Ramona Convent Celebrates 135 Years: A Journey Rooted in History and Community

Article and Photo courtesy of RAMONA CONVENT SECONDARY SCHOOL AUGUST 30, 2024

This year marks the 135th anniversary of the founding of Ramona Convent Secondary School. While special celebrations will be held throughout the year, the school will also be sharing some “fun facts” about Ramona’s history.

Notably, many streets in Alhambra, particularly those around Ramona, are named after the Shorb children: Edith, Ethel, Ynez, Carlos, Benito, Campbell, Marguerita, and Ramona.

The Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary founded Ramona Convent Secondary School in 1889 as a boarding and day school in what is now Alhambra, a suburb of Los Angeles. James de Barth Shorb donated 15 acres of land to the Sisters, prompted by his daughter Edith’s dislike of being sent far away to Oakland for schooling and his recognition of the growing need for Catholic education for his family and neighboring rancheros.