THE CLASS OF 1919 HAD ITS DREAM

EVERY GRADUATING CLASS HAS A DREAM COLLECTIVELY AND SINGLY: FOR FUTURE LIFE, PERHAPS GREATNESS. ON THE 100 TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GRADUATION OF THE TRUMANSBURG HIGH SCHOOL CLASS OF 1919 WE GLIMPSE WHAT THEY ACCOMPLISHED THAT LAST SCHOOL YEAR AND AFTER GRADUATION. THE BASE FOR THIS STORY IS A JOURNAL KEPT BY LEONA DELONG IN A BOOK TITLED "A GIRLS' COMMENCEMENT"

 

Photo: 1919 Senior Class at Watkins Glen, photo by Leona Delong

The class colors were green and white. A banner with those colors was flown from the Park Hotel by the
Junior class. The class flower was a white rose. The class president was Paul S. Landon, vice President
Blanche Holton, Secretary A. Elizabeth Severn, Treasurer Leona Adelia Delong. Other members of the
class were Elizabeth Place Brown, Natalie Z. Jones, Sophronia M. Dean, Blanche Van Ness, Alvin J. House,
G. Carlton Townsend, Norma Dempsey and Leslie Culver. Twelve individuals in all.

The faculty members were Adeline E. Dartle, Ruth K. Galliher, Alice M. Dowd, Leonora L. Tarr, Anna W.
Clawson, Rose E. Conway, Helen Elizabeth Coleman, Maryetta B. Olney, Roy A. Olney, John G. Wall. The
Principal was Earl Crowell.

The Senior Play was "The College Town" which was written by Walter Ben Hare and published by T.S.
Denison and Company of Chicago. A copy of the play is in Leona's Journal. The play was performed
February 28, 1919 at the Odd Fellows Hall. Admission was 35 cents. To pull off the play, members of
the Junior class were recruited to fill some rolls. A bonus was a poem made by the class members.

The Baccalaureate was held at the Presbyterian Church where Reverend W. King gave the service.

At commencement, Paul S. Landon gave an address of welcome. Advice to juniors was presented by
Carlton Townsend. A response from the Juniors was given by Willard Georgia. A class history was
presented by Alvin J. House. The class prophesy was given by Elizabeth Severn. The class will was
presented by Blanche Van Ness. In the will, each member of the graduating class bequeathed
something to one or more members of the Junior Class. The class presentation was given by Leona
Delong. The presentation included humorous comments about each member of the Senior class. Every
class member had some talk to give in the commencement. A transcript of all remarks is recorded in
the Journal.

The Senior Trip was on Saturday June 21, 1919 when three carloads of "joyful Seniors" went to Watkins
Glen. They had a sunny day and after leaving in the morning an hour late made the Glen in an
uneventful trip. They then opened the boxes and baskets packed in the bottom of the cars and had a
delicious lunch. Alvin House added a basket of fresh strawberries. After lunch they went to Elmira to
see the sights. After dinner at the City Cafeteria they went to Rorick's Glen to ride the roller coaster and
other rides and for dancing. They returned home after dark, tired but happy.

CLASS MEMBERS:
PAUL SAMUEL LANDON BORN IN BROOKTON, Caroline, NY July 28 1900. MOVED TO T-BURG IN 1915.
Class prophesy saw him as a professor at Cornell. In 1916 Paul Landon came to live with Charles
Wakeman Bates and family and was Charles foster son. Paul's father, Esty J Landon, had recently died.
About 1925 Paul went to the auction of Fred Biggs and bought a purebred Holstein bull calf. They
raised a fine herd of cattle. In 1938 the first artificially bred farm calf in the state of New York was
born in their herd. On December 17 1944 Paul married Lulu M Kio at the First Baptist Church in T-burg.
Nov 3 1955 Mr and Mrs Landon gave a surprise party to Charles Biggs on his 78 th birthday. They had no
children, but devoted much energy to supporting youth programs. Paul attended Cornell University.
He was a self employed auctioneer, worked for Tompkins Trust as an agricultural specialist, then as
manager of the Trumansburg branch of Tompkins Trust Company. Paul was a master of the
Trumansburg Masonic lodge, an officer in the First Presbyterian Church, Rotary club President, active in
the Boy Scouts, member of the Covert Grange and the Seneca County Farm Bureau. Paul S Landon, 80
died Friday May 9 1981 in Boynton Beach, Florida.

