Lurancy Taft (1796-1870)

Posted on February 2, 2026 by Don Taylor

The second child of Asa Taft (1774-1839) and Sarah Whitney (1773-1813).)

Ancestor #82b
By Don Taylor

Lurancy Taft, sometimes recorded as “Luransa,” “Lurancy,” or “Lunacy,” Olmstead, was born on 28 March 1796 in Partridgefield (later Peru, now Hinsdale), Berkshire County, Massachusetts. She was the daughter of Asa Taft (#82) and Sarah (Whitney) Taft (#83), a conclusion supported by Massachusetts town vital records and reinforced by later compiled Taft family sources.

As a child, Luransa moved west with her family to Sharon, Schoharie County, New York, where her father appears in the 1800 census. Although her name is not recorded, as was customary for this census, her presence in the household is consistent with her age and family structure. This move reflects the broader post-Revolutionary migration of New England families into upstate New York.

Family Bible Record – Marriages –
via Find-a-Grave – Steven Haskell #47061273

On 23 March 1814, shortly before her eighteenth birthday, Luransa married Luman Olmstead in Triangle, Broome County, New York, a town that would remain her home for the rest of her life. Together, they raised a large family of at least ten children, born between about 1816 and 1841. Census records repeatedly describe Luransa in her later years as “keeping house,” a quiet but telling summary of a lifetime of domestic labor.

Luransa appears consistently in the 1850, 1855, 1860, and 1865 censuses, all placing her in Triangle. She died there on 2 April 1870, reportedly of paralysis. She was buried in Taft Cemetery, underscoring the enduring presence of the Taft family in the community. Although she appears in the July 1870 census, this is almost certainly the result of delayed or derivative reporting, a common practice among enumerators.

New York, U.S., U.S. Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1880 – Lauranca (Taft) Olmstead

Her given name appears in records as Luransa, Lurancy, Lauranca, and Lunacy—variations reflecting phonetic spelling rather than multiple individuals.

Closing Reflection

This research had a purpose beyond documenting dates and places. By firmly establishing Sarah Whitney (#83) as Luransa Taft’s mother through contemporary Massachusetts vital records, the evidence helps clarify a long-standing question in this line: whether Lucy Fuller and Lucy Wilson were the same woman. Luransa’s documented maternal connection to Sarah Whitney, rather than to a Lucy of any surname, provides an important anchor point in the Taft family structure. While it does not resolve the Lucy Fuller/Lucy Wilson question, it eliminates one avenue of confusion and helps ensure that similarly named women are not mistakenly merged across generations.

