Lost & Found: A 1920s Autograph Album

 

Friends, we've found another one!

Previously on this blog we've looked at an 1880s Autograph Album that belonged to my great-great grandfather, Frank; an 1890s Autograph Album belonging to a young woman named Millie from Minnesota; and a 1940s Autograph Album belonging to a girl in the Twin Cities area named Carol

Today's album was purchased at an antique store in Port Angeles, Washington, and was the album of a high school girl named Catharine Sloan. 

Using clues from throughout the album, here's what we know about Catharine...

The signatures and scribbles are dated 1923 and 1924. If Catharine was in high school when this was completed, she was probably born between 1906 and 1909.

Numerous signees used the initials "G.H.S." with their signature, which I assumed was/is a high school. Others used the initials B.A.B. The Greek letters Σ Α π (sigma alpha pi) show up a few times, as do other Greek letter combos.

Catharine has a sister named Esther, who also signed the book.

She took French, Chemistry, and Physics.

One of the signees was kind enough to include her own address. Google tells me this address doesn't belong to a residence anymore, but it does point us toward a nearby school with the initials GHS: Philadelphia High School For Girls, aka Girls' High School.

Now we'll take a look at the pages within and see if we can find out who any of the signees are. It'll be difficult, since they're all women and many probably changed their names upon marriage. My Google skills only go so far, so if you want to play detective on any of these, be my guest.

Also, some of their handwriting is so wacky, I can't decipher it. If you think I've misread something/made a mistake, please leave a comment and let me know.

Nov. 2, 1923.   Catharine Sloan Σ Α π

Dear Hobo!

My love is like a cabbage

For when it's cut in two

The leaves I'd give to anyone

But the heart I'd give to you

Heapsalove, Kuhny

Dec 11, 1923

G. G. K.

H. O. Σ.

S. P. Δ.

Ringers' Drug Store

Our hangout

Away back here and out of sight,

I'll write my name down,

Just for spite!

Heaps of Love,

Rudie

ABD

and if you forget to remember - woe unto you

R. Ritcher

Dear Catharine:

To Knit, to Spin, to Sew -

Was once a girl's employment

But now to flirt and catch a beau

Is what they call employment

Your Friend

Elenn V. Hunsberger

Dec 24, '24

Dec 13, 1923 A.D.

Dear Catherine,

In your chimney of love

Consider me a brick

Lovingly

Florence Schenker

G.H.S.

Florence was born in 1907 and died in 2005. She eventually married Adolf Friedrich Herzog.

Mar. 28, 1924

Dear Catharine --

Can't think -- too dumb

Inspiration -- won't come

Poor ink -- poor pen --

Best wishes -- Amen.

Affectionately

Margot Scott

Dear Catharine,

Through the showers of life,

You may need an umbrella,

May it be upheld by a 

handsome young fellow!

Lots of love,

Emily G. Souder

Dec. 13 - 1923

Dear Catharine,

Here's to the girl with eyes of gray

Ask for a kiss and she'll say "nay"

Here's to the girl with eyes of blue

Ask for a kiss and she'll say "take two."

But here's to the girl with eyes of brown

Ask for a kiss and she'll ne'er turn you down.

Lovingly, 

Mildred E. Moldawer

December 12, 1923. G.H.S. Room 314

French - Miss Heller

Dear Catharine,

Life is but a game of cards

When you're in love it's [hearts]

When you're engaged it's [diamonds]

When you're married it's [clubs]

When you're dead it's [spades]

Your loving sister,

Esther

March 28, 1924

Dear Catharine,

Some advice --

"Don't love a little boy lots

Love a lot of little boys a little."

Your classmate (and admirer)

Violet MacLaughlin

Bullets are made of iron,

Canons are made of lead,

I love you muchly

But my hair is red!

Dec 22/1924

Dear Catherine,

"Men marry because they are tired and women because they are curious."

-Wilde

Don't be too inquisitive.

Alamida (Alameda?) Moser

Dear Catharine

Patience is a virtue

Possess it if you can

Seldom found in women

But never found in men.

Love, 

Bobbie Ranford

B.A.B.

December 19, 1924

For Dear Catharine -

May your life be like with math

Joys added

Sorrows subtracted

Friends multiplied

Charity divided

Love from

Ruth B. Gay

Dec 14, 1923

Dear Catharine,

May you always be happy Catharine

And flowers your pathway strew

When some boy tells you he loves you

Tell him that's what he ought to do.

