Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
Official Newspaper of Eddy County since 1883
This photograph has long been in the Eddy County Museum's image collection known simply as "Sixth grade students and their teacher pose in front of New Rockford Central School." Another copy was found in the Class of 1930 Reunion Scrapbook. Back row: Nelda Tuller, unknown, Bessie Miller, Marian Stearns, Virginia Carlson, Lois Adam, Mrs. Auren, Marlyss Johnson, Artie Harris, Vesper Batesole; second row: Jean MacKenzie, unknown, Jessie Cornelius, Opal Laing, Margaret Jacobsen, Bertha Skarpness, Phyllis Hobbs, Luella Hillstron, Jean Lyman; third row: Jim Curfman, Edward Besselievre, Art Warren, Edfield Odegard, Martin Eberhard, Clarence Vote, Lester Dahson, Taylor Hudson, Winfield Schley; front row: Bob Martinson, Morton (Buster) Morris, unknown, Orville Ruthven, unknown, unknown, unknown, Ralph Rinker, Connie Hoffman, Joe Velsey. A handwritten line on the class roster noted, "Fran was away because of scarlet fever." Courtesy photo.
On May 29, 1960, 24 members of the Class of 1930 gathered in New Rockford for the first reunion in the history of Central High School. Back row: Ed Beauclair, Lewis O'Connor, Ed Besselievre, Gordon Duenow, Winfield Schley, Edfield Odegard; second row: Lois Adam Dodd, Anna Ackerman, Geraldine Gibbens Shafer, Elma Lura Klass, Jean Lyman Wells, Eda Streeter Hemple, Bertha Skarpness Dodds; third row: Marlyss Johnson Bass, Opal Laing Walsh, Kenneth Kjos, Oswald Engh, Thomas J. Olson; front row: Vesper Batesole Shirley, Phyliss Hobbs Orleman, Frances Hawinson Langenes, Cora Hendrickson, Cecelia Helenske Babock, Jean MacKenzie Hughes. Courtesy photo.
Scrapbooks provide valuable windows into the past. These bound collections were curated with a special focus in mind. In this case a simple scrapbook from 1960 opens our eyes to the New Rockford High School Class of 1930. We get to see a snapshot, primarily of their successes, through summarized bios detailing each classmate's location, profession, family and favorite hobbies.
Of the 24 members of the Class of 1930 who attended the reunion, six remained New Rockford residents: Lewis O'Connor, Ed Beauclair, Frances Hawkinson Langenes, Marlyss Johnson Bass, Bertha Skarpness Dodds and Opal Laing Walsh. The other 18 members traveled from locales throughout the state and region, some traveling from as far as Iowa, Nebraska and Wisconsin.
There are always outliers. Elma Lura Klass and Jean Lyman Wells traveled from the state of California to make the reunion. Jean Lyman Wells even found success in Hollywood!
Success is often seen as something earned, but some see it as something one defines for themselves. For John Fahrer success meant earning his teaching degree, serving four years as an Army office courier, and later earning his Master's Degree from Stanford. Frances Hawkinson seemed to define success in terms of family and community. Frances married David Langness and they raised their two children in New Rockford. She taught piano, sang in the First Congregational Church choir and was an active member of the Minerva Club and the Homemakers Club. As for our Hollywood success, Jean Lyman Wells, she raised two children and stated in her bio that her occupation as a housewife was, "My only success and I love it!"
I couldn't begin to scratch the surface of the lives lived behind these names and stories. The Class of 1930 was born in the early 1910s, on the cusp of tradition and modernity. Their childhood coincided with the tension of World War I. Their sixth grade photograph was taken two years post-Spanish Flu pandemic. This class graduated just six months after the 1929 stock market crash. While not exactly the G.I. Generation, those who graduated in 1930 were still eligible for selective service draft in World War II. Much of their time was scarred as their understanding of the world shifted time and again. Reading through the scrapbook bios with this perspective highlights the gratitude felt and pride reflected in their careers, family and hobbies.
Times had gotten more comfortable. Sometimes that's all that is needed to celebrate!
