Melendy, H. Brett (Howard Brett)

Born in Eureka, California, H. Brett Melendy (1924-2008) spent most of his life in California and Hawaii. He received his Master of Arts in Education in 1948 and his Doctorate in History in 1952 from Stanford University. During this time, he also taught high school in Fresno, California. Melendy began his academic career as a history professor at San José State College in 1955. He served in several positions including: Academic Council Faculty Chair; Associate Academic Vice President; Dean of Undergraduate Studies; History Department Chair; History Professor; Interim Academic Vice President; and University Archivist. Melendy also spent some of his academic career as an administrator and history professor in the Hawaiian University system in the 1970s. Melendy's published works include Chinese and Japanese Americans (1984); Asians in America: Filipinos, Koreans, and East Indians (1977); and The Governors of California: Peter H. Burnett to Edmund G. Brown (1965), as well as numerous scholarly articles. In 1983 Melendy was appointed as the University Archivist from 1983-1987 on a half-time basis, while also maintaining half-time responsibilities as the Director of the Engineering Institute in the Engineering Department. In this role, Melendy organized and conducted oral history interviews of select San José State University administrators and faculty. In 1987 the University Archivist position was eliminated. From 1987 to 1994, Melendy continued to work in the History and Engineering Departments, and in 1993 he was awarded Professor Emeritus status.

From the description of H. Brett Melendy oral history collection, 1965-1991. (San Jose Public Library). WorldCat record id: 712067196

Biographical History

Born in Eureka, California, H. Brett Melendy (1924-2008) spent most of his life in California and Hawaii. He received his Master of Arts in Education in 1948 and his Doctorate in History in 1952 from Stanford University. During this time, he also taught high school in Fresno, California. Melendy began his academic career as a history professor at San José State College in 1955. He served in several positions including: Academic Council Faculty Chair; Associate Academic Vice President; Dean of Undergraduate Studies; History Department Chair; History Professor; Interim Academic Vice President; and University Archivist. Melendy also spent some of his academic career as an administrator and history professor in the Hawaiian University system in the 1970s. Melendy's published works include Chinese and Japanese Americans (1984) ; Asians in America: Filipinos, Koreans, and East Indians (1977) ; and The Governors of California: Peter H. Burnett to Edmund G. Brown (1965), as well as numerous scholarly articles.

In 1983 Melendy was appointed as the University Archivist from 1983-1987 on a half-time basis, while also maintaining half-time responsibilities as the Director of the Engineering Institute in the Engineering Department. In this role, Melendy organized and conducted oral history interviews of select San José State University administrators and faculty. In 1987 the University Archivist position was eliminated. From 1987 to 1994, Melendy continued to work in the History and Engineering Departments, and in 1993 he was awarded Professor Emeritus status.

From the guide to the H. Brett Melendy Oral History Collection, 1965-1991, (San José State University. Library.)

Organizational History

In 1857 the San Francisco Board of Education established Minns' Evening Normal School for current and prospective teachers in the city. Named after its principal, George W. Minns, the institution was formally established as the first California State Normal School by the State Legislature in 1862. A decade later, the Legislature voted to move the Normal School to San José, and the school relocated to its new home on Washington Square prior to the fall term of 1872. After a fire destroyed the Normal School building in 1880, the Legislature authorized $ 200,000 to construct a new building on the same site. Completed in 1881, the building was commonly referred to as the Second State Normal School. After several names and curriculum changes, Minns' Normal School is now San José State University, offering more than 134 bachelor's and master's degrees with 110 concentrations, and is recognized as one of the top public universities granting such degrees in the West.

Born in Eureka, California, H. Brett Melendy (1924-2008) spent most of his life in California and Hawaii. He received his Master of Arts in Education in 1948 and his Doctorate in History in 1952 from Stanford University. During this time, he also taught high school in Fresno, California. Melendy began his university academic career as a history professor at SJSU in 1955. He served in several positions while at San José State University including: Academic Council Faculty Chair; Associate Academic Vice President; Dean of Undergraduate Studies; History Department Chair; History Professor; Interim Academic Vice President; and University Archivist. Melendy also spent some of his academic career as an administrator and history professor in the Hawaiian University system in the 1970s. His written work includes the books Chinese and Japanese Americans ; Asians in America: Filipinos, Koreans, and East Indians ; co-author of The Governors of California: Peter H. Burnett to Edmund G. Brown, as well as numerous scholarly articles.

In addition, Melendy conducted oral history interviews of select San José State University administrators and faculty from 1983 to 1988. Melendy served as the University Archivist from 1983-1987 on a half-time basis, while also maintaining half-time responsibilities as the Director of the Engineering Institute in the Engineering Department. In 1987 the University Archivist position was eliminated by Academic Vice President Arlene Okerlund. From 1987 to 1994, Melendy continued to work in the History and Engineering Departments, and in 1993 he was awarded Professor Emeritus status.

From the guide to the San José State University Faculty Papers of H. Brett Melendy, 1928-1985, 1955-1985, (San José State University. Library.)