Lovingly,

Ruth Warner

A. B. Δ.

Dear Catherine,

Forget to the ??? Forget the stares

Forget to flirt or truely care

Forget your husband socks to mend

But don't forget your old time friend

Ru?? (Ruby?) Bau??? (Baummer?)

May 17, 1924

Dear Katherine

Just as the pansy petals fold

Closely about their hearts of gold

So in these pages may there be

Enfolded golden thoughts for thee

Your sorority sister,

Jane Hyde "Jackie"

Dec. 13, 1923

Dear Catharine,

If wisdom's ways you'd wisely seek,

Five things observe with care,

Of whom you speak, to whom you speak

and how and when and where.

Your friend,

Anne B. Wertsner

 🔎We found Anne Wertsner! She became a horticulturist.

Dear Catharine,

I love you on the hill side

I love you on the level

If I get my arms around your neck

I'll squeeze you like the Devil

Yours 'til the butter-flyes

Virginia M. Smith

March 28, 1924

Katherine - ol classmate!

In future life

I see you shiver

Out joy-riding

In a flivver

Yours to the bitter end,

??

Dec 12 '23 Chem. 324.

May 14, 1924

To Catherine,

Uninspired and lacking originality,

I'll write the "Ol' Hictory"

and say Love, luck and happiness to you,

A sorority sister,

Edna R Bilgen (??)

Dear Catharine, 

I like you awfully Catharine

-Honest on the level

and if it wasn't naughty

-I'd like you like the - devil

Heaps of love

Alice Root

Dear Cathrine,

Love many, trust few,

Always paddle your own canoe.

Your Σ Α π  sister, 

Vera

12/11/'23

Dec. 13, 1923

Dear Catherine,

In your soup of friendships

Consider me a noodle.

Lovingly, 

Ruth Winslow

Since I first met you I've thought of you often,

Devotedly yours,

Hannah E Kaufman

March 28, 1924

Catharine:

Shakespear and I wish your life "As you like it."

Sincerely,

Rowayne Chapman

March 27 - '24

Dear Catherine,

Whenever a word is passed about a friend

Be the last to believe and the first to defend

Your classmate,

Rita S Simpson

Dec. 11, 1923

Dear Catherine,

When on this page you above to look

When on this page you frown

Think of the girl who spoiled your book by

Writing upside down

Yours in coop'erin hell'oo (??)

Elizabeth King

April 10, 1924

April 10, 1924

Dear Catherine,

"I love the luster of your eyes,

I love your smile, I love your sighs,

Dear little girl."

Katharine Forster

G.H.S.

Dear Katharine:

Remember your happy

school days forever!

Balloons of love with not a pin in sight.

Your friend, 

Billie Bailey

March 25, 1924  Senior Dance

Dear K. 

From me and the mouse.

Betty Sword

Dec. 17, 1923

Dear Catherine,

Remember me now

Remember me ever,

Remember the good times

We've had together 

(Especially in Physics)

Love,

Florence Allen

March 28, 1924

Dec. 11, 1923

Dear Catherine:

As long as pussy has a tail,

My love for you will never fail.

Lots of love,

Evelyn Glenn

(Chemistry)

Dec. 14, 1923

Dear Catherine,

Smile and the world smiles with you,

Snore and you sleep alone.

Belle Wood

Dear Catherine

Love many

Trust few

Always paddle 

Your own canoe

Love,

Caroline Moorhead

Social Science

Dec 24, 1924

Dear Catherine

Beefsteak when you're hungry

Water when you're dry

Greenbacks when you're busted

Heaven when you die.

Yours, Marian Hilser

Woe under her who performs "Algebra" in French class.

Estelle G. Cressman

Dear Catherine,

Cows like corn

Pigs like squash

I like you

I do - b'gosh!

Dot Campbell

March 28, 1924

Dearest Catherine,

In your chain of friendship,

Consider me a link

Love,

Clara B. Dempsey

Much love to our wing on the '23 Hockey Team

Dear Anita Katherine,

A girl who has a thousand friends,

Has not a friend to spare,

A man who has one enemy,

Will meet him everywhere.

With love,

Helen Will

Dec 11, 1923

Very Sinserely, Marie C Jann

March 28, 1924

(G. H. S.)

Dear Catharine,

I wish I were a bunny,

With a tail so soft and fluffy,

I'd sit upon your bureau

and be your powder puff.

Yours till the cow slips,

L Ziegler

12/16/23

Dear Catharine,

A pretty girl who gets a kiss

And goes and tells her mother

Does a very foolish thing

And don't deserve another.

