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;

Pacific Lutheran College's 1959 May Day Queen and some of her Court. Queen Carolee Chindgren poses in the center of the group. The second row, left to right, are Linda Bloomquist, freshman, Margery Krueger, sophomore, Janice Snyder, junior and Janet Gullekson, freshman. This was the college's 26th annual May Festival. The celebration would be highlighted by gay spring music, colorful folk art and dancing and the coronation of the May Queen. Over 2,000 people attended the celebration. (TNT 4/28/1959, pg. 13, 5/3/1959, pg. D-11)

Pacific Lutheran College (Parkland)--1950-1960; Universities & colleges--Parkland--1950-1960; Festivals--Parkland--1950-1960; Chindgren, Carolee; Bloomquist, Linda; Krueger, Margery; Snyder, Janice; Gullekson, Janet;

Students at Larchmont Elementary School made good use of their school library in an October 4, 1965, photograph taken for the Citizens Committee for Schools. The Citizens committee would visit local area public schools and make recommendations for improvements. Several children are busy reading or selecting books. One boy points out a spot in North America on the large globe to another classmate. Photograph ordered by the Citizens Committee for Schools for use in publicity and brochure.

Public schools--Tacoma--1960-1970; Larchmont Elementary School (Tacoma); Books; Globes;

The Nell Hoyt Primary School. The school was built as an addition to the Washington School at 3701 No. 26th St. It was designed by award winning architect Robert Billsbrough Price. The school was dedicated on February 20, 1959, the 80th birthday of Nell Hoyt, the namesake of the school. Mrs. Hoyt was an early pioneer of the national preschool program. She spoke at the dedication of the school about the program she founded in 1914.

Nell Hoyt School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1950-1960;

In December of 1959, the Lincoln High School Song Queens and Yell Queens (Pep Staff) posed for a studio portrait in their uniforms. The song queens led the school in song while the yell queens led the cheers. The girls were, clockwise from 12 o'clock, song queen Jan Manfull, pep queen Rhoda Lee Tallman, song queen Jan Geppert, pep queen Joyce Alice Reichel, song queen Edna Sharlene Tyler, pep queen Deanna Marlow, song queen Patty Jo Clifford and pep queen Kathy Wahl. (The Lincolnian 1960, TNT 11/8/1959, pg. D-1)

Lincoln High School (Tacoma); Cheerleading--Tacoma--1950-1960; Students--Tacoma--1950-1960; Teenagers--1950-1960; Tallman, Rhoda Lee; Reichel, Joyce Alice; Tyler, Sharlene; Marlow, Deanna; Clifford, Patty Jo; Wahl, Kathy; Manfull, Jan; Geppert, Jan;

Professor Gunnar J. Malmin, Director of Music at Pacific Lutheran College and well known musician, conductor and composer. He was born April 9, 1903 in Thompson, Iowa. He studied music at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, at the famed St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn. and the University of Michigan. He was an active member of the Lutheran Church and the Norwegian community. His career was based around those things most precious to him, singing, teaching and his faith. Malmin was married twice, to fellow musician and composer Dorothy, who died in 1986, and later to Berna Holland Olson, who died in 1999. Malmin died July 23, 2000 at the age of 97 of natural causes. He was survived by four children, Olaf, Jon, Ann and David and six grandchildren. (TNT 8-11-2000)

Conductors; Universities & colleges--Parkland; Pacific Lutheran College (Parkland)--1950-1960; Malmin, Gunnar J.; Composers; Portrait photographs;

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;

School office. The school office of Bellevue's Lake Hills Elementary is empty for the moment in this April, 1961, photograph. The principal's office was apparently directly behind the front counter. An additional desk, probably the school secretary's, is next to a wall of windows. The theme of wooden ceiling beams continues in the office as in the school's gymnasium/auditorium. Photograph ordered by Vanzant, Dugdale & Co., Baltimore, MD.

Public schools--Bellevue; Offices--Bellevue;

Progress photographs--Hunt Junior High School. Another view of the interior of the new gymnasium at the Henry F. Hunt Junior High School (now Middle School) was taken on July 1, 1957. Because the population of the West Tacoma and Fircrest areas was greatly increasing, a new junior high school with the capacity of 700+ students was constructed during 1957-58. It had an ultra-modern design on a spacious campus, with plenty of room to expand. Architect Robert Billsbrough Price had planned unusual arch panel-vaults that covered the gymnasium and a distinctly shaped cafeteria. The extensive use of wood was praised by members of the National Council on School Construction upon touring the school. The new school would be dedicated on October 29, 1958, with architect Price, School Superintendent Angelo Giaudrone, and members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in attendance. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association. (Olsen: For the Record, p. 157)

