My paternal grandmother graduated in 1926 from St. Louis Park Senior High School, St. Louis Park, Minnesota. Mae Marybelle Devore was one of nine female students in a graduating class of 26 students. High school graduation was quite an accomplishment, as during this time, eighth grade educations were the norm and anything beyond that was the exception. This was especially true for young ladies, who were expected to marry and raise families.
I came into possession of her yearbook in a box of genealogical and family history items given to me by my father Richard (Dick) Burton, who was Mae’s eldest son.
What a treasure! The smallish leather bound yearbook has the title embossed in gold on the cover: SENIOR ANNUAL, St. Louis Park High School, Class of 1926. Unlike the large, glossy yearbooks of later decades, this compact little book measures about 8″ x 5″, has approximately 35 pages and includes portraits of each graduating senior.
St. Louis Park High School was built in 1914 on land donated by T.B. Walker. The three story building had very high ceilings and was located on 6300 Walker Street, St. Louis Park, MN, just off Highway 7, (which did not exist until 1934!) The new high school was described as follows:
The new school was a model of the latest ideas in school planning, offering every facility for work and play. The classrooms were large with huge windows designed to take advantage of sun and air … there was a spacious assembly hall with classrooms opening off of it. There was a sunny library for reference work, sewing and cooking rooms, a horticulture room with a greenhouse, manual training [woodworking] workshops, chemistry lab and a big auditorium for programs, plays, gym classes and basketball games. On the grounds were tennis courts at the rear.”
St. Louis Park Historical Society
This building continued in service as the St. Louis Park High School for the next 40+ years, until 1956, when a new school was built to accommodate the burgeoning population and hundreds of baby boomer students. At that time, this building became the junior high. However, many of my family members graduated from the original high school through the years, including aunts, uncles, and in 1949, both my parents.
Mae would have taken classes in English, mathematics, home economics, history, music, social sciences, Latin and civics. She was on the girl’s basketball team, which I find intriguing as she was barely 5’2″ tall!
The 1926 Annual Book included the commencement program, with the usual songs, speeches and presentation of diplomas by Axel F. Carlstrom, School Board President. There was a class song, class motto (“Find a way, or make one”), and class flower (the rose). There were silly and fun ‘prophecies’ about the future of each senior. Mae’s future prophecy was “Proud owner of of Mae’s famous musical beauty shop where waves are applied by radio.”
It was a custom then, as now, for classmates to sign their names and write little notes in the book. Mae collected her share, but the most charming note was written by Earl Burton. Earl appears to have been a friend, and possibly unbeknownst to Mae at the time, he would become her future husband. Perhaps they were already high school sweethearts during her senior year. Earl was a few years older than Mae and had already graduated from Hopkins High School. Earl wrote a poem in Mae’s book:
“Mae dear, Excuse all my mistakes and misses, Take them for hugs and kisses, You know what, what, a nut I am. Earl Burton”.
Mae and Earl were married five years later, in 1931.
RUNS IN THE FAMILY 