ADA ELIZABETH SEVERN was born 14 Aug 1901 in Interlaken. She entered high school in 1913 Last
mention of her in the Free Press was Jan 10 1920 "Miss Elizabeth Severn of the class of 1919 was in
town for the holidays." Elizabeth married Herbert Ralph Baer 24 June 1924. She had 2 years of college
Her husband was a lawyer. They lived in Passaic, New Jersey in 1930 through 1935. They had one
daughter born in Montana and a son born in Passaic, New Jersey. She died 14 Dec 2001. They are
buried in Williamsburg, Virginia.

BLANCHE HOLTON was born in T-burg 4 Feb 1899. Class prophesy sees her as marrying Will Georgia
who drives the bus between T-burg and Interlaken. Blanche graduated from Syracuse University in
1923. She taught Music in Batavia 1923-25 school years. Married Willard Edwin Georgia 9 June 1925 in
Trumansburg, New York. 1930 lived in Ithaca. Willard was state director of the Farm Security
Administration. Free Press Aug 18 1933 Dissolution of partnership of Holton Pharmacy Charles B Holton and Blanche Holton Georgia dissolve partnership as of Aug 15 1933. Charles to continue the business.
Blanche died in South Carolina 27 Oct 1988. She is buried in North Charleston, SC. They had no children.

Photo: Blanche Holton 1923 (Syracuse)

 

LEONA ADELIA DELONG was born in T-burg Nov 16 1900 She was forseen as a dancing girl She was one of the first T-burg Camp Fire Girls when the group organized June 18 1913, Leona graduated from Syracuse University, and received her Masters Degree at the University of Wisconsin. She taught Latin at several upstate New York high schools. Leona was a Charter member of the Taughannock Chapter of the DAR. She married Charles Roy Smith in Kansas City, MO Dec 31 1939. Leona was Secretary in the Kansas City public schools. They had one son. Leona died 24 April 1990 in Kansas City, MO, and is buried in Grove cemetery.

 

Photo: 1919 Leona Delong Trumansburg

 

SOPHRONIA DEAN was born in Reynoldsville1899-1900 Noted as a great dress designer and maker. Seen as operating school for farmerette tractor drivers. Wa a student at Cornell where she died at the Cornell infirmary Mar 14 1922. The cause of death was influenza with mastoiditis. She died 9 days after an ear operation without regaining consciousness. Her funeral was in Searsburg. Burial was in Jones Cemetery.

 

BLANCHE E VAN NESS was born in Pennsylvania 27 Feb 1899. She entered school in Podunk in 1910. Blanche came to T-burg in 1913. She was foreseen as a school teacher in the south as she was always cold. She was awarded an academic diploma at the T-burg high school June 1921. She married Baxter Townsend Coleman Nov 9 1922 in T-burg. They lived in Lodi. He worked for the Lehigh Valley Railroad and was a farmer, he died in 1965. They had one daughter. She died 8 April 1976 in Lodi.

 

NATALIE Z JONES was born in T-burg Oct 29 1900. She was one of the first T-burg Camp Fire Girls when the group organized June 18 1913. Her future was seen as a beauty parlor owner. She graduated from Cortland Normal School in June 1921. On 6 April 1921 she married Herbert L Hollister in WElland, Ontario, Canada. In 1930 she taught at Luzerne, Warren County, new York. He was a school janitor. She taught first grade. In 1947 thru 1952 she was a clerk at Alperts in Cortland and her husband ran Hollister's restaurant. She died in Lakeside Nursing Home in Ithaca Aug 29 1980. She had lived in Cortland for many years. she had married Herbert L. Hollister. Through the years her husband held a number of jobs. He died in 1969. She was survived by a brother Harold C Jones also of Lakeside. Natalie is buried in Cortland.