Sources

  1. 1 Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001, Family Search, Births – Luransa Taft – 28 Mar 1796, Amanda Taft – 31 Dec 1798. “Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001”, , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:DD93-2J2M : Mon Sep 23 17:30:27 UTC 2024), Entry for Luransa Taft and Asa Taft, 28 Mar 1796. Also: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:DDM4-GH3Z?lang=en (for Amanda). https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:DD93-2JPZ?lang=en.
  2. 2 Massachusetts, U.S., Compiled Birth, Marriage, and Death Records, 1700-1850, Ancestry, Page 45 – Peru Births – Taft. https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61401/records/33709.
  3. 3 Thomas E. Collins, Taft Family Bulletin, Ancestry, Taft Family Bulletin (December 1970) – Page 15 – Children of Asa & Sally (Whitney) Taft #15263. Accessed 23 Jan 2025 – Ancestry.com.
  4. 4 Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 (, 2011), Ancestry, Puru Births – Page 45 – TAFT.
  5. Email, Files (Personal), Timothy J Foulkes. See file:  Email from Tim Faulkes re Lucy Wilson Taft, et al, dated 31 Dec 2018.pdf.
  6. U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889­-1970, Ancestry.Com, Joel C Taft – Volume: 265. National Number 52981 – State Number 1007 (Indiana). http://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=SARMemberApps&h=1149463.
  7. Ancestry.com, New York, U.S., Tax Assessment Rolls of Real and Personal Estates, 1799-1804 (Provo, UT, USA, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014), Ancestry.com, 1800 – Asa Taft – Sharon Schoharie, NY
  8. Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007, Family Search, William Taft – Elizabeth Braggs Scott – 23 Jun 1883. https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XXNB­QBP.
  9. Indiana, U.S., Death Certificates, 1899-2011 (Indiana Archives and Records Administration, Indianapolis, Indiana, Indiana State Board of Health), Ancestry.Com, William Taft – Died 17 Oct 1908. State Number 341  08-807 – – Amended – July 7, 1964    .
  10. Find a Grave, Find a Grave, Lurancy Olmstead – Memorial ID 316400350. Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/216400350/lurancy-olmstead: accessed January 23, 2026), memorial page for Lurancy Olmstead (unknown–2 Apr 1870), Find a Grave Memorial ID 216400350, citing Taft Cemetery, Triangle, Broome County, New York, USA; Maintained by Nancy C. (contributor 48716319).
  11. New York, U.S., U.S. Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1880, Page 168, line 14 – Olmstead, Lauranca.
  12. 1800 Census (FS), Family Search, 1800 – Asa Taft – Sharon, Schoharie, New York, page 161. “United States, Census, 1800”, , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XH5B-QR1 : Sat Mar 09 23:59:55 UTC 2024), Entry for Asa Taft, 1800.
  13. 1850 Census (NARA), 1850 – Lurancy Olmstead – Triangle, Broome, New York. “United States, Census, 1850”, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCTJ-83F : Fri Oct 17 07:58:22 UTC 2025), Entry for Lurancy Olmstead and Chandler Olmstead, 1850. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCTJ-83F?lang=en.
  14. 1855 New York Census, Family Search, Lunacy Almstead – Triangle, Broome, NY. “New York, State Census, 1855”, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K63V-LB9 : Thu Jul 18 22:41:29 UTC 2024), Entry for Laman Almstead and Lunacy Almstead, 1855.
  15. 1860 Census (NARA), 1860 – Luman Olmstead – Triangle, Boone, New York. “United States, Census, 1860,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GBS8-R2G?cc=1473181&wc=7QPF-BBQ%3A1589422212%2C1589431272%2C1589432120 : 24 March 2017), New York > Broome > Town of Triangle > image 37 of 44; from “1860 U.S. Federal Census – Population,” database, Fold3.com (http://www.fold3.com : n.d.); citing NARA microfilm publication M653 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
  16. 1865 New York State Census, Family Search, 1965 – Luman Olmstead, Triangle, Broome, NY. “New York, State Census, 1865”, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVNN-XJG4 : Mon Jul 08 15:37:57 UTC 2024), Entry for Luman Olmstead and Lurancy Olmstead, 1865.
  17. 1870 Census (NARA), Various, 1870 – Chandlier Olmstead – Triangle, Broome, New York. “United States, Census, 1870”, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M86P-JC4 : Sun Jan 12 21:49:10 UTC 2025), Entry for Chandlier Olmstead and Laman Olmstead, 1870.
  18. Family Search Tree, Family Search, Lurancy Taft (1796-1870). https://www.familysearch.org/en/tree/person/details/L4BV-RRW.
This article was researched and written by the author. ChatGPT was used as a research and drafting aid, and Grammarly for editorial review and copyediting.

Posted in Ancestor Sketch, Massachusetts Genealogy, Roberts-Barnes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Donna & Sammy — Rockford, Illinois (Dec. 1926)

Posted on January 30, 2026 by Don Taylor

In the News
by Don Taylor

Palace Theatre, Rockford, Illinois

During the closing days of 1926, Donna Darling and her stage partner (and husband), Sammy Clark (Samson Amsterdam), appeared at the Palace Theatre in Rockford, Illinois, as part of the theatre’s year-end vaudeville program. Coverage in the Rockford Register Star documents their engagement and provides useful detail regarding the nature of their act and their position on the bill.

Rockford Register Star, Dec. 24, 1926, page 8

In its December 24, 1926, issue, the Register Star announced a “lively” final program for the year at the Palace Theatre. Darling and Clark were listed among the principal vaudeville performers, alongside established acts such as Stewart and Oliver, Sparling and Rose, and George Yeoman. The article reports that Darling and Clark had “arranged a brisk revue,” assisted by additional performers, combining comedy, song, and stepping. Sammy Clark was identified as handling the comedy portions of the act, while Donna Darling’s role reflected her musical-comedy background. The paper further noted that Miss Darling was known as “The Musical Comedy Beauty,” a designation consistent with her established stage persona during this period.¹

Rockford Register Star, Dec. 27, 1926, page 12

A follow-up article published on December 27, 1926, reviewing the same Palace Theatre engagement, again referenced Darling and Clark. Although the focus of that article was on veteran headliners Corinne and her company, Darling and Clark were specifically mentioned as “figures in a revue which contains good dancing.”² Their inclusion among both veteran and contemporary performers suggests that their act was well integrated into a balanced holiday program designed to appeal to a broad audience.

