Breezes cause the ribbons and train of Erin Lombard, Annie Wright Seminary's 1953 Queen of May, to ripple gently as she poses with Headmistress Ruth Jenkins on May 9, 1953. Each year a senior is honored by the Seminary at the May Day festivities. Miss Lombard hails from the Yakima area and is the daughter of the Harry Lombards, Jr. A special guest at the event was the presence of her grandmother, the former Aimee Porter, who graduated from Annie Wright sixty years before. (TNT 5-17-53, D-1)

Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Private schools--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma--1950-1960; Lombard, Erin; Jenkins, Ruth;

A classroom of beaming young girls greet the photographer on December 8, 1955. This was one of the primary grades at Annie Wright Seminary. The little girls are all wearing uniforms with white collars. Sandra Cheney, daughter of Ben Cheney, is seated on the extreme right, last seat. Sepia photograph ordered by Cheney Lumber Co.

School children--Tacoma--1950-1960; Classrooms--Tacoma; Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Private schools--Tacoma; Cheney Lumber Co. (Tacoma); Cheney, Sandra;

1956 May Day festivities, Annie Wright Seminary. Flag bearer Sophomore Barbara Staples leads in a group of petite and very young students dressed in full skirted white dresses with matching white anklets and white shoes and carrying flowers. The May Day court appears lined up in the background, ready to enter. (1956 issue of The Shield, Annie Wright yearbook, TNT 5/20/1956, pg. D-1))

Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Private schools--Tacoma--1950-1960; Festivals--Tacoma--1950-1960; Staples, Barbara; School children--Tacoma--1950-1960;

1956 May Day festivities, Annie Wright Seminary. Front row attendants, left to right: Marcia Jensen, Wendy Peterson, Sandy Cites, Janet Junkley, Gretchen Anderson, Debbie Kass, Hurlaine Johnson. Flag Bearers: Julia Mackay and Barbara Staples. Sceptre Bearer: Peggy Guyles. Crown Bearer: Mary McGoldrick. Second row, left to right: Mardi Camerer, Twyla Martin, Jane Fairbourn, Didi Camerer. Third row: Philinda Parry, Carol Somers, Joanne Ginn, Judy Spencer. Fourth row: Sandra Hagedorn, Becky Broughton (May Queen), Louanne Gibson (Maid of Honor), Wanita Townsend. Fifth row: Sondra Schafer, Nancy Lampson, Janet Haley, Nancy Steen. Sixth row: Sharon Reid, Sue Marie Lynn, Katie Bernhard, Jessie Nelson. Last row: Bobbie Allen, Helen Tompkins, Ann Wohleben, Kay Richards, Margot Hoffmeister, Sharon Ryder. Queen Rebecca Broughton was from Dayton, Wa. She was the Vice President of the Athletic Association and the yearbook noted that she was always cheerful, even on Monday mornings. (1956 issue of The Shield, Annie Wright yearbook, TNT 5/20/1956, pg. D-1)

Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Private schools--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma--1950-1960; Broughton, Rebecca;

Annie Wright Seminary's Masque Players production of the operetta "HMS Pinafore." The school presented the Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera May 1-3, 1959 for Parents' Weekend. The 1959 Parents' Weekend was a special celebration of the seminary's 75th anniversary. The plot of the operetta revolves around a captain's daughter who falls in love with a common sailor. It was first produced in 1878 and is probably the pair's most popular work. The Masque Players production was directed by Mrs. Diedre Monks and the players were assisted by the school's glee club choir and dance troop. The production featured Mitzi Weiss as Josephine, Gundl Primus as Ralph Rackstraw, Cynthia Fanshaw as Captain Corcoran and Anne King as Buttercup. (TNT 4/26/1959, pg D-11)

Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Private schools--Tacoma; Students--Tacoma--1950-1960; Costumes; Children performing in theatrical productions--Tacoma--1950-1960; Operas & operettas--Tacoma--1950-1960;

The ivy-covered walls of Annie Wright Seminary do not appear to have changed in the decades since the school was established. The elegant brick buildings of the college preparatory school for girls still remain in the city's northend. The Tudor Gothic style buildings were designed by architects Sutton Whitney and Dugan and built by J.E. Bonnell, contractor. Photograph ordered by the Shield yearbook.

Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--Buildings; Private schools--Tacoma;

These little Annie Wright Seminary pupils were probably studying the Netherlands in class as they stand by a table full of Dutch artifacts. Painted wooden shoes, books, and cutouts of a windmill and forest area adorn the large, round table. Most of the girls are holding dolls wearing Dutch costume and two clasping small shoes. L-R as listed in the Annie Wright 1963 yearbook are Class 3: Janie Gilpin, Vicky Daley, Janice North, Katherine Lisk, Sarah Fisken, Julie Johnson, Wendy Wagner, Cheri Crocker, Alice Reberger, Elizabeth Murray. (1963: The Shield, p. 31)

School children--Tacoma--1960-1970; Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1960-1970; Private schools--Tacoma; Toys; Books; Shoes; Dolls;