 

ELIZABETH PLACE BROWN was born 16 Feb 1903 at Caledonia. She entered T-burg schools in 1917. Her future was seen as growing onions. Apr 17 1920 attended a birthday party in town. Married 26 July 1928 in Ontario County to Olaf Clair Taylor who was born 14 Sept 1899 in Arcadia, Ohio. In 1940 they were living in Monongahela, PA where he was a salesman. They had 2 sons. She died 14 Aug 1998 in Multnomah County, Oregon and is buried in Belconda, Monroe County, New York.

 

CARLTON G TOWNSEND was born in Townsendville 16 June 1899. He also lived in Cazenovia and Hobart. He was seen as a preacher. Mar 19 1921 Free Press states Carlton Townsend has resumed his studies in high school. He competed 2 yars of college. In a Free Press article Nov 30 1945 his parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. His mother had recently played the piano at the 50th wedding anniversary of C J and Edla Craig Delong, the parents of Leona Delong. The July 21 1950 Free Press notes Carlton Townsend is recovering from a recent accident. He was kicked on the head by a horse. He was a farmer at Townsendville, living unmarried with his parents. He died 22 June 1959 and is buried in Grove cemetery.

 

ALVIN JUSTUS HOUSE was born 20 April 1902 in Black River, NY. He was seen as a matinee idol. He moved to Holcomb in 1922. Alvin married 25 June 1923 in Seneca County Miss Wilhelmina Anna Osgood who was born in Kingtown to Tunis Osgood in 1903. In 1925 he was a farmer at Bristol, Ontario County, and they were living at Holcomb in 1926. They had two sons. Wilhelmina died in 1933. 16 Feb 1935 he married Alice E Huntsman in Ontario County, NY. In 1942 he was living in Herrickville, Bradford county, PA and was employed by the Wesleyan Methodist Church. Later he preached in several towns in Montana and at Almont, North Dakota. He dieed July 1987 in Bismarck, ND.

 

NORMA DEMPSEY was born 19 May 1902. She was foreseen as a professor. Graduated from Syracuse University in 1923. Norma then accepted position as head waitress (headmistress) at Richfield Springs. In 1925 she was teaching t St. Regis Falls, 1927 taught in Rochester. 1928 at Oakfield, 1929-49+ teaching History and Economics at Rome, NY. July 12 1940 E Norma Dempsey married Gerald L Manwaring of Oswego who also taught school. They had one daughter who became a nurse. Norma was living in Rome until her death 21 Dec 1992.

 

LESLIE EUGENE CULVER was born in Maryland 21 March 1900. He graduated from Cornell in 1926. His sister married Ortha Strong. Leslie married Arlene I McNall in Richmond, NY 14 Oct 1935. They lived in West Henrietta for many years where he was a poultry farmer. He died in Feb 1986 in Alameda, CA and is buried in Henrietta, NY. They had no children.

 

Photo: 1926 Leslie Culver, Cornell

 

 

SUMMARY:

12 graduates: 4 boys and 8 girls. 6 lived in the area, 6 moved from the area, 3 out of state.

NAME                  BIRTH           MARRIAGE         DEATH          # Children     LIVED

Paul Landon       7/28/1900       12/17/1944          5/9/1981            0               T-burg

Ada Severn         8/14/1901       6/24/1924           12/14/2001         2               Ithaca

Blanche Holton    2/4/1899         6/9/1925             10/27/1988        0                Ithaca

Leona Delong     11/16/1900       12/31/1939        4/24/1990          1         Kansas City, MO

Sophronia Dean  1899/1900       None                  3/14/1922          0               Ithaca

Blanche Van Ness  2/27/1899     11/9/1922           4/8/1976           1                Lodi

Natalie Jones        10/29/1900     4/6/1921            8/29/1980         0              Cortland

Elizabeth Brown     2/16/1903      7/26/1928          8/14/1998         2?            PA, OR

Carlton Townsend  6/16/1899      None                  6/22/1958         0         Townsendville   

Alvin House           4/20/1902       6/25/23 & 2/16/35     7/1978       2      Ontario Co, PA, MT, ND

Norma Dempsey    5/19/1902      7/12/1940         12/21/1992        1               Rome

Leslie Culver          3/21/1900      10/14/1935         2/12/1986         0           West Henrietta