Frank D. Parent
Encyclopedia
Frank D. Parent was a Los Angeles County municipal court judge between 1930 and 1958. He coached President Dwight D. Eisenhower
on championship football and baseball teams at Abilene High School
, Kansas, between 1905 and 1909. The Frank D. Parent Elementary School in the Inglewood, California
, Unified School District was dedicated to him on May 15, 1960.
Parent was born in Abilene, Kansas, and he attended the University of Kansas
, where he was quarterback on a team coached by Fielding H. Yost, which won every game. He was a member of Phi Delta Phi
legal fraternity and Beta Theta Pi
social fraternity for 60 years.
He was a county attorney in Kansas and co-owner of the Abilene Chronicle before moving to Inglewood in 1910, when he became an owner-partner of the Inglewood Realty Company, 1910-41; first president of the Inglewood Realty Board, 1922-24; charter board member of the Inglewood Chamber of Commerce
in 1922; and charter president of the Inglewood Rotary Club in 1930-31. In 1942 he was president of the Inglewood Bar Association
.
He was a founder of the Peoples Federal Savings and Loan Association in 1923, shortly after he served on a coroner's jury that found that an "illegal masked and armed mob, presumably instigated and directed by members of the K.K.K.," caused the death of an Inglewood policeman during a 1922 raid by 50 to 200 men on a suspected bootlegger and his family.
Parent was an early supporter of Mines Field, near Inglewood, as a site for a Los Angeles municipal airport
, and he persuaded the planners of the National Air Races
that the field would be the "best possible landing area" and they chose it for the 1928 event, which solidified public sentiment in favor of the location for the city's first airport.
In 1942 the Inglewood unit of Alcoholics Anonymous
chose him as one of the first non-alcoholics to be affiliated with the organization. It described him as "the most humane and understanding judge in Southern California
." As chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Aviation Committee, he helped bring Los Angeles International Airport
and the first two National Air Races
to Inglewood. Between 1950 and 1952 he was honorary chairman for a $2 million drive to establish Daniel Freeman Memorial Hospital.
He died on Saturday, June 20, 1960.
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
on championship football and baseball teams at Abilene High School
Abilene High School (Abilene, Kansas)
Abilene High School is a fully accredited public high school located in Abilene, Kansas, USA, serving grades 9-12. The school is a part of Abilene Unified School District 435. The current building serves students from the city itself as well as outlying areas covered by the nearby Chapman district...
, Kansas, between 1905 and 1909. The Frank D. Parent Elementary School in the Inglewood, California
Inglewood, California
Inglewood is a city in southwestern Los Angeles County, California, southwest of downtown Los Angeles. It was incorporated on February 14, 1908. Its population stood at 109,673 as of the 2010 Census...
, Unified School District was dedicated to him on May 15, 1960.
Parent was born in Abilene, Kansas, and he attended the University of Kansas
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
, where he was quarterback on a team coached by Fielding H. Yost, which won every game. He was a member of Phi Delta Phi
Phi Delta Phi
Phi Delta Phi, ΦΔΦ, is the world's second largest legal fraternity. Phi Delta Phi is the second oldest legal organization in continuous existence in the United States and third oldest in North America...
legal fraternity and Beta Theta Pi
Beta Theta Pi
Beta Theta Pi , often just called Beta, is a social collegiate fraternity that was founded in 1839 at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, USA, where it is part of the Miami Triad which includes Phi Delta Theta and Sigma Chi. It has over 138 active chapters and colonies in the United States and Canada...
social fraternity for 60 years.
He was a county attorney in Kansas and co-owner of the Abilene Chronicle before moving to Inglewood in 1910, when he became an owner-partner of the Inglewood Realty Company, 1910-41; first president of the Inglewood Realty Board, 1922-24; charter board member of the Inglewood Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
in 1922; and charter president of the Inglewood Rotary Club in 1930-31. In 1942 he was president of the Inglewood Bar Association
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
.
He was a founder of the Peoples Federal Savings and Loan Association in 1923, shortly after he served on a coroner's jury that found that an "illegal masked and armed mob, presumably instigated and directed by members of the K.K.K.," caused the death of an Inglewood policeman during a 1922 raid by 50 to 200 men on a suspected bootlegger and his family.
Parent was an early supporter of Mines Field, near Inglewood, as a site for a Los Angeles municipal airport
Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually...
, and he persuaded the planners of the National Air Races
National Air Races
The National Air Races were a series of pylon and cross-country races that took place in the United States from 1920 to 1949. The science of aviation, and the speed and reliability of aircraft and engines grew rapidly during this period; the National Air Races were both a proving ground and...
that the field would be the "best possible landing area" and they chose it for the 1928 event, which solidified public sentiment in favor of the location for the city's first airport.
In 1942 the Inglewood unit of Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous is an international mutual aid movement which says its "primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety." Now claiming more than 2 million members, AA was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio...
chose him as one of the first non-alcoholics to be affiliated with the organization. It described him as "the most humane and understanding judge in Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
." As chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Aviation Committee, he helped bring Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport
Los Angeles International Airport is the primary airport serving the Greater Los Angeles Area, the second-most populated metropolitan area in the United States. It is most often referred to by its IATA airport code LAX, with the letters pronounced individually...
and the first two National Air Races
National Air Races
The National Air Races were a series of pylon and cross-country races that took place in the United States from 1920 to 1949. The science of aviation, and the speed and reliability of aircraft and engines grew rapidly during this period; the National Air Races were both a proving ground and...
to Inglewood. Between 1950 and 1952 he was honorary chairman for a $2 million drive to establish Daniel Freeman Memorial Hospital.
He died on Saturday, June 20, 1960.