With heaps of love,

Clara M Kinckiner

12/11/23    Lunch!!!   G. H. S.

🔎We found Clara...sort of! This link tells us the fate of her brother, Ralph. Clara eventually married a man with the last name Orpen.

Dear Catharine:

Distance lends enchantment,

So t'is said by few

But I'd rather have a little less enchantment

And a little more of you

Helen Bierman

 Σ Α π 

We can't hate this person for writing backward because they did give us an address:

Here it is, flipped: 

Miss Catherine Sloan

4822 N. 11th Street

Philadelphia, PA

The lightning bug is very dumb

It hasn't any mind

It travels all the way through life,

With its headlight on behind

Yours till Kelloggs crumbles,

J. Deal Gibb

Dec 11-23

Dear Catharine - 

Tis not some Greek or French you see,

But the same old story

I love you in Chinese

Bunny Cleuweer? 

Σ Α π 

Dec. 11, 1923,

Dear Catherine: -

When you grow old and ugly,

As most young people do,

Remember you've a friend,

Who's old and ugly, too.

Adele Douglass Raively

Dear Catherine:

May you travel the road of many years

on pathways pleasant and wide

Where comfort, health and peace are found

And joy and true friends abide

"Lil" Lawton

Dec. 22, 1924

French class

For Get Me Not

Dec 11 1923

Dear Sloany:

Roses are red,

Violets are blue,

Garlic is strong,

I'm garlic for you.

Love,

Eshel Deemer

Dear Catherine,

If wisdom's ways you wisely seek -

Three things observe with care,

Of whom you speak, and what you speak,

And how, and when, and where.

Lovingly,

Anita S.

Dec. 11, 1923

Dear Catherine

________________

________________

________________

Just a few original lines

Sincerely,

Esther Skirving

Français

Dear Catherine,

Remember the tea-kettle,

Though up to its neck in hot water

It still continues to sing!

Love,

Mary S Skirving

"No hay bien ni mal que ciera años dure."

E. Fox

So we come to the end of the album. Again, if you'd like to search for any of these folks and provide us with more biographical info, leave a comment below.

Fantastic Names From The Past: Another Visit To The 1930s!

Previously on this blog, I've marveled at names from several Franklin High School yearbooks circa 1936-1937 and 1938-1939. But! Unbeknownst to the people of Franklin, just eight miles away, Jefferson High School was blithely educating its own set of fantastically-monikered teenagers at the same time! 

The 1930s may have been the era of the Great Depression, but there's nothing depressing about these names!

Kitty Ritter ('34)

Sophie Economus ('36)

Ward Sigafoos ('34)

Esther Erna Arnas ('36)

Elmer L. Hamm ('36)

Selma Zitzer ('34)

Joyce Aurelia Wilkes ('37)

Salola Roach ('35)

Celestia Hise Livermore ('37)

Virginia Marlea Mitts ('37)

Velda May Curry ('37)

Janness Judith Jewell ('37)

Zenetta Britt ('37)

Shirley B. Lash ('37)

Jenelle L. Long ('37)

Sophy Povovich ('37)

Fritzi Helen Ditt Brenner ('37)

Dell Rundle Hayes ('37)

Elmer Harold Helenius ('37)

Mason V. Carlson ('37)

Jack Wade Pattee ('37)

Violet Bender ('37)

Jack E. Gleeson ('34)

Jack Lothrop Bellah ('37)

John Fred Facer ('32)

Doxine A. Fix ('32)

Lloyd Lister ('36)

Homer Douglas Rambo ('36)

Marjorie Ora Stout ('36)

Brunette Berselle ('37)

Hortense A. Karp ('36)

Leonard Ward DeYoung ('34)

Inos Rainwater ('34)

Marciabelle Swina ('34)

Clark Van Vlert ('34)

Thelma Trout ('34)

Wilma W. Wynkoop ('37)

Delbert D. Delzer ('37)

Forrest Woodward Landeen ('35)

David Gustar O'Ehme ('35)

Margaret Passarge ('36)

Bettylou Swartout ('36)

Rollo Stowaser ('36)

Edrow Virginia Look ('34)

Eileen Engeldinger ('34)

Sylvester Lindekugel ('34)

Orville Gentry ('36)

Myrtle Spanke ('36)

Esther Metzler ('36)

Vurl Virginia Mallory ('36)

Tura Claudia Millet ('34)

Eleanor Irene Dalrymple ('34)

Lavelle Kelly ('34)

Charles Virgil Darby ('37)

