This Was Then: Classes of 1952

Before the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School opened in 1959, there were three secondary schools on the Island: Edgartown High School, Oak Bluffs High School, and Tisbury High School. Every year, the three graduating classes would get together for a tour of Washington, D.C.

A few weeks ago, Catherine Bumpus of Woods Hole spotted this framed photo of the combined classes of 1952 in an online auction for an East Falmouth estate sale. She alerted her friend Tom Hodgson of West Tisbury, and together they rescued it, together with a second, very similar, photo of the classes of 1950. Thanks to their generosity and quick thinking, the two photos have been returned to the Island, where they belong.

These students are in their late 80s now, at least those who are still with us. With the help of their friends, classmates, and children, we’ve tentatively attached names to most, but not all, of the faces. Whom can you help us identify?

If you have information, send it to cbaer@vineyard.net.

Image Detail 1-13

1    ?
2    ?
3    Dick Kelly (EHS)
4    ?? DeFrates (EHS)
5    ?
6    Paul Corwin (EHS)
7    Gracie Gross? (EHS)
8    ____ Mosher? (THS)
9    John Regan (EHS)
10    Joanne Bettencourt (EHS)
11    ?
12    Louise Silva (EHS)
13    Garth Umstot? (EHS)

Image Detail 14-27

14    Nancy Winterbottom
15    Beverly Goodwin (OBHS)
16    ?
17    Priscilla White? (THS)
18    Margery Hancock? (THS)
19    ?
20    ?
21    ?
22    ?
23    Justin Welch
24    Mr. Arbo (principal, THS)
25    ?
26    ___ Dias?
27    Frances Bernard?

Image Detail 28-42

28    Alice Garabedian? (EHS teacher?)
29    “Bubbles” Silva
30    John Campos
31    Charles Downs
32    ?
33    Ron Silva
34    Tony Pierson
35    ?
36    Bill Regan (EHS principal)
37    Tommy Carroll?
38    Wilbur Shepherd
39    Theresa Lucille King (THS)
40    ?
41    Ken Hearn
42    William Ross Searle

Image Detail 43-58

43    ?
44    Tommy Carroll
45    ?
46    Tony Lima (Antone Lima)
47    Cynthia Leonard
48    ?
49    Sylvia Rodgers
50    ?
51    ? (THS)
52    Judy Bunker
53    ?
54    David Tilton
55    Janet Steere
56    ?
57    Ann McPherson (OBHS)
58    Dick Burt

Image Detail 59-67

59    Joyce Begley
60    ?
61    Shirley Viera
62    Katy White (or Mazza?)
63    Helen Brown (OBHS?)
64    Forrest Alley
65    Rita Perry
66    Mary Jane Amaral
67    ?

Chris Baer teaches photography and graphics at Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School. His book, “Martha’s Vineyard Tales,” containing many “This Was Then” columns, was released in 2018.