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Don Hamer provided this
Adventist encyclopedia
article and the Pacific
Union Recorder articles
about the founding of
the Monterey Bay
Academy.
MONTEREY BAY ACADEMY. A
co-educational boarding
school on the senior
high school level,
established in 1949,
operated by the
Central California
Conference, on
the eastern shores of
Monterey Bay, six miles
(10 kilometers)
northwest or
Watsonville, California.
It is accredited with
the Seventh-day
Adventist Board of
Regents and the Western
Association of Colleges
and Secondary Schools.
The 379-acre
(150-hectare) school
grounds include
200 acres (80
hectares) of farmland.
25 acres (10 hectares)
or lawns, and 11 acres
(four hectares) of
Colton pine trees. The
remaining acreage is
occupied by the academy
proper, the industries,
and faculty homes. There
are 3,000
feet (900 meters) or
ocean frontage.
The grounds, formerly a
peach orchard and truck
garden, were purchased
during World War II by
the U.S. Army to house
the 251st Regiment
of the National Guard
and a hospital unit.
After removal of the
National Guard unit 10
Alaska, the camp, called
Camp McQuaide,
was used as a
medium-security prison
for U.S. Army
deserters and men
apprehended for extended
absence without leave.
When Camp McQuaide was
abandoned a year after
the close of World War
II, the holding agency,
the War Assets
Commission, let
it be known that the
properly was open for
use as a school site at
the "fair value" price
of $347,000 to be
amortized in 10 years
as buildings were
erected and used for the
avowed purpose. On the
307 acres (125 hectares)
there were 192
buildings, some
of which could be used
for temporary school
purposes for three to
five years. In
1948 the
conference secured this
property and bought an
additional 72
adjacent acres
(30 hectares).
With the intention of
opening school in
September 1949, several
families moved to the
grounds to prepare
temporary facilities.
Standish Hoskins became
acting principal until
D. J. Bieber, of' the
Hawaiian Mission
Academy, could be
released to assume the
principal ship. The
school opened on Sept.
4, 1949, with 190
students and 25
faculty and staff
members.
During the first year
the best possible use
was made of the existing
Army buildings. The camp
gymnasium and auditorium
were used without
change, the
bowling alley' was
converted into a church,
and the dental building
became the
administration building.
At the same time the
nurses' quarters of
the former Army hospital
were converted to
dormitories and the
hospital rooms were used
for classrooms.
The first new building,
the girls'
dormitory, was
completed in the
spring of 1950,
the boys' dormitory in
1951. In
the second year a new
cafeteria building and
faculty homes were under
construction. The new
administration building
was ready for use by the
fall of 1953.
In 1954 the science
building, to incorporate
the biology, chemistry,
physics. and home arts
units, was begun, and in
1957 the industrial arts
unit, which houses auto
mechanics, graphic arts,
and welding areas. The
dairy was completed in
1950 and has grown to be
the second largest in
the county. In
1973 the old Army camp
gymnasium was demolished
and a new, modern
building now stands in
its place. A trellis
factory and redwood
garden-equipment mill,
later reorganized to
produce the
"Monterey Line" of
redwood lawn and garden
furniture,
eventually was placed
under the operation of
the Harris Pine Mills,
which added a second
mill in 1959 in
Watsonville, providing
additional student work
opportunities. The
Harris Pine Plant was
closed in 1987, and
Little Lake Industries
occupied the buildings
for four years and
continued the production
of' wood products. In
1991 Morgan Industries
leased these buildings
and presently
manufactures a variety
of rides for amusement
parks.
Realizing the importance
of' career education
and the benefits or a
work program, Monterey
Bay Academy has
developed several
commercial industries.
Until recently
wholesale garden
produce was shipped to
buyers under the name of
Academy Produce. Berries
and zucchini squash were
the major crops grown.
In 1966
the school laundry
updated its
equipment and retooled
for commercial work,
specializing in hospital
linen. Local industries
lease facilities to
produce Rainbow Fins and
antique car body parts.
Currently many acres of'
land are leased to the
production or
strawberries and
flowers on a
commercial basis.
Approximately 95
percent of
the students are
employed in some type
of' remunerative labor.
The school's first
decade saw the
completion of' the
amortization contract
and the acquisition of
the deed by the
conference. In
1973 all conditions
pertaining to the title
deed were removed,
providing the conference
with a clear deed.
Principals: Standish
Hoskins (acting), June
to December 1949; D. J.
Bieber, 1949-1957;
R. H. Howlett.
1957-1962; C. W.
Jorgensen, 1962-1969: K.
O. Wheeler, 1969-1970;
H. E. Voth,
1970-1987; Ernie
Unruh, 1987 -1989; K. O.
Wheeler, 1989-1990; Ted
Winn, 1990- .
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