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Any photos not otherwise credited are from the personal collection of Frank Passic, Albion Historian.
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Morning Star, May 11, 1997, pg. 26 Each year at this time in this column during graduation season we feature the Albion High School Class of 100 years ago. The class of 1897 had 39 members. 23 were girls, and 16 were boys. The class valedictorian was Frank Gerow Thompson. Special recognition should be given to Catheron Maude Shup, who was awarded a special gold medal by the Albion Board of Education for her 12 (twelve) years of perfect attendance! How many persons could boast that today? The class of 1897 contained two persons who achieved national fame. One was the celebrated wildlife artist Lynn Bogue Hunt (189-1960), whose drawings of ducks, hunters and the like graced the covers of Field and Stream and other magazines in the early 20th century. The other was Madeline Murray (1878-1958) (No, she didn’t marry someone name O’Hare), a descendant of Albion pioneer Wareham Warner. A teacher by profession, Madeline invented several games for children, including the “States and Cities” game manufactured by Parker Brothers, and the “Murray Pocket Board Game.” Many of the newspaper write-ups on her described Madeline as a “genius.” If someone has a photograph of her I could borrow we can feature her sometime in this column. Since the mid-1880s, class photographs were taken every year. Unfortunately I know of no photograph of the Class of 1897 which has survived today. If anyone has one, let me know and we can feature that photo in this column. In lieu of that, from our Historical Notebook this week we present a listing of the members of the Albion High School Class of 1897. This list is taken from my book A History of the Albion Public Schools which is still available for sale at the Albion Chamber of Commerce. This book would make a nice graduation gift of class reunion momento. The list was originally compiled around 1906, and gives the maiden and married names, occupation, and place of residence at the time. Look through this list of names and see if you recognize anyone. The Class of 1897 (NOTE: NOT in alphabetical order): Hester E. Palmer; Gertie L. Roper, student Ann Arbor; Allan Percy Fall, Dep. Public Instruction Lansing; Pearl Sturdevant, Ellis Pub. Co. Battle Creek; Susan A. Perine, Albion; Rena B. Fuller, Mrs. Ralph Gillette, Spring Valley, Ill; H. Clyde Krenerick, teacher Vassar; Harold Steele, teacher Nashville; Elda Laura Powers, Albion; Mary E. Ballentine, Mrs. Avery Sherman, Clarendon; J. L. Godfrey, Chicago; Bennett A. Anthony, Editor Albion Recorder; Carrie G. Culver, teacher Albion; Arthur O. Merritt, Stenographer, Aurora, Ill; Clarence Roy Hartung, farmer Albion; Charles J.Young, hay dealer, Albion; Anna E. Coffin, student Albion College; Sophia Izola Pelkey, Mrs. Charles Hoaglin, Albion; Catheron Maud Shupe, Teacher Ironwood; Jessie Raub, teacher Ironwood; Hattie A. Dalrymple, Albion; Edith M. Kikendall, Mrs. Winifred Lines, Albion; Emma B. Ott, Marengo; Mary L. Robertson, Mrs. Roy Dean, Albion; Fannie Miller, teacher Clark’s Lake; Frederick L. Glascoff, shop Benicia, California; Mabel E. Elms, teacher Albion; Charles W. Anderson, farmer Albion; Lynn B. Hunt, artist Detroit Free Press; Nina J. Derby, Mrs. F. Parker, Clark’s Lake; Florence G. McNeil, Marengo; Madeline M. Murray, teacher Grand Rapids; Ray E. Metz, shop Marshall; Dick S. Ford, clerk Chicago; Mabel G. Escher, Albion; Nellie B. Wolcott, Mrs. Prentiss Baker, Albion; Ralph S. Hyner, student Albion; Frank G. Thompkins, teacher Parma. All text copyright, 2026 © all rights reserved Frank Passic | Artwork copyright Maggie LaNoue © 2026
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