Taken together, these notices confirm that Donna Darling remained an active and professionally engaged vaudeville performer at the end of 1926, appearing in reputable Midwestern houses and presenting a polished revue act that blended musical comedy, dance, and humor. The Rockford engagement adds another documented stop to Darling’s touring itinerary during a productive period of her career.

Endnotes

  1. “Palace Books Lively Shows to Close Year,” Rockford Register Star (Rockford, Illinois), 24 December 1926, p. 8.
  2. “Old Time Stars Headliners of Palace’s Show,” Rockford Register Star (Rockford, Illinois), 27 December 1926, p. 12.
Disclaimer: This article was researched and written by the author. ChatGPT was used as a research and drafting aid, and Grammarly for editorial review and copyediting.
Posted in Donna Darling and Sammy Clark Revue, In the news, Donna Montran, Vaudeville | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Donna Darling at the Lyric Theatre, Hamilton, Ontario (January 1926)

Posted on January 25, 2026 by Don Taylor

By Don Taylor

As part of my ongoing effort to document my grandmother, Donna Darling’s, vaudeville career, I continue to trace her appearances through contemporary newspapers and theatre advertisements. One such engagement, now firmly documented, places Donna Darling and her troupe at the Lyric Theatre in Hamilton, Ontario, during the final week of January 1926. Multiple notices and reviews published in The Hamilton Spectator allow this engagement to be reconstructed with unusual clarity.

The Lyric Theatre, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

During the 1920s, the Lyric Theatre was widely advertised as “Hamilton’s leading popular-priced theatre,” offering continuous performances that combined motion pictures with live vaudeville. The Lyric’s programming reflected the prevailing entertainment model of the period, pairing feature photoplays with a full bill of live acts designed to appeal to a broad audience.

Donna Darling’s Engagement

Advance publicity published on Saturday, 23 January 1926, announced that the Lyric’s program for the coming week would feature the photoplay The Police Patrol, supported by a vaudeville bill that included “Donna Darling, musical comedy beauty, and her dancing girls.” The notice emphasized that this was “an especially fine company” and that the act carried “its own costly settings,” signaling a production of some scale and expense Hamilton_Spectator_1926_01_….

By Monday, 25 January 1926, Donna Darling was described as heading the vaudeville bill. The Spectator reported that Darling and her “singing and dancing girls” were “fresh from New York,” presenting an act mounted “under very heavy expense.” The article credited Miss Darling with introducing something new in the singing and dancing line and praised the individuality and skill of her performers.

Midweek coverage confirmed both the quality of the performance and its reception. A review published on Tuesday, 26 January 1926, stated that “Donna Darling has a dance revue deserving of great commendation,” noting the beauty of the costuming and the talent of her assisting artists. The following day, Wednesday, 27 January 1926, the Spectator reported that Darling and her troupe “have made a big hit with patrons of the popular vaudeville house,” highlighting their classical, modern, and novelty dances, as well as their polished stage settings.

A final notice on Friday, 29 January 1926, announced that Donna Darling and her troupe “will close here on Saturday night,” confirming the end of the engagement and establishing that she remained a principal attraction through the full week, concluding on Saturday, 30 January 1926.

Interpretation and Context

Taken together, these notices establish that Donna Darling’s appearance at the Lyric Theatre ran for the full week of 25–30 January 1926, and that she was consistently presented as a leading or headline vaudeville attraction. While the precise order of performances within the daily programs cannot be determined from these sources alone, the repeated emphasis on Darling’s revue, its expense, and its favorable reception supports the conclusion that she held a prominent place on the bill.

This Hamilton engagement also illustrates the international scope of Donna Darling’s career during this period, as she moved readily between American and Canadian venues while touring established vaudeville circuits.

