local historian and longtime Huntington Beach resident.

If you have ideas for future columns, write him at P.O. Box 7182,

Huntington Beach 92615.