Humboldt County Historical Society

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Spring 2023 - Humboldt Normal School: The Battle between Arcata and Eureka

Snippets from writer Rusty Goodlive:

During research for “Humboldt Normal School: The Battle between Arcata and Eureka” (HH Spring 2023) I found that Joy Gastman’s political cartoon postcard “After the Battle,” used to tell the story of the fight between Arcata and Eureka for the location of Humboldt Normal School, was the fourth in a series. One additional postcard was found online and two more were found in the special collections at Cal Poly Humboldt. Published over an approximately three-month period, each cartoon portrayed the status of the battle as it evolved.

Postcard #1: “$30,000 REWARD For Return of Normal, Dead or Alive”

A copy of the first card in the series appeared on the cover of the Spring 1982 Humboldt State University journal Forum.

This card portrays the aftermath of the November 13, 1913 Humboldt Normal School board of trustees meeting. At this meeting Arcata was awarded the location of the school by a three-to-two vote after Eureka trustee Charlotte Gale sided with Arcata trustee Reese Wiley and Fortuna trustee Edward Haight in voting for Arcata. A cat labeled “Arcata” is running off with the “Bacon,” the bacon being the designated location for the school, alongside two other cats portraying trustees Haight and Wiley. A chained dog labeled “Eureka Boosters” symbolized Eureka’s failed attempt to win the location. Eureka trustee Charlotte Gale is depicted running off behind the doghouse, presumably running off to hide after her controversial vote. Eureka attorneys Larry Puter and James Coonan are depicted as small dogs crying and barking at the loss of the “bacon”.

The journal label of the photo mistakenly identifies Gale as Alice Gale and said she would go on to become Humboldt Normal School’s first president Nelson Van Matre’s secretary. It was Charlotte Gale, member and secretary of the board of trustees, who voted for Arcata and remained on the board for about a year. There is no record of either Charlotte or Alice Gale being a secretary to president Van Matre.

Postcard #2: “Don’t Like Your Bait”

The second card in the series depicts the period between December 5, 1913 and January 2, 1914 when trustees Haight and Wiley were boycotting the board of trustee’s meetings. The image shows Eureka using bird food in an attempt to lure Haight and Wiley, depicted as turkeys, to the chopping block where Eureka trustee William Cook (dressed as a cook) was waiting. The cartoon symbolizes Eureka’s attempts to get Haight and Wiley to attend a board meeting which would have resulted in a quorum and allowed Eureka’s three trustees to “steal” the location from Arcata and locate the school in Eureka. The third Eureka trustee, Henry Bridges, is depicted standing to the side watching and holding a block of ice, a reference to his position of manager of the Eureka Ice Company. Attorney’s Puter and Coonan are depicted as crows on a tree branch where Coonan was saying, “I think we’re up a stump Larry,” meaning that their legal attempts to allow a vote or compel Haight and Wiley to attend a meeting were not working.

Postcard #3: “The Finis”

The third card in the series follows the February 4, 1914 meeting of the full board of Trustees in Governor Hiram Johnson’s office in Sacramento. At this meeting the location of the school was awarded to Arcata by a four-to-three vote. Eureka trustees Gale, Cook, and Bridges are depicted as “A Normal Trio,” three crying dogs singing that they had not wanted to attend the meeting but were compelled to by Governor Johnson. The Arcata Normal School is depicted as a bus leaving town and headed for Arcata. Puter and Coonan appear as dogs left behind the bus with Coonan saying, “it’s no use Larry (Puter), we can’t over-take them” symbolizing their realization that Arcata had won. Trustee Ed Haight is shown sitting on the back of the bus, looking at Puter and Coonan and saying, “they are out of wind, Rease, they can’t catch us” and in front trustee Rease Wiley is driving the bus towards Arcata and saying, “all right Ed” as they drive off towards “Arcata, The Normal City.”

Postcard #4 is explained in the article.

About the artist: Wilson Joy Gastman, born 08/04/1892 (Arcata), died 04/17/1960 (Arcata (while visiting from home in Menlo Park, CA))

  • Father Albert Louis Gastman (1859 (Humboldt)-1944(Humboldt))

  • Mother Effie L (Trask) Gastman (1865 (Maine)-1947 (Humboldt))

  • Married 08/20/1917 to Ann (Spetz) born 01/28/1895 (Humboldt Co), died 07-19-1990 (Eureka)

  • Children of W. Joy and Ann

    • Alfa, born 1918 - ???

      • Mrs. Alfa Eastberg (Eastburn?) of Saratoga (from Joy’s obit)

    • W. Joy Jr. born 12/18/1919 (San Francisco), died 9/6/1999 (Eureka)

      • Wife Rose Ellen (Woodcock) Gastman, born 10/31/1921 (Fortuna), died 06/06/2009 (Eureka)

      • Children

        • William J “Bill” Gastman, born 1-1-1949, died 06/17/1918 (Redding)

        • Shari (Dave) Rutledge (Redding, CA)

        • Michele Davis (Eureka)

  • Timeline for Joy Gastman

    • 2/1906 Wins skating contest

    • 6/1907 Working as night operator, Sunset Telephone Co, Arcata

    • 11/1913 to 1/1914 Humboldt Normal School postcards (21 years old)

    • 3/1917 Working for Old Reliable Furniture Co

    • 9/1917 Eligible for draft

    • 11/1917 Leave for induction camp

    • 1918 Daughter Alfa born

    • 12/18/1919 Son Joy Jr. born, San Francisco

    • 5/1921 Hired by National Park Co, Yosemite, family there for summer

    • 10/1921 Ann in Oakland with two kids, back from Yosemite where spent summer and fall, living at 4800 East 14th, Oakland, Joy will stay in Yosemite until spring

    • 1940 Census

      • Family living in Arcata, Joy 47, Ann 45

      • Alfa living in Arcata with rest of family, single age 22

      • Joy Jr. living in Arcata with rest of family, single age 20

    • Moves to Meno Park permanently (from obit)

      • Working for Stanford University 1947-1960

    • Died 4/17/1960

Martha Roscoe