After World War 2, Ansel Adams, who had been associated with the School through friends like art patron, Albert Bender, saw the vacated space left by the Red Cross Blood Bank in the Eastern wing of the building as the perfect opportunity to begin planning a full fledged Photography Department with the blessing of Board Chair, architect Eldridge “Ted” Spencer, and CSFA Director, Douglas MacAgy. By the Fall of 1945 Ansel had seed money from a grant secured from the Columbia Foundation and started a 6 week session that would be followed by a full class in the summer of 1946 and the launching of the official first fine arts Photography Department in the Fall. The BxW photo above shows Ansel in the School's darkroom with Philip Hyde, John Bertolino, Muriel Green, and Pirkle Jones.
With permission, SFAA is re-posting the emails Jeff Gunderson Librarian/Archivist Anne Bremer Memorial Library has been sending out since March 2020. Please enjoy this magnificent archive.