Nine Gray Junior High School girls dressed in leis and grass skirts practiced in front of the school, 3109 So. 60th St., for the special "Musical Travelogue" to be presented by the students on May 9, 1941. Kneeling is Corol Venske, and the dancing girl is Norma Smith. The seven "Hawaiian beauties" in a semi-circle behind them are: (l to r) Georgia Damis, Grace Damis, Ethel Turlis, Florence Rudd, Mary Posick, Anita Lenzi and Patricia Burkhardt. For the travelogue, the Gray Jr. High students were performing music and dances from many countries around the world. (T. Times 5/9/1941 p.6)

Gray Junior High School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1940-1950; Hula dancing; Dancers; Costumes--Hawaiian;

This group of serious young soldiers, standing in front of the Robert Gray Junior High School, 3109 South 60th Street, represented France in their school's "Musical Travelogue" presented on May 9, 1941. At the far left is the captain of the detail of soldiers, LeRoy Adams, and on the right is Napoleon, played by Paul Allison. Standing at attention in the front row are: (l to r) Julian Snope, Claude Falk, Robert Belland, Richard Chiarovano and Dan Mulholland. In the back row are: (l to r) Bob Lones, Lee Hurst, Ronald Wamburg, Al McKechnie and Malvin Thorsen. (T. Times 5/9/1941, pg. 6)

Gray Junior High School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1940-1950; Students--Tacoma--1940-1950; Theatrical productions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Adams, LeRoy; Allison, Paul;

Dissension was in the air on April 17, 1946, when approximately 50 students from Robert Gray Jr. High took to the streets to protest what they termed the "firing" of physical education teacher Victor Kovack by Principal Carroll A. Payne. The protest continued for 3 days, gathering up to 150 students demanding the removal of Principal Payne. When police forced the picketers from in front of the building, they paraded through the streets of South Tacoma. Kovack and Principal Payne had disagreed over the use of corporal punishment at the school, with Kovack opposing it. Students were advised that Mr. Kovack had been transferred, not fired, by the school district. After an investigation by the school board into the alleged physical punishments, Principal Payne was exonerated, but the regulations concerning corporal punishment in the schools were more clearly defined and published. (T.Times 4/18/1946, pg. 1)

Gray Junior High School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1940-1950; Student movements--Tacoma--1940-1950; Demonstrations--Tacoma--1940-1950; Strikes;

Music Festival at Gray School, Studio spec., Mr. Payne. Gray Junior High School presented "Windmills of Holland" for their spring festival. Colorful Dutch settings and costumes were featured at the performance March 19, 1948. (TNT, 3/16/1948, p.5) 6" x 14" format.

Gray Junior High School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1940-1950; Theatrical productions--Tacoma--1940-1950; Stages (Platforms); Costumes--Dutch; Stage props;

Cast of Robert Gray Junior High play. Six girls and four boys in period costume on school steps; photograph was taken in June, 1937. The girl on the farthest left, rear, has been tentatively identified as Leah Kelley.

Gray Junior High School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1930-1940; Theatrical productions--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Cast members of Robert Gray Junior High School theatrical production pose in the bright June, 1937, sunshine on the school's steps. Seventh from the left has been tentatively identified as Leah Kelley. The junior high was eleven years old at the time of the photograph; it served the South Tacoma area student population.

Gray Junior High School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma; Theatrical productions--Tacoma--1930-1940;