52 Ancestors,
in 52 Weeks
Week 25:
Groups

School Group Photos
Among my archive of old photos are several featuring groups of school children. A few have the names of the children written on the backs, although not necessarily in any order. I am sharing these group photos in an attempt to connect with descendants of the children. And, for the photographs that have no names, I am hoping someone will be able to identify one of their ancestors from the information I do have about the schools, or their date and location. Please share these group photos with anyone having ancestors from the places identified. Right click on the images to open larger versions in a new browser tab.
Indianapolis Public School #57
During the 1930’s, my father and his sisters attended elementary school at IPS #57, George Julian, in the Irvington neighborhood on the east side of Indianapolis, IN. My photo archive included two group class photos from IPS #57. One is from 1931 of my aunt Lois LaFara’s 8th grade class and has no names written on the back. The second one is from 1939 of my father Bob LaFara’s 8th grade class. This one has names and lists them by row in the photo. I have donated both these photographs to the Irvington Historical Society and they can be viewed there upon request. [1]
IPS #57 Class 8A June 1939, (photo above, named children left to right. back to front)
Boys Standing: Robert Reed, Robert LaFara, Robert Still, Philip Lasley, Roy Haymaker, Gerald Lewis, Wesley Mercer, Richard Gray, Charles Pope, Joseph Weaver, Richard Boothman, Arthur Alexander, Raymond Goodman
Girls Standing: Virginia Harvey, Nancy Ostrander, Alice Hackney, Evelyn McConnell, Jeanne Garrett, Wanda Owen, Anne Eberhart, Caroline Gordon, Marilyn Morgan, Rita Niese, Mary Underwood, Nancy Pinnick, Edith Dunklan, Marion Linder, Myrtle (Clare Lewis), JoAnn Kingsbury
Girls Seated: Janet Jerome, Betty Ann Florach, Elaine Reed, Lois Rawlings, Molly Lou Quandt, Rose Ann Meredith, Patrisha Elfner, Eva Ruth Ham, Virginia Richter, Bonnie Van Treese, Norma Walker, Joan Thomas
Boys Seated: William Woods, Richard Arnholter, Robert Dickerson
Macy, Indiana – Elementary School
My friend Ed Cunningham, 1930-2011, passed away a few years ago. Among his photographs were two group photos from his elementary school days in Macy and Peru, Indiana. Both are undated, but based on how old Ed looks in the photos I have made an estimate of the years. Also, the names written on the back are in a child’s handwriting, so I believe this is Ed’s contemporary recollection of the children’s names. The first is a classroom group photo from Macy Elementary of Miss Brown’s first grade class, probably 1940. Ed is the boy in the center of the photo in overalls.
Peru, Indiana – Franklin Elementary
The second photo is definitely from Franklin Elementary in Peru, IN. It is probably the fourth grade class in 1944. Ed Cunningham is the boy third from the left in the second row wearing the dark shirt. My aunt Rachel Enyart is the girl standing, second from the right in the second row. And, my uncle Allen Enyart is the boy in the fifth row, third from the right. I think the names are left to right, starting with the front row. I believe Ed did not name anyone in the back two rows. Ed named 32 children, but there are 46 plus the teacher. Since my uncle Allen is in this photo, I believe this is a combined class of 4th and 5th graders and Ed only named the 4th graders.
Lincoln Elementary 4th Grade, Peru, IN 1944
Dickie Enyeart, David Smith, Dick Wecht, Brad Johnson, B. Hudson, Max Raber, Joe Masters, Jimmy Easter, Herbert Holmberg, Pat Sanie, Jim Martin, Ed Cunningham, Delores Short, Rosie Tubi, Mildred Leedy, Rachel Enyart, Carol Sue Chittum, Betty Moore, Jack Knudson, Jimmy Jones, Patsy Byers, Patricia Garber, Mildred Johnson, Lois Eby, Otis Mark, John Penner, Dick Myers, Lowell Dirrim, Mary Slicker, Doris McMabry, Jane Walpe, Burl
Dublin, Ohio 1907
This group school photo is more of a mystery than the others. This is my great aunt Roxie King, 1895-1911, among her classmates. I can identify Roxie in this photograph and she appears to me about 13, that is why I estimate this to about 1907. Based on my knowledge of the King family, they were living in Mercer County, OH in this time period. They lived on a farm near the town of Dublin. I’ve been told the children attended German language schools. If you had family, of German ancestry, living near Dublin, OH in the 1910 census with children born between 1895 and 1900, they may be in this image. Also, if anyone can name the school, or teacher, I’d appreciate hearing from you.
Tipton, Indiana – High School 1907
This last group photo is my grandfather, Earl LaFara, 1888-1928, with several of his classmates at Tipton High School, in Tipton, IN in 1907. This group of students is the staff for the school’s yearbook, the Tiptonian. My grandfather is the boy on the left, perched on the arm of the settee. The Tipton County library has digitized the Tipton High School yearbooks from 1898-1979. [4,5]
Conclusion
Looking at these school group photos and transcribing the names from the backs, has reminded me of my own school class photos. It may be time to pull them out and, either transcribe what is written on the backs, or create a list of the children’s names to the best of my memory. Anyone else want to join in this challenge?
SOURCES:
- Website, Irvington Historical Society, http://www.irvingtonhistorical.info/
- Blog post, Family Finds: Great; https://barblafara.com/great/
- Blog post, Family Finds: Namesake; https://barblafara.com/namesake/
- Book, Tiptonian, pub. Tipton High School, 1907, digitized online: http://www.tiptonpl.lib.in.us/yearbooks/1907tiptonian.pdf
- Website, Tipton County (IN) Library: Tipton High School yearbooks; https://www.tiptoncountylibrary.org/services/genealogy/yearbook/


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