Pearl Degenhart was born in Montana. She received her BA from the University of Montana in Missoula and her MA in Art from Columbia University, NYC in 1924. She was a resident of Humboldt county for 71 years.

Her grandfather was a Civil War veteran, her mother was born during the Civil War at Fort Bridger, Utah Territory.

She did graduate studies in Taos, NM, the University of Oregon and the University of California, Berkeley.

She taught Art at AHS 41 1/2 years from 1924-1965.

Pearl sent an oil painting of a redwood grove to Lady Bird Johnson on Feb. 1. 1966, stating "...because I know of your great concern for the preservation of our natural beauty...the very grove I have painted is in the path of the loggers." The White House replied, "Your devotion to these great forests shine from the painting and Mrs. Johnson can understand your desire to see them preserved form destruction...It is Mrs. Johnson's hope that a representative area of these great trees be protected."

Pearl was widely published having had her articles in various fiction adventure magazines, and especially in School Arts. One such interesting article in the May 1966 issue, "Teaching Art with Cameras," covered the class of photography teacher Tom Knight at Arcata High School.

Pearl was a member of the Sierra Club and Pen Women of Humboldt County. She was honored in Who's Who in American Art, Who's Who in the West, and Who's Who of American Women.

Tom Knight, Humboldt County Photographer

Tom Knight was born in Berkeley, California. He was in the US Air Corps from1943 to 1946. He received a BA from Humboldt State University in 1950, a Secondary Teaching Credential in 1953 from HSU, and an MA in Art Education from HSU in 1954.

Tom was the Arcata Union High School art teacher from1953 leaving there in 1956 to become an HSU Professor in Art until1990.

He did graduate work at Otis Art Institute, Los Angeles in the summer of 1958. He taught summer school at Grand Valley College, Allendale, Michigan in the summer of1970; and University of Nevada, Reno, summer, 1968, summer, 1969.

Tom was widely exhibited and published. The latest time being, July-Nov. 1995, Luz y Tiempo, Centro Cultural/Arte Contempoanco, Mexico City.