Twelve Annie Wright Seminary lower school students gather around a large wooden circular table in March, 1963, as they pose for annual pictures. They are probably in the school's library. Each girl is wearing a dark plaid dress, which is the same uniform worn by younger students. Class 6, L-R as listed in the 1963 Annie Wright yearbook: First row: Margaret Brown, Jeanne Rowland, Carol-Anne Wilson, Diane Hamill, Treena Andersen, Peggy Rockwood. Second row: Cathy Agrelius, Carla Will, Debra Gress, Jane Long, Brynn Ann Foss, Linda Ross. (1963: The Shield, p. 32)

School children--Tacoma--1960-1970; Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1960-1970; Private schools--Tacoma; Uniforms;

A newly crowned Kai Wonderly reigns as the 1968 May Day Queen on the campus of Annie Wright Seminary. Kai is a senior and the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Wonderly of Tacoma. Dressed in traditional white gown with long, flowing train, she is seated on a flower-bedecked throne holding her scepter and a bouquet of colorful daisies. A jeweled crown rests upon her light brown hair. Color photograph ordered by Annie Wright Seminary.

Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1960-1970; Private schools--Tacoma; May Day; Festivals--Tacoma--1960-1970; Wonderly, Kai; Students--Tacoma--1960-1970; Crowns;

On August 19, 1959, eight co-eds from the Annie Wright Seminary lent a hand in mortaring the new library wing at the school. The girls were, left to right, Margaret Woodhams, athletics; Lib Hewitt, secretary service league; Frances Finnigan, Class VIII president; Peggy Yates, of Puyallup, senior yearbook editor; Caroline Woodhams, secretary treasurer of the student body; Shirley Cartozian, Christmas Carnival; Laurie Grenley, vice president freshman class; and Missy Hyde, Class VII president. This group was part of a larger planned gathering for class and school officers to make plans for the upcoming school year. The new library wing was completed in November of 1959 at at cost of $170,000. It was of Tudor design, with 4,000 square feet of room to house 16,000 volumes and 68 students. The upper floors had bedrooms, storage and bath space. Photograph ordered by AWS for the Tacoma News Tribune. (TNT 8/23/1959, pg. D-3-alternate photograph of students)

Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Private schools--Tacoma--1950-1960; Students--Tacoma--1950-1960; Woodhams, Margaret; Hewitt, Lib; Finnigan, Frances; Yates, Peggy; Woodhams, Caroline; Cartozian, Shirley; Grenley, Laurie; Hyde, Missy;

Front view of Annie Wright Seminary from across Tacoma Ave. No. looking north east. The private school, designed by the architectural firm of Sutton, Whitney and Dugan, opened at this location in September of 1924. TPL-7084

Private schools--Tacoma--1920-1930; Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1920-1930;

May Day at Annie Wright Seminary. May Queen Kai Wonderly waits with her senior attendant and small royal attendants on the grassy lawns of Annie Wright for the processional to begin on May 18, 1968. The petite youngsters are dressed in white with one carrying the queen's crown and another the scepter. Each year one senior girl was chosen as May Queen although the entire school participated in the festival. Kai is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Wonderly; Mr. Wonderly was the operations manager of St. Regis Paper Co. Photograph ordered by Annie Wright Seminary. (TNT 5-26-68, D-10, 11)

Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1960-1970; Private schools--Tacoma; May Day--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma--1960-1970; Wonderly, Kai; School children--Tacoma--1960-1970; Students--Tacoma--1960-1970;

A classroom of bright eyed youngsters, students at the Annie Wright Seminary, smile for the camera on February 29, 1960. The eighteen girls and their teacher, Miss Hartwell, are doing a bit of light reading on this sunny morning. Classes were kept small at this private school with total enrollment approximately 300 and staff of 55. Holding the Alvin the Chipmunk doll is Nancy Bond at near right with Jamie May next to her. Blond Leilee Weyerhaeuser is seated behind Nancy. Other girls identified in the classroom were Jill Stone, Penny Rumbaugh, Mimi Wiborg and Ann Dickman. (Identification provided by a reader)

School children--Tacoma; Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1960-1970; Private schools--Tacoma; Teachers--Tacoma--1960-1970; Bond, Nancy; May, Jamie;

Every year, the student body and faculty of Annie Wright Seminary welcomed back spring with a May Day Festival. A senior girl was chosen to reign over the festivities as Queen, with other upper class girls as the court. Lower school (primary) girls acted as attendants. The girls pictured here in their May Day regalia on May 9, 1959 are, left to right, Muffet Gilfin, scepter bearer; Joan Anderson, herald; Terry Weyerhaeuser, crown bearer; Sally Dimant, page; Belinda McLean, flower girl and Rita Smith, flower girl. (yearbook "The Shield" 1959, TNT 5/7/1959, pg. D-7) )

Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Private schools--Tacoma; School children--Tacoma--1950-1960; Festivals--Tacoma--1950-1960; Gilfin, Muffet; Anderson, Joan; Weyerhaeuser, Terry; Dimant, Sally; Smith, Rita; McLean, Belinda;

