Let Us Now Praise Famous Men

NOT LONG AGO George Resh, a member of the Pomona, California, School Board, decided it would be nice to honor his colleague C. J. Mendoza, whose term on the board had just expired.

After all, Mendoza had grown up in Pomona, taught in Pomona schools, married a Pomona teacher—so what could be more fitting than to change the name of Hamilton School to Mendoza School?

He proposed it at the next Board of Education meeting:

“Who,” one board member wanted to know, “is Hamilton School named after?”

Resh leaped up from his seat. “I researched that!” he exclaimed. “Hamilton was named after an old American President.”

Someone from the audience whispered to a trustee, Agnes Moreland Jackson, who then turned to her colleagues on the Board of Education and announced:

“Hamilton was never President.”

Laughter.

As things quieted down, Jackson added that not only was Hamilton not a President, he “was in favor of a hereditary monarchy.”

More laughter.

When the trustees regained their composure, they voted 4 to O to rename Hamilton School after Mendoza, though none mentioned who Alexander Hamilton was, or what he was known for.