Henry F. Hunt Junior High School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1950-1960; Progress photographs; Building construction--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Architect Robert Billsbrough Price had his design for the new Henry F. Hunt Junior High School (now Middle School) highly praised as "one of the most imaginative new schools in the nation." It was both ultra-modern and surprisingly inexpensive per square foot. Tacoma's West End and neighboring Fircrest areas were rapidly expanding, necessitating the construction of a new junior high school for that sector of the city. When completed, it would become home to nearly 700 students. View of mushroom-shaped cafeteria/auditorium under construction in July, 1957; design of later built Tacoma Dome would be very similar in nature. The school, named after longtime Tacoma educator Henry F. Hunt, would be dedicated on October 29, 1958. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association. (Olsen: For the Record, p. 157)

Henry F. Hunt Junior High School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma--1950-1960; Progress photographs; Building construction--Tacoma--1950-1960;

This November, 1957, photograph may be that of the new Henry F. Hunt Junior High School in the West End of Tacoma. The giant loaf-sized buildings in the rear could be the new gymnasium. The building to the foreground is apparently designed for classrooms. Constructed on one level, there are multiple skylights to add natural light to the new rooms. Tacoma's school population had been growing in the 1950's, possibly due to the "baby boom" following WWII, and school construction had to keep pace. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Public schools--Tacoma--1950-1960; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);

View of Lowell Elementary School. The roots of Lowell School run deep as it is the Tacoma School District's oldest school. Established in 1869, and originally known as the First Ward School, it served families living west of Division Avenue in Old Tacoma. After moving to several locations, it was renamed Lowell after the American poet James Russell Lowell in 1890. A new Lowell School was built in 1950 on North 13th & Yakima Sts. as the nearly sixty year old Lowell, located a block away, was condemned following the 1949 earthquake. Students were moved into the new classrooms in November, 1950, although total construction was not completed until February, 1951. Photograph ordered by Bonnell Construction. (Olsen: For the Record, p. 43)

Lowell Elementary School (Tacoma)--Buildings; Public schools--Tacoma--1950-1960;

View of new portable classroom at Brookdale Elementary School, taken on February 16, 1962. The new structure, to the farthest right, is built extensively out of wood. It includes an overhang to provide shade on one side of the portable. Brookdale Elementary, located in the Franklin Pierce School District, was built in 1957, primarily out of brick. Douglas Fir Plywood Association helped in the building of the portable for Brookdale as well as one for James Sales Elementary. The units could hold 30 students and could be used until permanent structures could be built. Photograph ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association. (TNT 11-22-61, p. 12)

Brookdale Elementary School (Parkland); Public schools--Parkland--1960-1970;

A Tacoma School District middle school teacher is listening to a young student who has the complete attention of his classmates on February 26, 1962. This may be a science class as books are opened to a section on the solar system. The Citizens Committee for Schools had requested photographs be taken of the interiors of several middle schools, including Mason, Gray and Hunt. This committee, in the past, had advised the school board of the physical conditions of school buildings and possible remedies.

Public schools--Tacoma--1960-1970; Classrooms--Tacoma; School children--Tacoma--1960-1970; Teachers--Tacoma--1960-1970;

ca. 1962. Conductor Gunnar J. Malmin and his Choir of the West from Pacific Lutheran University. The 60+ members posed for a group portrait in late 1962. The Choir of the West had been a concert staple for over 30 years, performing nationally and in the Tacoma area.

Choirs (Music); Choir of the West (Parkland); Pacific Lutheran University (Parkland)--1960-1970; Malmin, Gunnar J.; Conductors;

Paying little heed to the lovely campus beyond the large view windows, these Pacific Lutheran University students are hard at work on January 16, 1963, studying at the school library. Long tables provided plenty of room for students to spread out their books and other materials.

Pacific Lutheran University (Parkland)--1960-1970; Libraries--Parkland; Students--Parkland--1960-1970; Studying--Parkland;

This smiling group of Pacific Lutheran University students show the happiness of the annual May Festival. Under the direction of Mrs. Rhoda Young, a whole year of dedicated practice would culminate in the May, 1963, two-night performance of the folk dance festival. Not only were dances from the Scandinavian countries represented, but also those thousands of miles away, from the Philippines. (1963 Saga yearbook, p. 98-99)

Pacific Lutheran University (Parkland)--1960-1970; Festivals--Parkland--1960-1970; Students--Parkland--1960-1970; Folk dancing--Parkland--1960-1970;

Each year Annie Wright Seminary held a Dads' Day to honor students' fathers. A variety of activities was planned which dads and their daughters could enjoy. A smiling father prepares to take on his daughter in a game of tennis on May 18, 1957. They are both clutching Wilson tennis rackets with wooden frames. The dad is dressed in shorts and rolled up shirt but his daughter still has on her school uniform. Photograph ordered by Annie Wright Seminary.

Annie Wright Seminary (Tacoma)--1950-1960; Private schools--Tacoma; Tennis players--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tennis rackets;