Portrait of James A. Foshay (1856-1914) at his desk, ca.1902

Photograph of a portrait of James A. Foshay (1856-1914) at his desk, ca.1902. A telephone is attached to the corner of a roll-top desk behind him on a specially designed bracket. He sits in a leather upholstered desk chair reading a piece of paper in his left hand. He wears a full beard and moustache but is bald on the top of his head. His pince-nez spectacles sit on a letter on the desk in front of him. Foschay was Monrovia's first regular teacher and school principal, and later was Superintendant of Schools in Los Angeles. Legible writing includes: on telephone "1 A, 2 B, 3 C, 4 D, 5 E, 6 F, 7 G, 8 H, 9 I, 0 J", "Application for membership", letter on desk "Mark Keppel, Superintendent of Schools, Los Angeles County, California, [...], Hon. Jam. A. Foshay, President of the Fr[...], 841 [...] Figueroa St., Dear Sir and Brother[...], Owing to a [...] the meeting held in [...] I am informed [...] elected Dr. Knigh [...] the fact that I [...] at the [...] election of officers [...] I appeal to you [...] have me installed [...] Philips".