Politically Speaking

Last week was the broadcast of the Democratic National Convention; this week it’s the Republican National Convention. Those who know me will not be surprised to learn that I didn’t spend much time watching either. I did watch a little – these are historic times, after all, with COVID-19 preventing the large gathering of people and I wanted to see how the two parties would present the nominees. What little I heard reinforced my understanding of what the purposes are of each of these conventions – to lambaste the opposing party and its candidate and build up its party and its nominee. I’m sure until Election Day TV watchers will be inundated with those messages anyway.

Because this is one tough election. Complicated ballot propositions and messages from politicians angling for your vote are promised this election season. Mary O’Keefe will detangle the information each week and share with our readers what they can expect on the ballot in November.

In addition to the conventions this week was the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, which prohibits the states and the federal government from denying the right to vote to citizens of the United States on the basis of sex. I am awestruck when considering how hard supporters of this Amendment worked to secure the vote for women. I was able to do some research into the history of the 19th Amendment and learned that it took decades of dedication before the Amendment was passed. During that time, protests were held, voting laws were challenged and supporters were sometimes physically assaulted and even jailed. But these suffragettes maintained their focus and wouldn’t back down, eventually capturing what they wanted: the right to vote.

It isn’t hard for me to find examples of strong women. Just next door to the offices of CV Weekly is the Rockhaven property. The Rockhaven sanitarium was started back in 1923 by Agnes Richards. Just three years after getting the vote, Agnes realized that she could do something about the poor way women were treated for “mild mental and nervous disorders” (as written in Rockhaven’s brochure). Rockhaven, described as one of the best examples of an early 20th century woman-owned, women-serving private sanitariums in California, was one of the first of its type in the nation. Its rich history is preserved through the Historical Society of the Crescenta Valley and the Friends of Rockhaven, which has been tending the property since the City of Glendale purchased it in the 2000s. Unfortunately, it appears that much of the property and its historic buildings have been left to crumble into dust; despite promises of turning the 3.5 acres into public accessible park space and community buildings, the City appears to have turned its back on the property. Damage to roofs and surrounding walls is evident when looking through the gate on Honolulu Avenue and into the rear of the property via Hermosa Avenue. It’s a sad statement on how that property is valued by its owners.

I’m curious as to what your thoughts are about Rockhaven. Do you think its time has passed and it would better serve the community as the site of a nursery and/or affordable housing? Or is the integrity of the property and its historic buildings something that should be preserved?

Regardless of the outcome, as the owner of a business typically dominated by men that well serves our community I will never forget the courage that it took for Agnes Richards to step up in 1923 to make a difference for a community of hurting and neglected women.

  robin goldsworthy