Conclusion

The Hamilton Spectator coverage provides clear, contemporaneous documentation of Donna Darling’s appearance at the Lyric Theatre in January 1926. These articles not only confirm dates and billing but also offer valuable insight into how her act was perceived by audiences and critics at the time. As additional newspaper coverage and theatre records surface, they will continue to refine our understanding of her professional itinerary and standing within the vaudeville world.

Endnotes

  • The Hamilton Spectator, January 23, 1926, Page 9, via Newspapers.Com
  • The Hamilton Spectator, January 25, 1926, Page 4, via Newspapers.Com
  • The Hamilton Spectator, January 26, 1926, Page 4, via Newspapers.Com
  • The Hamilton Spectator, January 27, 1926, Page 4, via Newspapers.Com
  • The Hamilton Spectator, January 29, 1926, Page 4, via Newspapers.Com
Disclaimer
This article was researched and written by the author. ChatGPT was used as a research and drafting aid, and Grammarly was used for editorial review and copy editing.

Posted in Donna Montran, Vaudeville | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Faces & Places From the Past – Libby, Merrill, Young, and Portland Construction

Posted on January 20, 2026 by Don Taylor

Linwood Dyer Collection, Part 088
By Don Taylor

The Scarborough Historical Society has several photo collections featuring various people and places. Today, I look at four photos from the Linwood Dyer Collection, two of Scarborough people, one from the 1920s vaudeville, and one of a Portland, Maine, landmark area.

Carrie Ella (Libby) Merrill, circa 1900

Photographer: Hanson, 12 Monument Squ., Portland, Me.
Inscription: Carrie Libby Merrill
Description: This is a formal studio portrait of a young woman, likely taken in the late 19th or early 20th century. The image has a gentle, softly faded quality, consistent with albumen or early silver gelatin prints, and is mounted on a decorative studio card.
Research:

  • According to Portland City Directories, M. D. Hanson studio moved from 12 Monument Square to 512a Congress in 1918.
  • The Alumni pages from the 1924 Scarborough High School yearbook list “Carrie (Libby) Merrill, Scarborough” as a member of the class of 1895.
  • The 1895 Graduating Exercises for SHS lists Carrie E Libby in the Music Program.
  • A search of Ancestry.com yielded Carrie Ella Libby, daughter of Henry Rufus and Mary Catherine Libby. Carrie was born in Scarborough on 22 Sep 1878. She married Aubrey Frank Libby in 1902 and divorced him about 1910. She then married William LeRoy Merrill on July 14, 1911.

Dating the Photograph:

  • Although Carrie’s second-marriage surname is written on the back, it appears to be in ballpoint pen. So, I’m sure her name was written on the back long after the photo was taken.
  • Carrie’s dress, high collar, puffy sleeves, and hair suggest a date range from the mid-1890s to the early 1900s.
  • The vignetted photograph became popular in the late 1890s and continued into the early 20th century.
  • She appears to be in her early 20s in the photo.

Taken together, I feel comfortable dating the photo circa 1898-1905.

I added this photo to the Linwood Dyer Collection on Ancestry.com.

Margery “Margie” Milliken, SHS Class 1935

Margery “Margie” Milliken, SHS Class 1935

Photographer: Kennedy – Portland, Me.
Inscription: Sincerely “Margie” ’35.
Description: A high school photo on the cover with the word “Scarborough” above a school entrance door.
Research:

  • The 1935 Scarborough High School yearbook[i] shows a photo of the same girl, in the same clothes, labeled Margery Milliken “Margie.”
  • Newspaper clippings in the Scarborough Historical Society, Digital Collection, indicate that Margery Ella Milliken married Leroy Haden Fancy.
  • Ancestry Family Trees identify Margery’s parents as Oliver Melville and Lida E. (Harmon) Milliken. Margery was born on 3 Aug 1917 in Scarborough. She married Leroy Fancy on 14 Dec 1941 and died on 7 March 2011.

I added this photo to the Linwood Dyer Collection on Ancestry.com.

Leonard Young, “The Duchess of Dishwater,” 1923.

“The Duchess of Dishwater”
Leonard Young, c. 1923.

