ABSTRACT
Like the coal, fish, or fertile lands of other communities, "the money" played a salient role in the ecology of this community, subtly molding its social organization and helping to determine its fate. Disney's death left the Institute with about $15 million and the money's custodians—the trustees who were to have served as advisors. The vacillation, reflecting uncertainty about the degree to which the Disney affiliation should be publicly stressed, was the first sign of what was to become an increasingly prominent dilemma. Since it was not until after Disney's death that the school's architectural plans were fully approved and its final site chosen, later settlers would question whether trustee action on these matters carried out or departed from Disney's intentions. Los Angeles institutions and Chouinard Art Institute enjoyed a primarily local reputation preparing their students for commercial rather than academic careers.
