Sepia Saturday challenges bloggers to share family
history through old photographs.
This week’s Sepia Saturday prompt might suggest street
parades (done that already), revolution (not smart enough to think outside the
sepia box), Russia (not applicable), and banners. By default, “banners” it is.
In 1973, my grandmother Lucille Rucker Davis attended her
50th high school reunion.
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| Lucille Rucker Davis is on the left - caught with her eyes closed. |
Of course, the class was larger than that in 1923.
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| Lucille Rucker is second from the left on the back row. (Man standing in the back was the class sponsor or principal, not sure.) |
That was the graduating class of Shenandoah High School
in Shenandoah, Virginia. Three boys –
they must have been busy taking turns dating all those girls.
After graduation, Lucille was scheduled to enter nursing
school. Her uncle George Eppard, a
prominent doctor in Washington D.C., had secured a spot for her. However, fate took a turn.
That September, instead of driving into Washington, Lucille
Rucker and Orvin Davis crossed the state line into Maryland. Hagerstown, Maryland, to be exact. Why?
To get married. I wonder what her
parents said about that.
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| Orvin and Lucille 1925 |
Here’s a revolutionary thought: raise your banner and join the parade with
others who are "Russian" over to Sepia Saturday.
©
2015, Wendy Mathias. All rights
reserved.
Oh what fun it is to travel back in our own school days, but of your grandmother's as well, double win. That 50th reunion they all look wonderful and so young!
ReplyDeleteA fine banner it is too! High school friendships seemed to make stronger bonds in those days than in more recent times.
ReplyDeleteI can never look at such group photographs of young people about to embark on life without wondering what happened to them - thanks for sharing the story of at least a couple of the participants in that early photograph
ReplyDeleteYou have such fascinating stories in your family history and I enjoyed your "banner" take on this week's theme.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I bet that Nursing School/Hagerstown story wasn't popular at the Rucker household! But then again, that is what women were expected to do, marry.
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the fun pictures of Grandma and Granddaddy.
Wendy, Great images! I especially love the graduation photograph, with all those bright young faces looking toward the future. Orvin looks quite pleased with himself in the photo with your grandmother.
ReplyDeleteLove the boys in the graduation photo, with their legs crossed exactly the same way -- kinda like the Rockettes!
ReplyDeleteLove knows no bounds! Don't suppose she went on to nursing school after she was married. Back in those days, they probably wouldn't have taken her after marriage anyway - would they?
ReplyDeleteThe photographer must have told those boys to cross their legs all the same way, surely! I just attended my 45th class reunion - maybe I'll take along a banner next time, which will be the 50th.
ReplyDeleteLove the photos! Three lucky boys! How big was the entire high school?
ReplyDeleteEloping!! WoW! That must have gotten everyone buzzing!
Good pun!
ReplyDeleteEven though my graduating class was several hundred I doubt they'll even get as many as in your grandmother's graduating class to attend. We were known as the most apathetic class to ever pass through the school.
I use to live by a Shenandoah, Iowa which your blog made me take a second look. Virginia is a far way from Iowa. It is interesting to see the class reunion shots. My mom lived in a town where they got together every year. The size of the group has really shrunk because of death.
ReplyDelete