m ▁Spr ings , ▁has ▁been ▁described ▁as ▁being ▁in ▁the ▁international ▁style ▁and ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁earliest ▁examples ▁of ▁resident ial ▁modern ▁architecture ▁in ▁Southern ▁California . ▁ ▁Background ▁Clark ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Fort ▁D odge , ▁Iowa , ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 5 ▁to ▁John ▁and ▁Mary ▁Bo e hn ▁Clark . ▁The ▁family ▁re located ▁to ▁Pas ad ena , ▁California ▁by ▁ 1 9 2 0 ▁where ▁Clark ▁received ▁his ▁high ▁school ▁education . ▁He ▁worked ▁part - time ▁for ▁Mart son , ▁Van ▁P elt ▁and ▁May berry ▁in ▁Pas ad ena , ▁and ▁at ▁Sil van us ▁Mar ston ' s ▁suggestion , ▁Clark ▁en rolled ▁in ▁Corn ell ▁University . ▁He ▁graduated ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 8 ▁with ▁a ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁Architecture . ▁After ▁gradu ating ▁from ▁Corn ell , ▁Clark ▁returned ▁to ▁Pas ad ena ▁where ▁he ▁app r entic ed ▁with ▁Gar rett ▁Van ▁P elt , ▁in ▁the ▁architect ural ▁firm ▁of ▁Van ▁P elt ▁and ▁Lind . ▁While ▁working ▁in ▁Pas ad ena , ▁Clark ▁met ▁S ally ▁and ▁C ul ver ▁Nich ols , ▁a ▁Pas ad ena ▁real tor ▁who ▁invited ▁him ▁to ▁re loc ate ▁to ▁Pal m ▁Spr ings . ▁There ▁was ▁more ▁work ▁at ▁that ▁time ▁going ▁on ▁in ▁the ▁desert , ▁because ▁of ▁the ▁Great ▁De pression . ▁Clark ▁was ▁un lic ensed ▁at ▁that ▁time , ▁but ▁with ▁Van ▁P elt ▁and ▁Lind ' s ▁permission , ▁he ▁used ▁their ▁license