Lydia Ann Black’s Graduation Photo

LBC_1907-2

I recently came across this newspaper clipping in the Milton Historical Society archives – it is a photograph of the Milton High School graduating class of 1907. In what publication the photo was first printed is not known, but it was definitely not the Milford Chronicle. It is of special interest for two reasons:

  • Lydia Ann Black (later Lydia B. Cannon, for whom the museum is named) was a member of that class; she is in the front row standing, wearing a dark blouse, between a girl in a white blouse and a man who is probably one of the teachers.
  • The Milton News letter published May 31, 1907 , after the commencement exercises were held, named five students as being in the graduating class, whereas the photo shows quite a few more. The discrepancy is hard to explain; however, in those years high school graduating classes were very small, and five students would be much more typical of a graduating class than the nineteen pictured here. Also, Hester Gray, named in the article as one of the graduates, was Chester Gray in the photo caption.

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