Ellsworth Whitney
Ellsworth Whitney was one of the first piano teachers at Southern California Junior College, now La Sierra University, teaching there from 1936-1939. A graduate of the music conservatory course at Pacific Union College, he had taught for three years at Fresno Academy and for five at Loma Linda Academy before accepting the invitation to teach at SCJC. During those years of academy teaching he had pursued graduate study at Fresno State Teachers College and Redlands University.
During Whitney's first year at SCJC, Hole Auditorium, which included music facilities and two auditoriums, was completed. Whitney was enthusiastic about the new facility, observing at the time of its completion that it "will at once mark an era of achievement and a milestone in the cultural accomplishments of SCJC."
He was even more pleased when the students before the end of that school year raised enough money to buy five new grand pianos, a remarkable achievement. During his last year, the students again rallied to raise money for the installation of an Estey theater-type pipe organ in HMA, a gift from the Walt Disney Studio. Whitney praised this accomplishment by stating that "it [the organ] will touch all phases of student activity, all assemblies, and devotional services . . . it will be impossible to find the student, teacher, or resident who will not have benefited by its being installed."
At the end of that year, Whitney left the college to attend Redlands University, hoping to prepare for admission into medical school
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