Annie Wright Seminary annual doll bazaar. The Doll Bazaar, held in the Great Hall, is part of the girls' holiday mission work. The upper school designs the exhibits which are judged for beauty, originality and individuality. Special awards are given for best dressed and best character. Seven girls create a Southern plantation scene on a table top with dolls and painted backdrops. Mrs. Wilson was in charge. (T.Times 11/29/1938, pg. 9, 12/5/1938, p. 9)

Private schools--Tacoma; Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Holidays--Tacoma; Dolls; Bazaars--Tacoma; Students--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Annie Wright Seminary opera leads. Ten girls in formal gowns on stage, with blocks lettered to spell out "LOVE" in foreground. (T. Times)

Private schools--Tacoma; Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Operas & operettas--Tacoma; Students--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Annie Wright Seminary annual Field Day, May of 1935. Girls play Field Hockey behind the school. (filed with Argentum)

Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Field hockey;

Annie Wright Seminary May Day activities, May 1, 1935. Processional, many girls in dresses, building in background and May Pole tied with ribbons in foreground. (filed with Argentum)

Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1930-1940; May Day--Tacoma;

Annie Wright Seminary May Day activities, May 1, 1935. Processional, two rows of little girls in short dresses flanking Royal Court in long gowns and hats. School building in background. (filed with Argentum)

Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1930-1940; May Day--Tacoma;

Annie Wright Seminary May Day activities, May 1, 1935. Little Girls in short dresses dancing on lawn. (filed with Argentum)

Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1930-1940; May Day--Tacoma;

Annie Wright Seminary May Day activities, May 01, 1935. Barefoot girls in long dresses dancing on lawn. (filed with Argentum)

Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1930-1940; May Day --Tacoma;

Annie Wright Seminary Field Day, also known as May Day, Mary 1, 1935. Girls playing Field Hockey. (filed with Argentum)

Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Field hockey--Tacoma;Students--Tacoma--1930-1940;

The drive between the hedges at the Annie Wright Seminary. This road led downhill from Tacoma Ave. between the seminary grounds and the tennis court property. The seminary grounds were the location of the abduction of 9 year old George Weyerhaeuser on May 24, 1935. He was kidnapped near the tennis courts and whisked away in a waiting car. Between the time of his abduction on May 24th and his release on June 1st, he was held in two pre-dug pits prepared for his capture and in a rental house closet at 1509 W. 11th Ave. in Spokane. (T. Times 5/26/1935, pg. 1 plus succeeding months.)

Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Kidnappings--Tacoma--1930-1940; Weyerhaeuser, George H.--Kidnappings;

Annie Wright Seminary Field Day. Field hockey game in progress. Commencement Bay and Browns Point in background.

Private schools--Tacoma; Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1930-1940; Events--Tacoma; Field hockey--Tacoma; Students--Tacoma--1930-1940;

Annie Wright Seminary 1936 May Day activities. Queen Burdette Craig and her court on school steps. Photographer adjusting movie camera on tripod. (T. Times 5/18/1936, pg. 1)

Private Schools--Tacoma; Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1930-1940; May Day--Tacoma; Students--Tacoma--1930-1940; Craig, Burdette;

Annie Wright Seminary May Day 1940 activities. Mary Kent Hewitt, Queen, in bamboo chair with her Court in garden beside building. (filed with Argentum)

Private schools--Tacoma; Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Holidays--Tacoma--1940-1950; Hewitt, Mary Kent; May Day--Tacoma; Rites & Ceremonies--Tacoma; Festivals--Tacoma;

Annie Wright Seminary was in the middle of their 61st school year when this photograph was taken in March of 1946. Annie Wright was predominantly a private school for girls, but a few boys were allowed at the elementary school level. View of school children in their classroom working on arts and crafts, a teepee is visible in the background.

School children--Tacoma--1940-1950; Classrooms--Tacoma; Private schools--Tacoma--1940-1950; Children playing--Tacoma--1940-1950; Tipis--Tacoma; Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1940-1950;

Ray Ridge Motors. A rear view of a new 1947 Lincoln Continental including the driver's side. The rear wheel wells are skirted and the spare tire is encased in a special cover at the rear of the automobile. The rear bumper is highly reflective and a rear lamp is seen just behind the spare tire. The automobile is parked outside Annie Wright Seminary.

Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Automobiles--Tacoma--1940-1950; Lincoln Continental automobile; Private schools--Tacoma;

The Reverend Canon Arthur Bell, Chaplain, (left) and The Right Reverend Stephen Fielding Bayne, Jr., President of Annie Wright Seminary's Board of Trustees are photographed outside the chapel at Annie Wright Seminary on March 18, 1952. Annie Wright is a private school, established in 1884. ("The Shield," school yearbook, 1952)

Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Bell, Arthur; Bayne, Stephen Fielding; Clergy--Tacoma--1950-1960; Chapels--Tacoma; Raynor Chapel (Tacoma);

Group of boys from Charles Wright School playing in snow at Annie Wright Seminary.

Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Private schools--Tacoma; Charles Wright Academy (Tacoma); School children--Tacoma--1950-1960; Boys--Tacoma--1950-1960; Children playing in snow--Tacoma;