Vinson Victor Sly ('37)

May Rae Rolph ('37)

John Beresford Delapoer ('34)

Wanda Cozette Swett ('37)

And finally, my Top 10 Fantastic Names from 1930s Jefferson High School are:

10. Shirley Ardita Struble ('37)

9. Ruby Victory Winterburn ('36)

8. Lovell DeVere Rousseau ('37)

7. Kaliope Varkados ('34)

6. Jewell Irene Goble ('35)

5. Waive Flues ('34)

4. Iris Cordelia Pease ('32)

3. Delight Brockmeier ('36)

2. Elwood Gerald Bizeau ('37)

and

1. Worthy Horsman ('32)

Fantastic Names From The Past: 1936-1937 Edition

The students of Benjamin Franklin High School circa 1936-1937 didn't all have fantastic names -- there were plenty of boring monikers on the roll call (Bill Johnson, Harry Carson, Jean Lewis, etc.) as well as a few... um... unfortunate names (Moron Meeker and Dolly Leaky, I am so sorry... Sandy Sanderson, the jury's still out.) There was also a lot of repetition: dozens of Donalds, Bettys, Mildreds, Earls and Roberts.

Thankfully, though, this was a big school, and there were still plenty of fantastic names to be found on these pages -- even considering these yearbooks had some overlap with the 1938-1939 ones featured in this post (How've you been, Gaynor Petrequin? 102? Sorry I asked.)

So without any further ado, I present these fantastic names....

Lena Yaconetti

Halsey Bigger

Virginia Much

Solomon Menashe 

Jack Fruit

Velda Yeska

Ivadel Beth Beaman

Irmgard Zorn

Lorilee McQuarrie

Jacqueline Montchalin

Illif VanRonk

Joauleta Johnson

Babe Lundgren

Benson Mates

Avice Ryel

Earnest Stefar

Hawley Bloomquist

Munson Dorais

Melvin DesVoigne

Harry Degermark

Viola McAllister

Rosaleen Obelisk

Mary Lois Ditto

Blossom Dobson

Esther Bridelle Swarts

Phyllis Mae Grow

Flora Frances Prideaux

Harland Max Hafter

Florence Afton O'Dill

Haruko Tsuboi

Rudolph Winters

Kerma Rowclitte

Orville Oris McCoy

Dorothy LaVonne Darling

Mildred Mae Cahoon

LaVonne McBee

Phillip Sonny Petrarca

Esther Bridelle Swartz

Erwin VanBlaricom 

And, finally, my Top 10 Fantastic Names From 1936-1937:

10. Yoreka Inzurka

9. Carlyle McKnight

8. Juanita Wafler

7. Audrea Lord Slattery

6. Wava W. Wells

5. Lulu Heist

4. Valoris Iona Whetstine

3. LaJeanne Marjorie Stroup

2. Ella May Rock

and

1. Valories Evelsizer

(who I can only assume went on to pursue villainy)

These folks are all 100+ or dead, now.

And on that happy note -- I wish you a fantastic day!

Fantastic Names From The Past: 1950s and 60s "What To Name The Baby" Edition

 Deciding on a name for a newborn can be a daunting task, but it's a challenge that has plagued parents for quite some time, including our very own grandparents, as evidenced by this book from 1946 (updated in 1953): "What To Name The Baby (A Treasury Of Names) -- 15,000 Names To Choose From."

15,000. Let that sink in. 

Among those names are, of course, the most popular names (in the U.S.) from 1953: Mary, Linda, Deborah, Patricia, Susan, Barbara, Debra, Nancy, Karen, Pamela, Sandra and Cynthia for girls, and Robert, James, Michael, John, David, William, Richard, Thomas, Charles, Gary, Steven and Mark for boys.

But there are ever so many more within this book's pages... names I'd never heard of, names I was surprised were around in 1953, and names I hope have never been given to a single innocent baby in the last 70 years. I was also amused by some of the given definitions -- are they accurate? Maybe not. Are they funny? Heck yeah.

So take this for what it is: Information from one book that perhaps helped a bunch of baby boomers' parents choose their kids' names.

That Was A Name Back Then? Who Knew?

These names feel more modern to me, but I guess some babies were actually given these monikers during the Eisenhower era... 

("m" indicates the name was found in the book's "male names" section; "f" means it came from the "female" section.)

