MAN ENJOYS UNEARTHING HISTORY.

Byline: BETTIE RENCORET

PALMDALE - Participating in archeological digs, visiting Civil War battlefields and researching old-time radio shows are only a few of Bob Bock's diversions.

Since his retirement in June 1995 after 36 years with the Los Angeles County Probation Department, he has devoted the majority of his time to indulging them.

One of the ways he does it is as a docent at the Antelope Valley Indian Museum. He loves to pass on the rich history of the California State Park facility to groups of adults and classes of schoolchildren.

``I like working with the kids. I'm convinced they are bright and I don't think they should get all the bad rap they're getting. We need to put them in proper perspective,'' he said.

The children especially seem receptive to his touring lectures which include an injection of archeological information along with the history of the museum and its artist builder.

``They like the touch table where they can handle some small artifacts and get the feel of the place,'' he said.

Ask him to choose the one most necessary quality it takes to be successful at digging for artifacts and he will say, ``Patience. It takes a lot of patience.''

His friends will agree he has a lot of that.

``There are no Indiana Joneses,'' he said. ``You're more apt to find a broken arrowhead or a piece of burnt bone than you are to ever see any of King Tut's treasures. All archeology means dirty fingernails. It's time consuming but it's rewarding.''

People dig for artifacts, he said, for scientific, educational or historic information, and whatever is found has to be turned over to the agency sponsoring the dig.

``By law, any and all of the articles found have to go to the state,'' he said. ``None of them remain the personal property of the finder.''

Bock speaks with the authority of a archeology student, issued a certificate by UCLA in 1982.

``What I've found is all minor stuff,'' he said. ``It's been pottery shards, hand tools, shell beads - little things like that. Still, it was all important in terms of writing the history of the people who lived at the site of the dig.''

In a sense, he indicated, it is investigative work which ties in with his volunteer service at the museum.

Located just off Avenue M, between 150th and 170th Streets East, the facility was homesteaded in 1928 by the late Howard Arden Edwards, a movie artist. There were 160 acres in the original claim.

Nestled in the buttes not far from Lake Los Angeles, the main building has been rejuvenated according to historically correct guidelines. The surrounding acres include several small houses, including one Edwards built for his teen-age daughter.

Bock noted that the late Grace Oliver, who bought the property in 1938 from Edwards, added some of the buildings to house visiting family members and friends for extended periods of time.

During the early years of World War II, he noted, some of these houses were occupied by personnel in what was then the United States Air Corps, stationed at Muroc Air Base - now Edwards Air Force Base.

He pointed to some of the artwork that was added during Oliver's ownership of the museum.

Beside the front entry are two large sandstone paintings that cover the original dining room windows. These paintings feature the thematic Indian-style work of a former valley resident, artist Jean Chernof.

The museum is operated each year on a seasonal basis, opening in the fall and closing in the spring, he said.

``Some people think that is because of our summer heat and that's part right,'' he said, ``but it is mainly because the state park attendants are needed in other areas where the tourism is more heightened in the summertime.''

The season this year will come to a close in mid-June, he said.

Guest artist Sue Savage will show her work May 3 and 4. Silversmith Michael Rogers will present his work for sale May 10 and 11. Archeology Week will be celebrated May 17 with a dig for kids of all ages.

The museum is open to the public weekends only, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $2 for adults, $1 for children ages 6 to 12.

A celebration after the summer hiatus is planned Sept. 20-21.

Born April 13, 1933, in a Pennsylvania coal mining town called Nesquehoning, Bock moved with his family to Los Angeles in 1943. He attended Pierce College for two years before receiving his bachelor of arts degree in 1959 from what is now California State University, Northridge.

That year he also got married and began working for the Los Angeles County Probation Department at Juvenile Hall.

In 1961 he was promoted to Deputy Probation Officer and worked in several Los Angeles area probation offices.

Later he served as a Probation Department liaison to the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, fathered three children and was divorced in 1970.

His grown children include daughters Leslie and Lisa, and son Larry, who all live in the Los Angeles area.

He met his second wife, the former Sylvia Shiner, a music teacher from his native Pennsylvania, when she came out to UCLA to satisfy some of her continuing education requirements.

For her stay here she became the house guest of her aunt, who just happened to be Bock's neighbor in Mission Hills.

They were married June 24, 1977, in Pittsburgh, Pa.

He was assigned to the Antelope Valley probation office in 1986 and he remained there until his retirement.

Since archeology is mainly an investigating activity, his jobs as a juvenile court, and finally, an adult court investigating probation officer, were second nature to him.

LANCASTER - Menus for the week at the senior life nutrition sites in Lancaster, Palmdale and Pearblossom have been announced. All meals include bread, margarine and coffee, tea or milk.

Monday: Chicken patty, mashed potatoes, veggie medley, peach slices and ice cream.

Tuesday: Hamburger on bun, macaroni salad, green beans and orange sections.

Wednesday: Beef Stroganoff, sweet peas, carrot-raisin salad, muffin and pineapple tidbits.

Thursday: Turkey, mashed potatoes, corn, tossed salad and cake.

Friday: Pork chops, au gratin potatoes, spinach, coleslaw and applesauce.

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Photo

Photo: Bob Bock, 64, shows items at the Antelope Valley Indian Museum, where he is a docent.