This is the class of 1962, in 1958-1959.  We would have been 9th graders.  The photo above is only half of that class.  The was when the public schools were integrated and there was a backlash.  The girls are from the top left across: Pearl Riggan, Dee Dee Jones, Carter Grandy, Robbie Coleman, Henrietta Heath, Leigh Lewis.  The bottom row left Sally Guy, Susan Raynor, Gin Gondor, Betsy Garrett.

This is the second half of that class.  The girls from the top left are, Jane Williamson, Madelyn Routhey (sp), Judy Howes, Margaret Strauss, Sandra Kropf (sp), Anne Ferguson.  The bottom left is Claudia Henderson, Liz Zetlin, Susan O'neil, Mary Hughes Gibbs, and Paula Abbott.

There were only eleven of us to graduate in 1962.  Sally returned to England with her parents.  The other girls left to return mostly to public school and Carter Grandy left to go to Madeira School.

As far as I know only Claudia Henderson and Betsy Garrett have passed away.

The teachers 2

The teacher's at The Graham School were a dedicated lot. The school was run by two old maid sisters the Misses Grahams. Miss Sarah was the oldest and the head mistress her sister Miss Cary taught lower grade English and History. I remember what a stickler she was for grammar.  Miss Sarah taught upper school English. Miss Osborne taught Latin and Ancient History. One of my favorite teachers was Miss Lily Jackson. She taught the lower school math. She also as I was to learn later was quite a wood worker carving small boxes out of fine woods with thistles or dogwood blossoms. I learn this after her death when I purchased a gift shop that had carried these boxes. Unfortunately it was only after I had sold them all, that I learned that she was the artist who had made them. She also produced our unique yearbooks bound with ribbons watercolor paper, illustrated with hand painted thistles on the cover. Another well loved teacher was Miss Batten. She went to my church, and it was through my grandmother that I had learned that her grandfather was the famous Walter Reed. Miss Batten played the piano and helped us yearly with our singing contest between the clans. The only full time married teacher was Caroline Tunstall or as we affectionately called her "Crow."  Crow taught beginning Latin and Biology, everyone loved her classes. After the school closed in 1963 she went back to college to get her Masters degree at Old Dominion College, while I was in attendance.

The Graham's by Guy Friddell

Guy Friddell, wrote an article about The Graham School in Norfolk back in the 1980's. I remember the one and only reunion as a very pleasant experience. It took place at the Norfolk Yacht and country club. Sue Mullins, Molly Holt and I rode in from the beach together. Mrs Deal, who produced the yearly plays for the Grahams, was the only teacher to attend. 

Miss Osbourne, taught us Latin. I still can recite by heart the first paragraph of Caesar's Gallic Wars. I really didn't learn my vocabulary as well as I should have. I panicked every time we had an exam, and memorized as much as I could. Very foolish girl.There was enough Latin that I managed to remember that ended up helping me greatly with my Art History classes in college.  It allowed me to read some Italian for Renaissance Art.  

Obituary

I was sorry to hear about the death of my friend and class mate, Claudia Henderson Robins.  I have thought of her often in the last few years.  She suffered from Early Onset Alzheimer.  I have thought of all she missed and wished that there was no such thing as Alzheimer.  To my knowledge she was the first of the small group of girls that were the class of 1962 to go. We shall hold you in our memories.

Last year we lost another member of the class of 1962, Elizabeth Garrett, Betsy, 

Reunion 2012 50 year! Calling Class of 1962 and others

Putting out a call for Graham School, Norfolk Va. girls to get together.....So many years have passed and occasionally we bump into each other.  Wouldn't be fun to get together again.  I remember the last time.  At the Norfolk Yacht and Country Club.  What 20 years ago.  Sue Mullins, Molly Holt, and I came u p from Va. Beach.  It was nice to see each other.  You can find me on Facebook.  Get in contact let all get together.

Leigh Lewis Trimble class of 1962

Friends still pop up!

So who should walk into my shop but Katya Shoemaker. Blue Clan Chieftain and someone that all my class looked up to. She is now living on the Northern Neck of Virginia. She had moved here from Charlottesville Va. The nice thing about running a shop is that you never know who will walk in the door next.   Both Carter Grandy and Edith Burrow have happen into the store as well. One of my best friends Ellen Holt and her sister, also a great friend, both attended The Graham School before I did. They transferred to Saint Margaret's in Tappahanock Va.  Ellen and I met when she went back to college at Old Dominion.  We sat together at Bud's snack bar. We started talking and she said that she had attended The Graham School.  I saud that I had also gone to The Graham School and that I never remembered seeing her there. School as a common link we became fast and true friends.

Class of 1962 3

There were only twelve of us and I was a good student but not the highest achiever. I've always been able to brag that I was in the top 10 of my class, only to admit that that was not such a great feat since there so few in our class. In fact there were several high achievers in the class I would have been lucky to have been in the top 1/2.

It was only after I had finished my schooling that I realized what a great back ground for life I had been granted by attending The Graham School. Years later I actually realized that I was smarter than a lot of people.