SHS Photo Collection – Part 2
By Don Taylor
Photo Friday – Dunstan Grammar Class of 1941.
Today, I examined a small photo album from the Scarborough Historical Society Photo Collection[i]. The album is titled “Class of 1941” and consists of individual thumbnail photos. All but two photos have names hand-written on the back. My goal in this project is to unite these photos with family members who may have never seen the images before.
What I learned while analyzing this photo package:
- The 1941 Scarborough Annual Report indicates that Florance A. Scott and Norman McWilliam were the teachers at Dunstan School. Florence had 5½ years of teaching experience. She was a graduate of Gorham Normal, she practice taught at North Scarborough School and was an instructor on Portland Playgrounds for four years. Mr. MacWilliam has 1½ years of experience. He was a graduate of Farmington Normal.
- It is interesting to note that Beech Ridge and Broad Turn schools closed on 16 February 1940. Beech Ridge students were transported to the new Oak Hill Grammar School and the pupils at Broad Turn School were transported to Dunstan. Additionally, Libby Grammar School closed on 15 December 1929 and were transported to Oak Hill. Libby Primary School still had students.
- Dunstan School was reported as being overcrowded and in need of a new 6-room building.
This mini-album consists of 34 students and two teacher thumbnail photos. Miss Scott and Mr. McWilliam are pictured as are the following students:
Shirley Blood, Ann Bradford (2), Mattie Brooks, Dick Buckley, Charlie Burnham, Fanny Burnham, Gary Carter, Hazel Carter, Jean Carter, Roberta Carter, Audrey David, Gladys David, Dick Gantnier, Dottie Gochie (2), Jim Gochie, Doug Goodrich, Juliet Gervais, Louis Gervais, Lorna Hersey, Adelaide Higgins, Bill Higgins, Earl Jones, John Jones, Charles Kilby, Florence Merrill, George Merrill, Marion Milliken, Dana Morris, Helen Nielsen, Patricia Seavey, Edna Wilbur, Melvin William, Francis Raymond “Mike’ Wood,
Please comment below if you can identify the two unknown students.
I am confident this album consists of students from 1941 at the Dunstan School
Conclusion
I am sure these photos, taken in 1941, represent the 5th, 6th, and 7th grade classes of Dunstan Grammar School with the identities of 34 of the 36 students’ photos in the album. Besides here, I uploaded these photos to the Scarborough Historical Society website.
I would love to hear your reaction if any of these photos are of your family member. Especially if this photo is of a loved one for whom you hadn’t seen this photograph before. Ultimately, my goal is to reunite the pictures with family members who may have never seen the image.
Endnotes
[i] This photo was donated to the SHS Collections and accessioned as #2023.19.56. The cover of the small, 3.85×5,” album is blue in color and has “Class of 1941” printed on the cover and consists of 38 thumbnail photos.
