The People Segment IV
In the 1940s and 50s in the SLO SDA church, I can’t think of any, aside from Edward Schultz, MD and Elvin Wical, MD, who had advanced degrees. There were no dentists. Few people had graduated from college. H. O. Swarthout, MD, SLO County Director of Public Health, did his turn to fill the SLO sermon slot, but he was a member at Arroyo Grande. Dr. Swarthout was noteworthy as author off the book the Modern Medical Counselor, sold in the Book and Bible house and by colporteurs as well as other books and articles in SDA journals. This book was part of the SDA home library. It was the “go to” authority for common ailments. As a kid I recall Dr. Swarthout’s sermons were more interesting than most we heard. I looked forward to church when I learned he would preach.
Dr. Schultz had an office in the house across from the Morro Bay park where the annual art and craft show is held. He occupied the west end; he and his wife lived at the other end. His wife, May, was an excellent Sabbath School teacher. Her care for us kids left a lasting impression on our young lives. Her parents, Elder and Mrs. Stuyvesant, shared the house. Elder Stuyvesant had been a Salvation Army officer before becoming an Adventist and later a pastor. When in the SA he played the valve trombone in the SA band. On occasion he played his horn for special music.
The story that circulated around the church for years related to the Grand Opening of Dr. Schultz’ office. The newly arrived couple arrived in Morro Bay and decided to take a walk on one of the near-by trails were they saw bright red plants. Mrs. Schultz gathered up an armful to bring back and include in the floral arrangements that beatified the new office. Big mistake! She had harvested poison oak. Dr. Schultz did not open his office as scheduled. Did this event actually happen? I do not know. What I do know is that I listened to numerous people, including my parents, relate with considerable humor, the new doc and the Open House poison oak bouquet event.
My family moved to SLO from Salinas in 1944 when Dad took over management of Crystal Springs Water Company. The next year he exercised the option to purchase the company. Dad, along with Russel Easter, Doc Freeman and Dr. Schultz were the mainstay of the elder group. When the congregation met at the Buchon location, the elders walked onto the platform from a side room, knelt for a time, rose and the congregation sang the Doxology. The elders sat on chairs facing the congregation until the benediction.
When Russel was an elder, we watched to see how long it took him to nod off. I have recollection of people timing him to see how long it took to enter Dream Land. If it was a record, we heard about it. When Dr. Schultz was at the front, we watched to see if his hand creeped up and inside his inside coat pocket. Word was that when Doc Schultz turned off his hearing aid, it was a clue the sermon was a drag. So here you have it, church in the olden days had all manner of interesting attractions to occupy reluctant younger parishioners.
There came a time when SLO went for some months without a pastor. Several of the men huddled and decided to go to the Conference to inform the officers that from that day on the SLO tithe would be deposited in a bank account where it would remain until a pastor arrived. The men climbed aboard Jan Davidian’s DDS, twin-engine Piper airplane, flew up to San Jose where the Conference office was then located, and presented their decision to the conference administrators. A pastor was soon appointed to the SLO parish. The Conference perhaps learned not to take SLO people for granted.
—Larry Downing