Photographer: G W (George W. ) Penny, Winnipeg
Inscription: To Winter, Eternally his, Pearline, Duchess of Dishwater, Leonard, 1923-24.
Description: A full-length studio portrait of a woman in an elaborate 1920s theatrical costume, wearing a draped gown, long pearls, and a decorative headpiece, posed dramatically against a dark backdrop. The photograph is signed and dated 1923–1924, indicating a stage or vaudeville role.
Research:

  • In 1923, “The Duchess of Dishwater” was a popular comedic theatrical sketch performed by Leonard Young, a well-known vaudeville actor of the era. The sketch was a staple of the vaudeville circuit and small-town theaters in the early 1920s, remaining in active performance through at least 1925.
  • The Winnipeg Free Press Evening Bulletin of Sep 15, 1923, page 34, reported that the “Originals” were coming to the Walker Theatre on October 1st. The “Originals” included many artists, including Leonard Young, who arranged the destinies of the entire show, designed the costumes, and composed much of the music.
  • My grandmother, Donna, played at the Walker Theater in 1920 in “Chin Chin.” So, I searched several newspaper sources and did not find that Leonard Young and Donna Darling ever played the same theaters at the same time.

Portland Museum of Art – Demolition – c. 1973

Portland Museum of Art – Demolition – c. 1973

Description: This is a photo of demolition at the campus of the Maine Museum of Art. In the distance is the Holiday Inn By The Bay nearing completion.
Research:

  • The angle of the photo shows part of the Portland Art Museum (Portland, Maine) under construction. The Holiday Inn By The Bay, which opened in May 1973, is clearly under construction in the distance, dating the photograph to c. 1973.

Conclusion

These four photographs, drawn from different decades and contexts, illustrate the remarkable breadth of the Linwood Dyer Collection. Whether documenting Scarborough residents, a vaudeville performer at the height of popularity, or a changing Portland streetscape, each image preserves a moment that might otherwise be lost to time. If any of these faces or scenes are familiar to you, I would be pleased to hear from you. My continuing goal is to reconnect these photographs with the families and communities to whom they belong.

Disclaimer: This article was researched and written by the author. ChatGPT was used as a research and drafting aid, and Grammarly was used for editorial review and copy editing.

Endnotes

[i] The Four Corners – 1935 – (1935 Scarboro High School yearbook) – Page 9. Internet Archive.

Posted in Portland History, Linwood Dyer Collection, Maine History, Faces from the Past, Vaudeville | Leave a comment

Faces from the Past: Scarborough School Students, 1916–1952

Posted on January 14, 2026 by Don Taylor

SHS Photo Collection – Part 010
By Don Taylor

I have long enjoyed photographs of school classes. They offer a rare glimpse into everyday life, capturing not only faces from the past but also the rhythms of education, community, and childhood in earlier generations. The Scarborough Historical Society holds a substantial collection of school photographs spanning many decades. In this article, I examine four such images, focusing on surnames, identifications, and what can be learned through comparison with town records, census data, and visual clues.

Black Point School Students, c. 1916

This is a formal outdoor school photograph from the early 20th century, likely taken around 1915–1920. It appears to be a copy of the photograph and not an original photo.
Black Point School Students, c. 1916

Description: This is a formal outdoor school photograph from the early 20th century, likely taken around 1915–1920. It appears to be a copy of the photograph and not an original photo.
Inscription: The back lists the students and teachers.

Handwritten list of students in photo.
  • Front Row (Left to Right): Elwood Harmon, Maurice Libby, Millard Fredricks, Winslow Seavey, Louis Larrabee, Walter Fredrick, Bill Googins
  • 2nd Row (Left to Right): Elizabeth Newcombe, Katherine Newcombe, Mabel Libby, Charlotte Googins, Molly Pillsbury, Lois Pillsbury, Priscilla Googins, Lena Skillings, Helen Libby, Louise Bimpson
  • 3rd Row (Left to Right): Arthur Emmons, Perly Meserve, Walter Bimpson, Roland Meserve, Ernest Emmons, Ben Seavey, Raymond Libby, Harold Emmons – Teacher: Bertha Newcombe
  • 4th Row (Left to Right): Teacher: Jenny Harmon, Tom Seavey, Louis Larrabee, Laurence Harmon, Clyde Harmon, Fred Skillings, Leonard Emmons

Research: Several lines of evidence help establish the date of this photograph.