Aidan (m)

Ainsley (m)

Blaze (m)

Braden (m)

Cadence (f)

Chiara (f)

Colton (m)

Hayden (m)

Holden (m)

Hudson (m)

Huxley (m)

Keegan (m) 

Kenley (m)

Keira (f)

Kenna (m)

Knox (m)

Landon (m)

Lennox (m)

Liam (m)

Oakley (m)

Paxton (m)

Raina (f)

Ryder (m)

Rylan (m)

Samara (f)

Savannah (f)

Names With Amusing Definitions

The name itself might be fine, but its meaning? -- well, maybe just keep that a secret from the kid's classmates.

Achilles (m) - "Without lips"

Algernon (m) - "With the mustache" (I guess if ever there's a baby born with a mustache, his parents will know exactly what to name him)

Attila (m) - "Fatherlike" (the real Attila allegedly did have a ton of kids...)

Boyne (m) - "White cow"

Caleb (m) - "A dog"

Hepatica (f) - "The liver-shaped

Hippolyta (f) - "horse destruction" (nooo!)

Hulda (f) - "a weasel"

Phryne (f) - "the toadlike"

Riccadonna (f) - "Rich and hard lady" (Lady Riccadonna De Bourgh does have a certain ring to it...)

Not A Bad Name... How Popular Was It In 2021?

Listen up, parents of today... some of these names are kind of cool, and you can argue that they're not modern. Because who wants that?

Adley (m) - A mere 615 U.S. babies got this name in 2021 - 606 f / 19 m

Albion (m) - Shucks. 0 kids named Albion in 2021, but 5 males were named Albino, 10 were named Albi and 17 were named Albie, so we're inching closer...

Alula (f) - 14 babies - 5 f / 9 m

Arber (m) - 14 Arbers and 31 Arbors

Cataline (m) - 0 babies named Cataline. Not even any girls?!

Leander (m) - 85 m

Cerelia (f) - 5 f

Eliadia (f) - 0

Endredi (f) - 0

Laelia (f) - 15 f

Lycoris (f) - 0 (This name is only cool if the second, not the first, syllable gets stressed.)

Nyx (f) - 69 babies - 61 f / 8 m. ("Onyx" is distinctly more popular, with 928 babies - 169 f / 759 m)

Let's Just Erase These Name From Future Baby Books, Thanks...

People were actually given these names? Who? What? Why? How? What other questions am I omitting?

Adelbert (m)

Adorabelle (f)

Aladdin (m)

Amabalis (m)

Amyot (m)

Aprilette (f)

Aristarch (m)

Arkwright (m)

Athanasia (f)

Babtist (m)

Bambalina (f)

Benigna (f) 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benigna_Zinzendorf

Biddulph (m) 

Birdella (f)

Blagden (m)

Bland (m)

Blenda (f)

Boniface (m)

Bozo (m)

Burbank (m)

Cadwallader (m)

Caradoc (m) 

Chrystostom (m)

Clematis (f)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clematis

Clothilda (f)

Coma (f)

Conception (f)

Dandie (m)

Dearborn (m)

Dempster (m) 

Dextra (f)

Druce (m)

Dubadeasa (f)

Ethelburga (f)

Flogelind (f)

Gift (f)

Gladusa (f)

Gouverneur (m)

Gritty (short for Griselda or Margaret) (f)

Head (m)

Honeyball (f)

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/planet-of-the-dolls-ideals-honeyball--447193437989969889/

Increase (m)

Intrepid (m)

Innocent (m)

Juvenal (m)

Petty (m)

Marmaduke (m)

Mayo (f)

Meiklyohn (m)

Minty (f)

Nap (short for Napoleon) (m)

Nye (m)

Odd (m)

Ordway (m)

Parthenope (f)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metiochus_and_Parthenope

Pendrod (m)

Pentecoste (f)

Perfecta (f)

Purcifer (m)

Plantagenet (m)

https://www.historyofengland.net/kings-and-queens/the-plantagenets-the-plantagenet-kings-1216-1399

Quenburga (f)

Quirio (f)

Ring (m)

Seabert (m)

Thorncroft (m)

Toner (m)

Twitchell (m)

Throth  (f)

Vignette (f)

Walpurga (f)

Welcome (f)

Weltrude (f)

If you have a kid with one of those names... I don't want to know.

***BONUS!***

Here are some unbelievable but totally real names from the 1964 edition of 3000 Names For Boys!

Abbottson

Almund

Anastastius

Antipus

Arkwright

Athelstan

Bainbridge

Blodgett

Blainard

Chozebuss

Eleuther

Gelasus

Gorkum

Pedaiah

Publius

Swithbert

Teddmann

Tyrannus

Warfield