Senior play at Annie Wright Seminary. Wearing makeup and garbed in costume, these twelve Annie Wright seniors are posed on June 22, 1919, on the school grounds in preparation for their senior class play. Since Annie Wright had an all-female population in 1919, all roles were played by girls including the male parts. The private school was located at that time in modified Queen Anne buildings at 611 Division Avenue. G64.1-054

Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1910-1920; Private schools--Tacoma; Students--Tacoma--1910-1920; Actresses; Theatrical productions--Tacoma;

ca. 1885. When this circa 1885 photograph was taken Annie Wright Seminary (now School) was so new that there were still tree stumps in the front yard at the photo's left. There was no staircase to the sidewalk built yet. Annie Wright opened on September 3, 1884, and was named in honor of the school's benefactor, railroad magnate Charles B. Wright. It was located near Wright Park at 611 Division Ave. The school's purpose was to educate the daughters of pioneers so that they could contribute to the "righteous upbringing of this great country." $350 a year was the school's first tuition and that included "board, furnished room, tuition in English branches and Latin, and laundry service." In 1924 the school moved to a new campus at 827 Tacoma Ave. No. which provided more space for growth. The old building, with foundation of Wilkeson stone, was razed. The only remaining building, the gymnasium, was leased to the Tacoma Drama League in 1925. (www.ag.org/about/history)

Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma); Private schools--Tacoma--1880-1890;

ca. 1890. This copy of an old lantern slide shows the original Annie Wright Seminary at 611 Division Avenue as it appeared around 1890. The large building, with its tall vertical proportions, steeply pitched roofs, towers and decorative shingles, appears to be in the Queen Anne style of architecture. The school, named in honor of the daughter of its benefactor, Charles Barstow Wright, opened on September 3, 1884, with a student body of 93 girls from Washington, Oregon, British Columbia, and one from Alaska. In 1924, a new school was built on a ten-acre campus a few miles west on Tacoma Avenue, and this building was dismantled. The site where it stood is home to Stadium Thriftway and the Chevrolet dealership recently purchased by Bruce Titus. ( Date of original glass plate may have been about 1890; copy made on October 3, 1958.)

Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1880-1890; Private schools--Tacoma;

Despite appearances, all the actors in this June 22, 1919, photograph are girls. Annie Wright seniors were practicing their senior class play on the school grounds at 611 Division Avenue. Since Annie Wright at that time was an all-female academy, all roles in theatrical productions were played by girls, including the male parts. Costumes and mannerisms indicate that this may have been a play occurring during Elizabethan times. G64.1-055

Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1910-1920; Private schools--Tacoma; Students--Tacoma--1910-1920; Actresses; Theatrical productions--Tacoma;

1923 May Day Queen. Babbie Gilpin was crowned Queen of May at Annie Wright Seminary's annual Field Day held on May 12, 1923. She is pictured here along with her royal court. Ceremonies were held in the afternoon on the Seminary's lawn where Miss Gilpin passed through an aisle formed by students all wearing white. She was crowned by Miss Frances Clemmer, her maid of honor. G10.1-094 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 5-13-23, p. 4-A-article & alternate pictures of Miss Clemmer and Miss Gilpin)

Gilpin, Babbie; Clemmer, Frances; May Day--Tacoma; Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1920-1930; Festivals--Tacoma--1920-1930;