  • Birth records indicate that the boys seated in the front row were born between 1908 and 1910, placing their apparent ages between 5 and 8 at the time the photograph was taken. This suggests a likely date range of 1915 to 1918.
  • The 1920 U.S. Census shows that the first three boys in the front row—Willard (Millard), Eldred (Elwood), and Maurice—all lived on Black Point Road, supporting the likelihood that this was a neighborhood school cohort.
  • The 1914 Scarborough Town Report does not list Bertha Newcombe as a teacher, but does list Jennette Harmon at Pine Point School.
  • By contrast, the 1915 Town Report shows Bertha Newcombe teaching at Black Point School beginning in the fall of 1915
  • Clothing styles and visible tree foliage suggest the photograph was taken in spring rather than fall. Taken together, these factors strongly support a date of spring 1916, with a reasonable range of 1915–1917.

I am confident this photo was taken between 1915 and 1917, most likely in the spring of 1916, at Black Point School.

Pine Point School Students, 1945

Description: This is a mid-20th-century class photograph from Pine Point School, clearly labeled 1945, with the teacher identified as Mrs. Cook. The photo appears to be a copy, not an original print.
Inscription: Printed labels on the photograph identify nearly every child by name, row by row, with two noted as “Unknown.”

  • Back Row (Left to Right): Dotty Townsend, Harry Collins, David Collins, Dewey Thompson, Roland Collins, David Green, Carol Libby
  • Middle Row (Left to Right): Lillian Townsend, Unknown, Dianne Ridlon, Ann Fogg, Jeanne Ridlon, Muriel Googins, Jane Carter, Virginia Sampson
  • Front Row (Left to Right): Bruce Thurlow, June Collins, Brent Turner, Arlene Townsend, Unknown, Fred Bayley, Thelma Libby, Mary Turner, Richard Sampson

Research: This photograph is clearly dated 1945 and identifies Mrs. Cook as the teacher. Nearly all students are named directly on the image, an uncommon but invaluable feature.

The photograph is known to have originated from the Bruce Thurlow collection, providing reliable provenance, even though the print appears to be a later copy rather than an original.

Two students remain unidentified. Readers who recognize either individual are encouraged to share that information so the record may be completed.

Dunstan Grammer, 7th Grade Class, c. 1952.

Pine Point School Students, 1945

Description: A formal Dunstan Grammar School, Grade VII, class photo taken in the late 1940s or early 1950s. On the wall is a sign that reads, “Our Next President.”
Inscription: None.
Research:

  • This Grade VII class photograph includes a wall display reading “Our Next President.” The portraits visible do not appear to depict Harry S. Truman or Thomas E. Dewey, effectively ruling out a 1948 context. The 1952 presidential election featured Dwight D. Eisenhower and Adlai Stevenson II.
  • One of the portraits appears to be Eisenhower, while the second is less certain—possibly a second image of Eisenhower or a portrait of Stevenson. Based on this civic display and the classroom context, the photograph was most likely taken in fall 1952, after Eisenhower’s candidacy was well established but before his January 1953 inauguration.

No students in this photograph have yet been identified. Do you recognize anyone? If so, please comment below.

Scarborough High School (Oak Hill/White School) students, c. 1918-1922

Scarborough High School (Oak Hill/White School) students, c. 1918-1922

Description: This large group photograph was taken in front of Scarborough High School, also known as the Oak Hill or White School.
Inscription: None
Research:

  • Mr. Bessey stands in the back row, positioned directly in front of the right-hand school door, likely serving as a teacher or administrator.
  • The girls’ hairstyles—long, center-parted, and pinned—are consistent with fashions prior to the widespread adoption of bobbed hair, which became common around 1922–1923.
  • Clothing styles and the overall composition suggest a likely date range of 1918 to 1922.

At present, none of the students are identified.. Do you recognize anyone? If so, please comment below.

Conclusion

These four photographs span more than three decades of Scarborough’s educational history, from small neighborhood schools to larger consolidated classes. Together, they illustrate both continuity and change—classroom size, fashion, civic instruction, and community structure. While many faces are already named, others still await identification. As always, additional information from readers, family records, or town documentation is welcome to help ensure these images are preserved not only as photographs but as fully documented records of Scarborough’s past.

Posted in Scarborough Schools, SHS Photo Collection, Faces from the Past, Educational Archives | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment