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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 7 2000 pg. 2. Each year at this time in this column we feature the Albion High School class of 100 years ago. The AHS class of 1900 was certainly ambitious and wanted to be remembered. It was the Class of 1900 that produced the very first Albion High School yearbook. Entitled the "Albionensis," this orange colored hard-cover book was in a class by itself. It would not be until 1918 that another yearbook would be produced. Graduation editions of the school newspaper "Breeze" sufficed until that time. The Albionensis was filled with photographs, advertisements, and texts of speeches from the valedictorian, class president, and other class members. Editor of the Albionensis was Wellington W. Gardner. Although the Albionensis was praised for its high quality and standards, it was a financial disaster. A copy sold for 50˘, but class member were assessed 70˘ each in order to pay off the remaining debt at the end of the school year. The inside cover of the Albionesis features a cliff overlooking the ocean, and reads, "Albionensis, a Product of the Heights." This referred to Albion’s name meaning "white," alluding to the white cliffs that overlooked the ocean in England, Albion being an ancient name for Britain (Remember the song, "The White Cliffs of Dover?"). From our Historical Notebook this week we present an illustration of that cover page produced by the AHS Class of 1900, 100 years ago. The Albion High School Class of 1900 had 50 members. Thirty-two were girls, and 18 boys. Class valedictorian was Louise Landon (1882-1967, Mrs. George Lower). Salutatorian was Ray Bornor (1881-1938). Class president was Ora L. White. The class motto was "Our Anchorage is Among the Stars," which explains the anchor surrounded by stars in the upper left hand corner on the cover of the Albionensis. The class colors were: olive green, and white. The class flower was the white carnation. The graduation commencement speaker was the Hon. George L. Yaple of Mendon, who spoke on the subject, "Personality." The class yell was not as ornate as the Albion College "Io Triumphe," but it went like this: "One a zip, two a zip, three a zip a zam! 1900 don’t give a razzle dazzle, hobble gobble. Sis, boom, bah! Albion High School. Rah! Rah! Rah!" Who were the members of AHS Class of 1900? They were listed in an "alumni" directory produced a year or so later. The list gave the name, married name, occupation, and place of residence. Unless stated, class members were still living in Albion. How many names can our readers remember in this list as we present the AHS class of 1900? Mabel Anthony, student Albion College; Flora I. Anderson, telephone office; Mary P. Barry, Northern Normal School, Marquette; Fannibelle M. Bowers, telephone office, Kalamazoo; Evangeline M. Bowles; Charles J. Beal, Los Angeles, CA; Ray Bornor; Deane C. Bartley, traveling salesman, Chicago; Ralph M. Barry; William E. Boyd, farmer; Lawrence W. Cole, printer; Lavanchie M. Cool; Marsh A. Dickie, student Albion College; Jeannette H. Eyre, teacher, Climax; Mabel A. Ellis (Mrs. Alexander A. Dick), Muskegon; Wellington W. Gardner, Fenton; Maizie B. Goodenow; Luther Greeley, traveling salesman; M. Bertha Howard, student Albion College; Ernest C. Hartwell, student Albion College. Warren Bradford Hyney, student Albion College; Edna L.Haven, stenographer; Myrtie J. Hoaglin (Mrs. Harry Wilcox); Edith B. Hamblin; Florence B. Joslyn; Louise Landon, cashier; Fred E. Marshall, Jackson; Allena R. Merritt; Laure E. Maveety; Helen I. Maveety; Clifford H. Mead, clerk; Josephine McAuliffe (deceased); Edna M. Mallard; Frank L. Miller, clerk; Charles A. O’Connor, shop; Georgia Pratt, student Albion College; Ellen M. Pilcher, teacher, Palmer; Leonora H. Pilcher, teacher, Cadillac; George Franklin Pease, farmer, Eckford; Nellie B. Power; Harry A. Power, freight office, Hill City, Kansas; Frankie L. Roper, student, Ypsilanti; Neva M. Sykes, clerk, Battle Creek; Clara B. Shaffer; Rena M. Sebastian, clerk; Edith B. Smith; Georgia C. Thompson, clerk; S. Guy Van Ostrand; Ora Lee White, clerk; May E. Wartman, teacher.  Albionesis Cover Illustration Next: A VIEW FROM 1939 All text copyright, 2026 © all rights reserved Frank Passic | Artwork copyright Maggie LaNoue © 2026
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