Newport News High School - Anchor Yearbook (Newport News, VA)

Page 30 text:

118 THE BEACON

Page 29 text:

CLASS OF JUNE, 1897 The first graduating class of New- port News spent their last high school years in one room on the third floor of the First National Bank Building. In place of desks, we had one large table in the middle of the room with chairs around it. The Principal, Mr. Epes, was also our teacher, coming and going as his duties called him. We had to report to Miss Braxton every afternoon as to our deportment. Our science laboratory consisted of a small cabinet about half filled. This was in the room in which we studied. There were five of us, all girls. Annie Wingfield (Crow) Chief Yeo- man at the Shipyard during the war and still employed by the Govern- ment. Louise Hopkins (Woodhead) now wife of Prof. Dudley Woodhead of the University of Toronto, Canada. Maud Via (Littlepage) now wife of Lewis L. Littlepage, business man of Norfolk. Belle Johnson, now Pastor’s Assist- ant in the First Presbyterian Church, Norfolk, doing wonderful work. Mary Brooks (Belch) now wife of Thomas R. Belch, business man of this city. The graduating exercises took place the 8th of June, 1897, at the Casino building on the waterfront, which in later years was destroyed by fire. The officers of the school were: Thomas T. Powell, Superintendent; William Francis Cooper, Chairman, Board of Trustees; Horace H. Epes, Principal; Nannie M. Braxton, Assist- ant Principal. —MRS. T. R. BELCH. THE CLASS OF 1905 The two met on Thanksgiving Day at the game when the Old Gold and Dark Blue was raised victoriously on high. Their eyes met across the sea of faces and both smiled as back in 1903 and ’09; they had smiled, though Hampton, our time honored oppo- nents, were then victorious. They were members of the Class of June, 1905, and this class was always strong in schol spirit and nothing daunted though victory was not always theirs. This class adopted the colors Old Gold and Dark Blue as the school col- ors. It first sang the songs so dear to the old high today, though the words are not just the same. It was the first class to go through the full four years of the high as an accredit- ed school. It published the first school maga- zine, known as “The Student.” It organized the Literary Society of the high and held four open meet- ing ' s a year, to which the general pub- lic was invited, besides meeting bi- monthly. Its members composed the first Glee Club of the high and its debates were famous in their day.

Page 31 text:

THE BEACON 119 All the members of this class are successful men and women and hon- ored citizens. Only one member is missing from the group, William A. Graff, a young lawyer of this city, and the Class Essayist, who died with the Influenza in 1918. Albert Osborn Loomis, the Presi- dent and Valedictorian of the class, was graduated from Cornell Univer- sity as a Mechanical and Electrical Engineer and gave a good account of himself with the American Engineers in France. Alb ert instructed, in turn, all the girls of the class in Astron- omy, as it was not included in the regular course. Robert A. Davis, one of the most popular boys in the class, was gradu- ated from the University of Virginia, and after practicing medicine in our city, joined the colors, serving abroad in an English Hospital. He is again practicing in our city. Allen Davis, the mathematical won- der of the class, is a successful busi- ness man of our city. Clara Gresham Smith, the Class Salutatorian, after graduating from the Farnrville State Normal, taught in the schools here for a few years, and is now the wife of Doctor Lewis Stoneburner, a prominent physician of Richmond. A. Elizabeth Edwards, the second of the trio of Farnrville girls, was the Principal of the Highland Park and Stoney Creek Schools for several years when she became the wife of Mr. U. R. Hoyle, a newspaper man of Richmond, now on the staff of the Daily Press. Mae Marshall, the third of the Farnrville trio, taught school here in the city for a few years, afterwards becoming the wife of John D. Ed- wards, late lieutenant in the United States Navy. She is again teaching school. Elizabeth Curtis, after finishing at Hollins and the New England Con- servatory of Music, came home to be the companion of her father. She is now living in Charlottesville, Va. Anne Eatonia Daudridge, better known as “Torey,” always one of the best old sports in everything, is now Mrs. Lincove Stratton of this city. Maude Garner, the most beautiful member of the class, became the wife of Mr. Edgar Wertheimer, Jr., and now lives out on the Boulevard. Lillian Bonnewell, so well remem- bered for her gracious hospitality to the class, taught school for several years and then m arried Mr. A. C. Brown. She now lives in Craddock, Virginia. Olive Marlow moved to Washing- ton, D. C., and there married. Francis Stewart, the gifted soprano of the class, married James West, now a Washington editor, and resides in that city. Lelia Snell, our alto, whose duets with Francis, were always in demand, is now the wife of Mr. L. Bishop of this city and a popular business man besides. Lorena Holt, soon after graduating, went to live in New Mexico. She married Mr. William R. Blair and lives in El Paso, Texas. We hope some day she may come East. Lorena could always clean up after chemistry as no other member could. Lucy Moss, who could, as the old saying goes, “make a piano talk,” is our most recent bride. She is now Mrs. Morris, I believe. This ends the roll call of 1905, but we can not mention this class without recalling the names of first, our be- loved Instructor and Principal, vVil- liam C. Morton, afterwards Superin- tendent of the schools of Newport News, and now Superintendent in Martinsburg, West Virginia, and sec- ondly, that of James Allen, one of the