1957 Mrs. Sadie Belle Walsh stands with 2th grade class positioned by Waltz The Camera Man who brings balanced lighting for four rows with two seated in front on each side, and four on the floor. The height distribution’s challenged by the tallest in the class being Phyllis Burrows, partly blocking the face of the boy behind. Maybe the girl row of six should have swapped places with the boy row of seven? If you were a Brownie, you wore your uniform.
1959 The motherly Mrs. Loehr stands with the 4th grade class in three height-sorted rows. This time Phyllis moves to center of the third row and no one’s blocked.
1960 The charismatic Mrs. Dickinson joins the 5th grade class for the group photo. Mrs. Dickinson started nearly every day with music — getting everyone to sing her favorite patriotic songs like “When the Caissons Go Rolling Along” and “I Like It Here” — eventually starting a choir that toured convalescent homes at Christmas. The photographer arranged three standing rows with the shortest members seated in front, and the back row not centered but oddly right-aligned. Phyllis remains the tallest and this time in the last row which is no longer all-boys.
1961 The photographer for Baumans elicited a more spontaneous response than any class photo before or after. Mrs. Novak and her 6th grade glass stay seated — in contrast to the formal standing lineups that often captured situational discomfort for all eternity. One noticeable gap in the top row as Jim Ladd wants to distance himself from Thelma Munsey. In the second row I’m trying to make the best of it all while being elbowed by my adjacent “enemy” Dale Kelly. In the front row Mike Weber sits back in the most relaxed pose of all.
1962 Principal Miss Oberman presides over the 7th grade class, standing with arms held behind and a few boys looking uncomfortable. Phyllis is placed in the third row rather than the all-boys fourth row. Color photography this year. Sport coats on all but two boys, with only bad-boy Pat Conley sans cravate. One year before retirement, Miss Amanda Koester apparently didn’t want to be remembered in a class photo.
1963 This year Miss Oberman stands in for Mr. Thoman. The 8th grade class has been moved from the bleachers to stand in front of the stage. Despite there being four rows instead of three with more room on the sides, it looks cramped. This year the dress for boys is more casual with only two suits in evidence.