Lawndale High School Murals - Lawndale CA

City:: Lawndale, CA
Site Type:: Art Works, Murals
New Deal Agencies:: Work Relief Programs, Works Progress Administration (WPA)
Artist:: Virgil Zenor

Description

Virgil Zenor painted four murals for Leuzinger High School in 1937. It is thought that they remained on display at the school until the 1970's, at which time they were removed and stored in a stage area. The photographs here, presented to the Living New Deal Project by Zenor's son, were taken in that storage area.

Since then, the murals have been moved again. They were apparently thrown away at some point, but were saved by Gloria Ramos, then the librarian of Lawndale High School and are now on display there. They are in need of restoration.

These murals were painted on stretched linen.

Source notes

Project submitted by Chris Zenor Further information submitted by Jerry Miles.

Location Info

14901 Inglewood Avenue
Lawndale, CA 90260
Los Angeles County

Location notes:
These murals were originally at Leuzinger High School (4118 Rosecrans Avenue), but were later moved to this nearby school.

Coordinates: 33.896199, -118.36137

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4 comments on “Lawndale High School Murals – Lawndale CA”

Glenn Malin September 1, 2013

I taught at Leuzinger HS for 12 years in the 70’s & 80’s. I saw the murals in an old yearbook but by 1974 they were already in storage. After some work, I found them stored in the projection booth of the auditorium (c. 1984?). I tried to get the murals re-hung at school. Eventually, Mac Nash (Sup) had them moved to the board room at what was once Lawndale HS.
There is also a pink granite bust of A. Leuzinger from the WPA period. When I last saw it, it was being used as a door stop to a custodial room.

Reply
- DW September 2, 2013
  
  Glenn,
  Thank you for the additional information on the murals, especially their origin at Leuzinger HS. Can something be done to recover the Leuzinger bust now being used as a doorstop?
  R. Walker
  
  Reply
  - Glenn Malin September 20, 2013
    
    I am no longer in Southern California…retired Washington. I saw the bust in the ’80’s at the end of building 4 I believe. Those “finger” buildings were recently removed. I would hope someone recognized the bust for its historical value.
    
    Reply
Wayne hill December 11, 2022

I attended Leuzinger 1966-70 those mural were displayed in the schools large cafeteria on the walls.

Reply

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4 comments on “Lawndale High School Murals – Lawndale CA”

Glenn Malin September 1, 2013

I taught at Leuzinger HS for 12 years in the 70’s & 80’s. I saw the murals in an old yearbook but by 1974 they were already in storage. After some work, I found them stored in the projection booth of the auditorium (c. 1984?). I tried to get the murals re-hung at school. Eventually, Mac Nash (Sup) had them moved to the board room at what was once Lawndale HS.
There is also a pink granite bust of A. Leuzinger from the WPA period. When I last saw it, it was being used as a door stop to a custodial room.

DW September 2, 2013

Glenn,
Thank you for the additional information on the murals, especially their origin at Leuzinger HS. Can something be done to recover the Leuzinger bust now being used as a doorstop?
R. Walker

Reply
- Glenn Malin September 20, 2013
  
  I am no longer in Southern California…retired Washington. I saw the bust in the ’80’s at the end of building 4 I believe. Those “finger” buildings were recently removed. I would hope someone recognized the bust for its historical value.
  
  Reply

Wayne hill December 11, 2022

I attended Leuzinger 1966-70 those mural were displayed in the schools large cafeteria on the walls.