“Donna in the News” reports newly found newspaper articles and advertisements regarding my grandmother, Madonna Montran (aka Donna Montran and Donna Darling). I am always excited when I learn of a new venue for my grandmother’s exciting show business career of the 1910s and 1920s.
This week from The Oregonian(Portland, OR), dated May 26, 1924, I learned that Donna was “a darling maid” and had two dancing partners.
Clipping from The Oregonian, May 26, 1924.
An added attraction, which was unexpected by the management in time to get on the programme, is Donna Darling, a darling maid, with her two men dancing partners. In stepping one of the men excels and his steps are myriad and original. Their group songs are diverting and the act proves most pleasant.
Also on the bill were:
Wayne & Bell trio – Marathon whirlers.
Thomas & Russell – Ethiopian entertainers.
Jack & Eva Arnold – Comedians & singers.
George Lashay – Xylophone player.
Mascot – A Shetland pony act.
Because of those newly available online articles, I could confirm this venue for Donna’s exciting vaudeville career. However, because Donna was “unexpected to get on the programme,” this article is the only mention of her this week. It appears that the other acts on the bill played from the 25th to the 30th. I presume that Donna played there for the week with the others and was only left out of the program.
New information added to her career list:
Line for Schedule: May 25-31, 1924 – Portland, OR – Hippodrome.
Endnotes
My thanks to Newspapers.com for providing access to this clipping.
“Donna in the News” reports newly found newspaper articles and advertisements regarding my grandmother, Madonna Montran (aka Donna Montran and Donna Darling). I am always excited when I see a new venue for my grandmother’s exciting show business career of the 1910s and 1920s.
This week from ThePlain Dealer (Cleveland, OH), dated 25 May 1927, I learned that Donna and her Revue played at the Imperial Theatre in Cleveland.
Donna played at Cleveland’s Hilliard Sq. Theatre on May 20th, 21st, and 22nd. They were then off Monday and Tuesday and began across town at Cleveland’s Imperial Theatre on Wednesday for three more days. The Imperial Theatre is about 12 miles east of Hilliard Square.
Continuing with the Linwood Dyer Photo Collection – “High School Graduation Portraits from the 1960s,” this entry highlights five additional portraits. These graduates represent Deering, Falmouth, Gorham, and Portland High Schools, along with St. Joseph’s Academy. Based on inscriptions found inside the original portrait folders, it appears that all five students attended Three Arts Studio in Portland, Maine—a local performing arts center renowned for instruction in dance, theatre, and other disciplines.
Graduates Featured:
Diane Somma – Deering High School, Class of 1964.
Diane Somma, 1964
Photo Type: Graduation portrait (7½” x 5¼”)
Cover: Deering High School
Studio: The Jackson Studios, Portland
Inscription: “Diane”
Class: 64
Research Note: Confirmed match with Diane Somma in the 1964 Deering High School yearbook, page 131.
Kathy Hanson – Falmouth High School, Class of 1969
Kathy Hanson
Photo Type: Graduation portrait (7½” x 5¼”)
Cover: Falmouth High School
Studio: The Wendell White Studio, Portland, ME
Inscription: “Kathy”
Class: 69
Research Note: Identified as Katherine Irene Hanson in the 1969 Falmouth High School yearbook, page 35.
Cheryl McLaughlin– Gorham High School, Class of 1962.
Cheryl McLaughlin – 1962
Photo Type: Graduation portrait (7½” x 5¼”)
Cover: Gorham High School
Studio: The Jackson Studios, Portland
Inscription: “Cheryl”
Class: 62
Research Note: Confirmed by matching photo of Cheryl Prudence McLaughlin in the 1962 Gorham yearbook, page 40.
Janice L Gardner – Portland High School, Class of 1955
Janice Gardner – 1955
Photo Type: Graduation portrait (7½” x 5¼”)
Cover: Portland High School
Studio: The Jackson-White, Portland, Me
Inscription: “Janice L Gardner”
Class: 55
Research Note: Identity verified with matching portrait in the 1955 Portland High School yearbook, page 92.
Ann Hunter – St. Joseph’s Academy, Class of 1955
Janice L Gardner, 1955
Photo Type: Graduation portrait (7½” x 5¼”)
Cover: St Josephs Academy
Studio: The Wendell White Studio, Portland, Me
Inscription: “Ann Hunter ‘59’”
Research Note: Verified in the 1959 St. Joseph’s Academy yearbook, page 29.
Conclusion
This project is about more than photographs—it’s about restoring connections across generations. These portraits capture moments of pride and promise, and for many families, they may be the only formal photo of a loved one at that pivotal time.
If you recognize someone in these images or they are part of your family history, I welcome your contact. I’d be happy to share the personal inscriptions found inside the folders—words written by the students themselves more than 60 years ago.
These portraits are available for personal genealogical use. Please credit appropriately:
Photo Courtesy:Scarborough Historical Society, Scarborough, Maine
Disclosure: This post has been created with the aid of ChatGPT and the use of Grammarly for editing.
