Who Is Scripps?

Ever wonder just who Scripps is, whose name is all over buildings in San Diego? Wonder no more!

Let’s begin with the institute with the top doctoral program in the United States, Scripps Institute of Oceanography! (If you don’t believe me, check out this article released less than five months ago - scrippsnews.ucsd.edu)

Photo courtesy of Phillip Colla

The first director of Scripps Institute of Oceanography was a Professor of the Department of Zoology at the University of California at Berkeley, William E. Ritter. Ritter came to San Diego for a research project on the animal life in the Pacific Ocean and the first building was constructed by the Marine Biological Association of San Diego. Two sibling subscribers of the Association and close friends of Ritter, Ellen Browning Scripps and Edward Wills Scripps, donated generous funds for construction and 170 acres to the Association. In 1912, the facility became Scripps Institution for Biological Sciences and then thirteen years later became Scripps Institution of Oceanography of the University of California. In 1957, Regents approved the establishment to become part of the University of California at San Diego. Today Ritter Hall contains labs, offices, and conference rooms for various oceanic researchers.

The original Scripps Pier was finished in 1916 and was used for obtaining clean sea water for the aquarium and for the research labs. Ellen Scripps provided the funds for this project. The pier was completely replaced in 1988; an additional 84 feet was added, making it 1,084 feet long. It became known as the Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial Pier and her grand-niece, Ellen Clark Revelle, gave Ellen Scripps’ biography at the dedication ceremony. (By the way, Ellen Clark Revelle was global warming scientist Roger Randall Dougan Revelle’s wife.) The Scripps Memorial Pier is solely used for research. Data on oceanic conditions and plankton have been taken since 1916 and French naval officer, explorer, ecologist, filmmaker, innovator, scientist, photographer, author, and researcher, Jacques Cousteau’s vessel, among many others, has been lowered from this pier.

Image courtesy of SIO

Something I always wondered was 'how did this Scripps person become so wealthy'? Let’s back up and tell that story. After graduating college in Illinois, Ellen Scripps taught before working with her brother (James) on the newspaper he founded- the Detroit Evening News. She invested her savings in this newspaper and eventually it became one of the most popular in the country. She then helped her half brother, E. W. Scripps, found other newspapers with her personal savings. As these enterprises grew, so did her wealth.

The Children's Pool at La Jolla Cove

Ellen spent the last thirty-five years of her life in La Jolla. Because she often donated anonymously, the exact endowment is unknown, but it was well into the millions. The donated money didn’t all come from her wise business practices; she obtained a large sum from her brother George’s will. She cared greatly in benefitting humanity and therefore funded wherever she saw fit.

Plans for the Scripps Memorial Hospital began while Ellen was recovering from a broken hip. She dedicated this facility to her sister, Annie. Meanwhile, one of Ellen’s doctors proposed a research facility to study diabetes in response to the discovery of insulin. Consequently, the Scripps Research Institute was completed in 1924. The founder-director, Dr. James Winn, was the first doctor to use insulin in the United States.

Other contributions from Ellen Scripps include The Bishop’s School, the North Grove and estuary of Torrey Pines State Reserve, La Jolla Precinct, La Jolla Recreation Center, the original aquarium at Scripps, the football field and stadium at La Jolla High School, Scripps Park, Scripps Aviary at the San Diego Zoo, Scripps College in Claremont, California, Scripps Cottage at San Diego State University, and the Children’s Pool at La Jolla Cove. Ellen’s home was bought and remodeled in 1939 and is now the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego.

The Museum of Contemporary Art

The MCA in La Jolla is temporarily closed but is scheduled to reopen on Feb. 5, 2011. In case you didn’t know, admission for all students under 26 years are FREE! The address is 700 Prospect Street. Also, don’t forget to check out Birch Aquarium and all the tours they offer!