Class of 1901, Corning

From the Clay County Courier:

"Caps and gowns were locally unknown as graduation apparel in 1901 and this photograph was made in Poplar Bluff, using the regalia that had recently served the Poplar Bluff High School graduating class.  Will Spillman, who heads the graduating line on the left, got word that the robes were available and rounded up all the 1901 graduates of Corning Public Schools who could afford the round trip on the Iron Mountain, for the picture.

From left to right the members are:  Spillman, Estella Black the salutatorian, Charles R. Black, Mazie Barnhill the valedictorian, Opal Barnes, Bessie Barnhill and Maude Oliver.

The class roll of 1901 lists a membership of 15.  The official class pictures shows a membership of 17.  Missing from the roll are names of Charles Black and Perry Simpson, neither of them fulfilled the commencement obligation of saying a piece.  Since that was the requirement for receiving a diploma, no speech, no diploma.  The Corning schools, still housed in the five room frame school house, boasted a faculty of five.  W. T. Stephens was superintendent of schools in 1901."

Submitted by Danny Moore

From the Clay County Courier:

"Corning’s first graduates, 1901…

"The first class to ever graduate from Corning High School was in 1901 and had a total of 18 members, most of them went away and some who remained in Corning for as long as they lived.  This latter group consisted of Charles R. Black who was a town leader, mayor more than one time and owner of Black Lumber Company;  Effie Kathleen Crabtree who later married Thomas William Wynn and they lived here for all their lives, rearing a family of four children:  Isabel, Robert, Kathleen and Helen.  Her husband was kept busy overseeing their many acres of area farm land and they were active in Corning First Methodist Church.  Estelle Black, a sister of Charles R. went on to school to become a beautician, had her own shop in Corning, later married Monroe G. Hoffman and they were a big part of Corning and First Baptist Chuch for the remainder of their lives."

Submitted by Danny Moore