As I neared the end of the Willis Skillin Graduation Album, I found that the remaining images were, unfortunately, unlabeled and don’t appear to be student portraits, leaving little to explore. So, I’ve turned to another exciting part of the Linwood Dyer Photo Collection: High School Graduation Portraits from the 1960s.
This group includes Bonny Eagle, Cathedral, and Deering High School graduates. Interestingly, inscriptions inside the photo folders suggest that all five graduates attended the Three Arts Studio in Portland, Maine, a local performing arts center known for instruction in dance, theatre, and more.
Grace Marian Hague – Bonny Eagle High School, Class of 1970
Grace Marian Hague – Bonny Eagle High School, Class of 1970
Photo Type: Graduation portrait (7½” x 5¼”)
Cover: Bonny Eagle High School
Studio: The Wendell White Studio, Portland, ME
Inscription: “Grace Hague”
Research Note: The 1970 Bonny Eagle yearbook (page 28) shows what appears to be this same photo of Grace Marian Hague.
Suzanne Elizabeth Regan – Cathedral High School, Class of 1967
Suzanne Elizabeth Regan – Cathedral High School, Class of 1967
Photo Type: Graduation portrait (7½” x 5¼”)
Cover: Cathedral High School
Studio: The Wendell White Studio, Portland, ME
Inscription: “Suzy Regan”; also includes a “Class ‘67” sticker
Research Note: The 1967 Cathedral yearbook (page 35) features this same photo of Suzanne Elizabeth Regan.
Sarah Jo Kilmartin – Cathedral High School, Class of 1966.
Sarah Jo Kilmartin – Cathedral High School, Class of 1966
Photo Type: Graduation portrait (7½” x 5¼”)
Cover: Cathedral High School
Studio: The Wendell White Studio, Portland, ME
Inscription: “Sarah Jo”; “Class ’66” sticker
Research Note: This photo appears on page 20 of the 1966 Cathedral yearbook.
Avis L. Chadbourne – Deering High School, Class of 1963.
Avis L. Chadbourne – Deering High School, Class of 1963
Photo Type: Graduation portrait (7½” x 5¼”)
Cover: Deering High School
Studio: Jackson Studios – Exclusive Portrait, Portland, ME
Inscription: Faint and partially illegible (“A??s”); “Class ’63” sticker
Research Note: The same photo is on page 50 of the 1963 Deering High School yearbook.
Merle Ann Chapman – Deering High School, Class of 1963.
Avis L. Chadbourne – Deering High School, Class of 1963
Photo Type: Graduation portrait (7½” x 5¼”)
Cover: Deering High School
Studio: Jackson Studios – Exclusive Portrait, Portland, ME
Inscription: “Merle Ann Chapman”; “Class ’63” sticker
Research Note: This image is also on page 50 of the 1963 Deering High School yearbook.
Conclusion
This work is more than just organizing photos—it’s about restoring connections between generations. I’d love to hear from you if you recognize anyone in these portraits or if they belong to your family. I can even share what the person wrote inside their photo folder.
If you’ve never seen a graduation photo of your loved one, perhaps this is the first. Please feel free to use these images in your genealogical research. Just be sure to credit: Photo Courtesy: Scarborough Historical Society, Scarborough, Maine
Disclosure: This post has been created with the aid of ChatGPT and Grammarly for editing.
As part of my ongoing “Montran Monday” series[i], I search historical newspapers for any mention of individuals bearing the Montran surname. Each small discovery helps me piece together the broader story of my maternal grandmother’s elusive father. This week’s find comes from a 1922 edition of the Metropolitan Pasadena Star-News—a brief notice, yet rich with implications.
While scanning the Star-News (Pasadena, California), I came across a snippet dated 7 January 1922 on page 2:
Transcription of the Article:
Recovers Her Watch—Mrs. Maude W. Montran, of 1853 Summit Avenue, notified the police yesterday that she had lost her watch. John Snowden of 200 Glorietta Street found it and turned it over to Detective Sergeant Charles Betts.
This brief notice confirms that Maude Minnie (Winter) Montran resided at 1853 Summit Avenue, Pasadena in early 1922. It fills an important gap in her timeline: I previously had documentation placing her in San Francisco in 1920 and later in Inglewood by 1930. This article narrows the window, suggesting she relocated to Southern California between 1920 and 1922.
While I still haven’t uncovered a genealogical link between Maude (Winter) Montran and my grandmother’s father, John Montran, every data point helps. Tracing the movements of individuals with the Montran name remains one of the key strategies in my search.
[i]Montran Monday is inspired by my ongoing quest to learn more about my grandmother’s father, John Montran. My grandmother used the Montran surname both as a child and early in her show business career. Because the name is quite uncommon, most Montran references I encounter in old newspapers tend to be about her during her vaudeville years. However, as more historic newspapers are digitized, new mentions of the Montran name continue to surface. Each discovery offers a potential clue. I review these articles closely, always looking for connections—no matter how small—that might help me uncover more about John Montran and his family.
