Hal de Becker traveled the world doing what he loved: dancing. He was the product of a theatrical family that moved to Southern California allowing him to grow up with the Hollywood sign in the background. After acting in small roles, he fell in love first with classical music and then with ballet. He appreciated beauty in those art forms as well as in the physical scenery of Switzerland, France, Palm Springs, Italy, Holland, and other exquisite places around the globe where he danced. De Becker worked on stages from Lake Tahoe where he opened for Nat King Cole to a Casino Campione in the Italian Alps becoming the talk of the town and finally to the hotels of the Las Vegas Strip. As he reminisced through the years of his fascinating life, we learned that the great ballet dancers never stop practicing, always aiming for perfection. When this interview was conducted, he owned a dance studio where other dancers could go to achieve the greatness that Hal attained during his long career. Some of the funny stories of De Becker's life come from the other side of his personality, the private detective. Educated, urbane, and sophisticated, Hal De Becker is indeed a man for all seasons and a lover of the dance art form. Shall we dance?

Senator Richard Bryan's Las Vegas roots are deep. His father graduated from Las Vegas High School in 1927, left to attend law school and later returned with his young family. His father was politically active and a role model for young Richard, who would succeed in becoming Governor of Nevada in the 1980s and then U.S. Senator. In this interview, Senator Bryan describes his parents looking at a plat map of John S. Park in 1943 and that they bought a house on Maryland Parkway for around $5500.00. He recounts details of the John S. Park neighborhood development and nearby areas and talks about houses with carports rather than garages, no grass, rough asphalt driveways, and a desert where kids could play for hours without supervision. He mentions the impact of World War II on the community, attending movies at the Huntridge Theatre, and becoming a student leader as well as being active in the Boy Scouts. About the Helldorado Days, he talks about the large undertaking of the parade for the Elks Club. As Las Vegas' population grew, the neighborhoods began to fill in. He tells of the opening of schools, including permanent JSP Elementary in 1948 - with no air conditioning. Neighborhood commerce included a grocery store and Sills Drive-in. On the Strip, he remembers Club Bingo (eventually called Sahara) opening as well as the long list of other hotel/casinos that are part of Las Vegas history.

Includes meeting agenda and minutes. CSUN Session 21 Meeting Minutes and Agendas.