What is the Edwin V. Van Amringe Memorial Geology Scholarship Fund? Who was Edwin V. Van Amringe? Why do we donate to it?
Edwin V. Van Amringe was born in Oakland, August 24, 1899. He was raised there, spent a short period in the army, mostly at the Presidio in San Francisco near the end of World War I, and then attended the University of California in Berkeley. His Bachelor’s in chemistry and then master’s in education obtained for positions teaching high school chemistry.
When Pasadena City College was founded in 1924, he came on board to teach industrial chemistry and later geology. To further his education in preparation teaching geology he took courses at the California Institute of Technology and Berkeley.
He loved the outdoors and science, so the best way to combine the two was to present geology to the student in the field. He developed a comprehensive field trip program for PCC. As a popular instructor, he helped the department grow adding more courses and faculty.
In 1931, Van Amringe and other mineralogists, both amateur and professional, formed the Mineralogical Society of Southern California. It was the first of its type west of the Mississippi River. He served as Secretary, Bulletin Editor and President. Years later, he was elected Honorary Life Member. Many MSSC members owe their interest in mineralogy, geology and the outdoors to his courses.
Throughout his life he proceeded with gusto and good nature trying to improve himself and those around him. In a continuance of this love for geology, teaching and western Americana, he taught special classes and led field trips for teachers. He helped shape the PCC geology curriculum and initiated the geology library and museum. He continued to teach and lead field trips even after becoming Chairman of the Physical Sciences Department at PCC in 1951.
After his death on December 14, 1956, friends and colleagues, including H. Stanton Hill and Gus Meister, established the Edwin V. Van Amringe Memorial Geology Scholarship Fund to honor his devotion to geology and teaching. At the same time it would give recognition to outstanding students in Van Amringe’s chosen field.
The proceeding is mostly summarized from “Memorial To Edwin Verne Van Amringe” by H. Stanton Hill in the Proceedings Volume of the Geological Society of America, September 1958, pp 203-206.