Founders

All of this would not have happened without the vision of its founders, two educators Vera Hering, Claire Kennedy and their friend Ruth Fenton.   These three friends saw the need to “inspire a love of learning”— the Lyceum’s mission statement—through after school programs for students, especially gifted students.  At the time, there were no academic enrichment programs anywhere in the county and they were the first to jumpstart this innovative concept in 1960. 

The three friends named their new nonprofit organization, “Lyceum”, a Greek word meaning a public place, such as a public hall, for classes and lectures that were made popular during Aristotle’s period.  In modern times, Lyceum means a secondary school, a school for students intermediate between elementary school and college.  Incidentally, today’s Lyceum also means a public hall for lectures and concerts.

Adhering to the founders’ belief that hands-on classes in a fun environment is the best way for a student to learn—whether science, humanities, art or music—today’s Lyceum's offers a diverse menu of classes that continues to enrich the daily lives of students by introducing them to the joy of learning through interactive and innovative classes.

50th Anniversary 

In 2010 we celebrated our anniversary with a gathering of local dignitaries, former executive directors, former board members and even a handful of former Lyceum students. The evening was a celebration of all that Lyceum had accomplished and has yet to achieve. 

Lyceum: Through The Decades

1960s

The flamboyant 1960s marked the rise of the Beatles, counterculture, and space exploration. The first program offered by the Lyceum was a tutorial for just one student. Within three years, 850 students attended various Lyceum classes and workshops. In 1963, the Lyceum was incorporated into the Monterey Peninsula Association for Gifted Students.

The era of bell bottom pants led the way to more new programs, to include an arts program for under privileged students throughout the county. By 1979, the Lyceum summer program had grown to 43 workshops in the areas of arts, sciences, and humanities. The classes were held at various places, to include the founders’ homes, schools and rented facilities.

The decade of economic prosperity and Wall Street helped the Lyceum to finally make the move from rented houses to its current permanent location on Sixth Street, near downtown Monterey. The explosive economic growth of the 1980s brought a 300% increase in enrollment. For the first time, the Lyceum began to expand its programs to include high school students and added new family workshops and language programs. Seminar topics ranged from “He-Man Meets Ulysses”, to “Monterey Bay Aquarium Marine Biology”, to “Animal Care”. The Lyceum started a robust music program which included a choral workshop, a Jazz workshop, and a Bach Festival workshop. 

On the eve of Lyceum’s 25th anniversary, the first county-wide Spelling Bee competition was inaugurated by former board member Dr. Adrienne Meckel (deceased) and former Executive Director, Libby Downey (currently a councilwoman in Monterey). Over 70 classes were offered and by this period, Lyceum classes were extended to Marina, Seaside and Salinas.

The 1990s brought about the proliferation of media news outlets and the rise of the internet. It was during this period that the first History Day, a nation-wide program that engages students in the discovery of historic, cultural and social experiences of the past was launched in April 1990. Former Executive Director Forbes Keaton (now with All Saints School) started the county-wide program with just 50 students at the Pacific Grove Middle School. History Day now averages over 300 students per year.

As program demands continue, the Lyceum was tapped by the Monterey Peninsula Unified District to provide after school classes to at risk youths and after school programs within the district. It was during this period that the founders, Vera and Claire died (1995 and 1996 respectively). In 1997, the Lyceum launched Mock Trial, a state-wide program for high school students that simulates a real court trial. Former Seaside High School student Elizabeth Wolcott, who graduated in 2006, said, “Mock Trial was one of the coolest things I got to do in high school, because it was an activity outside of class that helped me develop my speaking and team management skills, which were invaluable to me in college.”

In the late 1990s, Lyceum was featured in a special educational edition of Newsweek magazine, thus achieving national notice. Classes offered during this decade include: “The Internet for Beginners”, “Sign Language” and “Introduction to Hang-Gliding”.

The 2000s is marked by globalizations and world conflicts. The Lyceum’s goal, as articulated by Wanda Pan-Christiansen, former Executive Director, “is to bring 21st century education to Monterey students today”. As a result, this decade saw an increase in new and innovative programs that are in sync with today’s changing world. 

To spearhead this new thinking, the Lyceum launched three Model United Nations workshops in 2009 to assist Monterey students with an understanding of world cultures. This was followed in April 2010 with the first-ever Model United Nations conference, a world-wide program in 35 countries that is a simulation of various United Nations meetings. Participants in Model UN not only gain an understanding of current events, but work together to identify solutions to world problems. 

In July 2010, the Lyceum unveiled Space Adventure, a first-ever space camp-like program that introduces students to the latest in science and technology. Lyceum students were treated to show-and-tell from two astronauts, robotics experts, engineers, astronomers, and a rocket expert, plus field trips to a space museum, the Naval Postgraduate School, Hartnell’s Ching Planetarium, Monterey Institute for Research in Astronomy (MIRA) and others. 

In October 2010, in partnership with Peter Funt, a national syndicated journalist, the Monterey Herald and KSBW TV station, the Lyceum kicked off the first-ever county-wide Young Journalist program for high school students. Students are given an exclusive behind-the-scene look at the world of print and broadcast journalists. What’s more, students learn from journalists themselves about their particular specialty, whether sports writing, art, features and the crime beat.

Exciting classes offered this decade include: “Space Travel with Astronaut Newman”, “Robot Programming”, “Behind-the-Scene tour of MBARI”, “Navy Seals”, “Rocketry” and many more.

2010s

As the Lyceum celebrates its 50th birthday this year, we are gratified by the fact that thousands of Monterey County students have entered our doors. With half a century of experience under our belt, we are eager to inspire the next generation of students and help them “develop a love of learning”.

We look forward to continuing to provide innovative and interactive programs for students and families across the Monterey Bay Area.