Edward Boersma
My family came from the Netherlands in 1947. We arrived in Paramount, Ca. which used to be known as Hynes. I learned to speak English when I was in the eighth grade. I dropped out of high school at age sixteen to go to work. At age twenty, I presented myself at the local junior college. Thus began my college experience. I was granted an opportunity at Compton Junior College for which I am still grateful today. I graduated from Compton in February 1957 with precisely 60 transferable credits which were accepted at LBSC.
My LBSC career began in the fall of 1957. To keep body and soul together for my family I was a truck driver. One day I stumbled into the Geography department and found a home. My college experience really began when I met the geographers, especially Dr. Burton Anderson, I loved it and experienced some reasonable successes. However, since I was a commuting student, I did not attend many of the student events such as dances and 49er days. Most social events were limited to the geography department. I was invited to join Gamma Theta Upsilon which is the National Professional Geographic Fraternity and was admitted in October, 1959.
Regarding a favorite hangout on campus, there were two spots. There was a little beer joint named the 49er, on seventh street and I would meet a few friends there occasionally. The other spot was a lobby near the professorʼs offices. There was always someone there to talk to and I enjoyed meeting the guys there.
There were five professors who had an impact on my life, four geographers and one sociologist. The geographers were Dr. Burton Anderson, Dr. Sheldon Erickson, Dr. Jim Wilson, and Dr. Rod Steiner, however, it was Dr. Anderson who impacted me the most. He approached me in class one day and asked if I would assist him in doing a research project dealing with the southern California dairy industry. I agreed. He asked me because I was well acquainted with the industry. The result was a published paper entitled, Changing Location Factors In The Los Angeles Milkshed, by Burton L. Anderson and Edward Boersma. Dr. Anderson was very generous with me because he gave me full credit when he in fact did most of the work.
The sociologist who impacted me was Dr. Nick Massaro. His lectures were absolutely fascinating, to me anyway. When we were about to graduate, he leaned over his lectern one day, looked every one in the eye, and said, “So, you think you are so smart now that you are about to graduate? Let me remind you, for the rest of your life you will meet people who know something of which you will know nothing.” After graduation I worked ten years for the ABC Unified School District. I taught my subject as often as I could. Even today I find folk who would not be able to locate Iraq on a map. I picked up approximately 50 additional graduate credits after graduating from LBSC.
Today I live in Visalia, California. I have been self employed since 1971 as a general contractor specializing in mobile home parks and modular home construction. I have also spent many years as a consultant in the municipal solid waste business. Much of my time has also been spent running our 300 acre walnut farm. My wife Betty and I have three grown children and twelve grandchildren. Today I am mostly retired but Betty and I are avid RVers and we travel quite a bit. I also wrote my family story, entitled Courage Born of Faith.
Looking back over the last fifty years, LBSC had a profound effect on my life. I have a deep appreciation for education in general, but having sat at the feet of learned professors at LBSC has been very rewarding and gratifying. This ignorant Dutch kid was privileged to be given a chance at higher education and to be exposed to teachers who showed compassion and patience. Thanks!
Do I have advice for current students? I have found many younger people not too interested in advice from us older folk. About the only thing I would say to them is: Learn to be grateful and thankful for your opportunities.
